Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker is officially in a bad (less-than-ideal) situation in the NFL.
Hooker, who was selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, just turned 26 in January and he's nowhere close to getting a starting chance in the NFL.
The former Vol could be the primary backup in Detroit in 2024, but Jared Goff is "the guy" for the Lions. And that doesn't look like it'll be changing anytime soon with Goff expected to receive some sort of extension from the Lions after leading Detroit to the NFC Championship game in 2023. That means Hooker will probably only see action in the event of an injury.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted at the NFL scouting combine this week that Detroit has no clue what they have in Hooker at this point.
"The best I can tell you is there was growth," said Campbell when asked about Hooker's rookie season. "We saw growth, and that’s encouraging. That’s all we can ask at this point. I don’t think we entirely know what he is yet. There’s not enough evidence, but I know this: We saw progress, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Hooker spent much of the 2023 season recovering from the torn ACL he suffered at Tennessee in late 2022 -- which meant he didn't get practice time with the Lions until later in the season.
If Goff signs a multi-year extension, it could mean that Hooker plays his entire rookie contract without getting a chance to start. That would put Hooker at 29 years old when he enters free agency for the first time. And he likely won't be looking at a lucrative contract if he doesn't get a chance to show his worth as a starter.
Hooker deserves a chance to start in the NFL, but it doesn't look like that will be coming anytime soon. I get the situation in Detroit -- Goff has played well since joining the franchise via a trade with the Los Angeles Rams and deserves an extension. And it's not like Hooker is going to generate a significant return in a trade, so that probably isn't an option either.
It feels like a hopeless situation for Hooker -- one that's going to prevent the former Vol from earning (or at least having the chance to earn) a significant free agent contract when his rookie deal is up after the 2026 season.
A lot can obviously change in Detroit. But for now, it feels like Hooker's talent is trapped and won't be seen on Sundays for a long while.
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