Head coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday on the "Green Light with Chris Long" podcast that he doesn't anticipate Hooker (knee) playing during his rookie season. "Really, this is a redshirt year for him," Campbell said. "He's got to get this leg right first and then he'll learn under Jared [Goff], and then let's see what happens. If he can eventually become your two or maybe down the road, later on, it's more than that, but it's going to be a long time."
The main question within the Lions quarterback room regards the future of Goff, whose release after the upcoming season would only cost Detroit $5 million in dead money. After that comes Hooker's acclimation to the NFL, as the Tennessee product who tore the ACL in his left knee last November remains without a clear timeline to resume full activities. Should Hooker miss most or all of the offseason, it seems unrealistic to think he could give the Lions much of a reason to move off of Goff in 2024 without having much practice time under his belt.