Discussing the Detroit Lions’ future QB decision with Jared Goff, Hendon Hooker

The Detroit Lions could be facing an interesting—and awkward—decision with Hendon Hooker and Jared Goff in 2024.

It’s everyone’s favorite topic: Quarterbacks!

It’s been an active week when it comes to the Detroit Lions’ quarterback position. First, the Lions made things very interesting with the addition of former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker with a third-round pick. And just when the Jared Goff “haters” were ready to do their victory lap, Lions general manager Brad Holmes told the media that there have been both internal discussion and conversations with Goff’s representation about a potential extension in Detroit.

So what exactly is going on? Does Hooker truly have a ceiling to become a starter in this league, or does he represent simply an improvement at the backup position?

One complicated aspect of this decision is the timing. Goff only has two more years on his contract, and if the Lions even succeed in half of the expectations set for the franchise this year, he would be in line for a big extension in the 2024 offseason.

Hooker, on the other hand, could potentially miss all of training camp this year as he rehabs from a torn ACL. If that’s the case, will the Lions know enough about Hooker to even make an educated judgement on whether to move forward with him as the starter or give Goff an extension?

Normally during the breaks of our PODcast, we discuss a random assortment of topics—both football-related and not. But with so much NFL Draft talk to get out, this quarterback discussion overflowed into the break.

So this week, we’re releasing an episode of the “Scraps”—our less formal conversation during the breaks typically only reserved for our live audience. Here’s a snippet of that conversation as it relates to the Lions’ quarterback position.

Ryan: “They are going to decide after this year, because they have to. The rubber is going to meet the road. They have Hendon Hooker, who does the thing everybody wants a quarterback to do: sit and learn. He’s going to have a whole year to sit and learn.”

Jeremy: “I just don’t know if that’s enough to—you’re going to pull the trigger on that (decision) without the dude playing a single snap? Maybe not even in preseason? There’s a chance he doesn’t even play in the preseason. He doesn’t get training camp. You’re going to base your decision on Hendon Hooker’s development based on in-season practices.”

Ryan: “Can I tell you when (they’ll make the decision)? Week 18 when the Lions have the division wrapped up.”

Jeremy: “And he Matt Flynn’s somebody and they trade him?”

That entire discussion starts around the five-minute mark of the podcast below and takes you all the way to the end.

Other topics on “Scraps”:

• Could Mohamed Ibrahim be RB3 for the Lions (2:55)
• Do they still need Teddy Bridgewater on the roster? (3:55)