Dan Campbell sets expectations for Hendon Hooker at Lions OTAs (2024)

After a rookie season that will go down as a "redshirt year", Hendon Hooker is lined up to be the Lions' No. 2 quarterback behind Jared Goff this season. His long-term future in Detroit is up in the air due to Goff's contract extension effectively blocking him from playing/starting for the duration of his rookie contract, barring an injury.

Hooker was added to the active roster late last season, if only so he could get the benefit of being able to keep practicing. As the Lions ramped up to the next phase of OTAs, how he looked during Thursday's practice that was open to the media was sure to be noted.

As for how Hooker looked during Thursday's practice, let's turn to John Maakaron of SI.com and Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit.

"Hooker displayed zip on his throws, but grappled with accuracy issues at times. He connected on a deep ball with tryout signee Kaden Davis, but the ball wobbled in the air and was not among his best efforts. Hooker also was nearly intercepted by UDFA Loren Strickland while trying to connect with Donovan Peoples-Jones."

"Later in practice, Hooker demonstrated chemistry with Tom Kennedy. With Nate Sudfeld limited in his return from an ACL injury last preseason, the Tennessee product has been taking reps with the second and third teams."
-John Maakaron, SI.com

"Thursday was our first look at Hendon Hooker for an entire practice since Detroit drafted him last year. Personally, I thought it was a very mixed bag from the second-year quarterback. The ball does jump nicely off his hands, and he can really put some zip on it. He roped a few passes up the seam that some starting quarterbacks probably couldn’t throw. However, the accuracy was inconsistent, at best. A couple of passes probably should have been picked off. That said, he did connect on a deep shot."

"The biggest question Hooker faces at the next level is his processing skills, and I saw both some of the good and bad with him on Thursday. On one rep, he took way too long to check down the ball to Tom Kennedy, giving Amik Robinson time to read the play and nearly pick it off. On the very next play, he patiently made his reads, found running back Jake Funk, and placed the ball where Funk could catch and turn upfield."
-Jeremy Reisman, Pride of Detroit

Hooker having ups and downs in practice is to be expected, and that's what reporters on the ground saw on Thursday.

Some Lions fans want to anoint Hooker as a capable backup right now, able to step in and be really good if something happened to Goff. But early in the offseason, no less an authority than head coach Dan Campbell openly acknowledged how the young quarterback is simply an unknown entity. And frankly, OTA practices without pads aren't going to change that dramatically.

But via Maakaron/SI.com on Thursday, Campbell did not mince words about what Hooker (however obviously) needs to show between now and the end of training camp.

"Yeah, really he just needs to take a step up," Campbell said. "We need to feel like, by the end of camp, this guy, he can run this offense. He can be somebody we know that, man, we can play the game a certain way with him. We know he’s gonna be able to process the information, he’s gonna get us in the right play and he’s gonna keep the ship afloat. That’s it. We don’t need him to come in and win a game, you just want to feel like, alright. So, obviously, he’s gonna need to take another step up. The good news, right now, is he’s getting a ton of reps."

Hooker needs as many reps as he can get, and he'll get plenty as Nate Sudfeld works his way back from a torn ACL last preseason. But Campbell made it clear the second-year signal caller has to win the No. 2 quarterback spot, it won't be handed to him. Which is no surprise.