Hendon

Hooker

Taylor has dealt with knee injuries intermittently this season. If he is unable to suit up as Brady Cook’s backup, the Jets will call up QB Hendon Hooker from the practice squad, who the Jets added in-season..

With Justin Fields on IR and Taylor out, Hendon Hooker will back up Brady Cook this week. Hooker was called up from the practice squad over the weekend.

Hooker spent time with the Panthers this season, but spent two seasons with the Lions after they drafted him in the 2023 NFL Draft’s third round. Jets OC Tanner Engstrand served as the Lions’ passing game coordinator from 2023-2024. Adding Hooker to the team’s practice squad makes sense.

Hooker had been on the practice squad since August, but Carolina elected to sign and elevate Mike White over him. It’s possible Hooker thinks he has a better opportunity elsewhere. Even if he does, it’s hard to imagine him finding a path to a starting role at this point.

Hooker, the Lions third-rounder from 2023, couldn’t find a taker for his services on a 53-man roster so he’ll hop aboard the Panthers practice squad. Joining him there will be RB DeeJay Dallas, CB Kevin King, LB Krys Barnes, CB Shemar Bartholomew, OLB Boogie Basham, DE Jared Harrison-Hunte, OL Jarrett Kingston, LB Maz Mwansa, TE Bryce Pierre, WR Ja’seem Reed, CB Mike Reid, DT Sam Roberts, OT Mike Tarquin, S Trevian Thomas and OL Brandon Walton.

Well, you can’t say they didn’t telegraph this as Hooker played behind Kyle Allen in their fourth preseason game and was pulled early in Detroit’s second game of the preseason for turning the ball over too often. Hooker could wind up back with Detroit on the practice squad, but it’s possible some other team likes the 27-year-old enough to give him a 53-man roster spot.

Hooker completed 7-of-10 passes for 38 yards against the Falcons in Preseason “Week 1" (the Lions played in the Hall of Fame game), but fumbled twice and the Lions lost both balls. None of what we’ve seen from Detroit this offseason, from the signing of Kyle Allen to the rhetoric about how Hooker has played, speaks well to the job Hooker has done heading into his third season. It’s entirely possible Allen passes him for the QB2 role.

It’s not exactly a glowing endorsement of the behind-the-scenes development from Hooker. The 2023 third-round pick appeared in three games in which the Lions scored 49 or more points last season, completing 6-of-9 passes for 62 yards. It sounds like Kyle Allen (and potentially Jake Fromm) will push him for No. 2 duties this offseason.

Allen joins two other backups in Detroit. Hendon Hooker, who is under contract through 2026, was Detroit’s backup last year. Jake Fromm, who is under contract through 2025, is currently third string. The Lions can notably save all $1.03 million of Fromm’s salary with a pre-June 1 release. Allen is a more proven veteran than Fromm. Ultimately the Lions may just carry four quarterbacks in camp and see what happens.

Hooker began the year as the Lions’ No. 2, but was easily jumped by late-season free agent addition Teddy Bridgewater. Already 27 years old, Hendon’s NFL future is looking more theoretical than actual.