Rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker is now on the Lions’ 53-man roster.
Hooker tore his ACL in his final game at Tennessee and the third-round pick has been on the non-football injury list for the entire regular season. He was designated for return a few weeks ago in order to allow him to practice with the team and the Lions announced his activation on Tuesday.
Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater are still ahead of him on the depth chart, but the move will allow Hooker to continue practicing through the rest of the season. With Bridgewater planning to retire, Hooker would presumably be line for the No. 2 job next year.
Kicker Riley Patterson was waived in a corresponding move. Michael Badgley was elevated from the practice squad last Saturday and is set to continue as the team’s kicker.
