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Eric Woodyard
DETROIT — The Lions have waived quarterback Hendon Hooker, a source confirmed to ESPN
Following Saturday’s home loss in the preseason finale against Houston, head coach Dan Campbell suggested that Hooker could potentially benefit from a different setting.
Hooker, 27, struggled with turnovers throughout training camp and preseason action, as he lost the QB2 spot to former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kyle Allen behind four-time Pro Bowler Jared Goff.
“How much development do you believe there still is? Sometimes does the player need a change of scenery? What about our own depth in other areas?” Campbell said of Hooker on Saturday. “I mentioned this the other day, relative to that — all right, maybe there is room to grow. Is that worth it for the depth we need at O-Line, D-Line, receiver, DB? And so those are all things you have to weigh.”
Detroit selected Hooker with the 68th overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Tennessee, although he was still recovering from a torn ACL, as a move with the future in mind.
Hooker became the franchise’s highest drafted quarterback since Matthew Stafford went No. 1 in 2009, but Hooker appeared in only three regular-season games.
In late July, Hooker told ESPN that he felt his camp had been “average,” with some things to clean up, but remained confident in his ability to secure the QB2 spot.
Hooker still felt he made a “strong stance” to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster even after throwing an interception against the Houston Texans in his final preseason game.
“From the work that I’ve put in and the tape that I’ve put on tape in practice and a couple plays in the game, I have showcased some good things,” Hooker said. “I’ve got some things to still work on. Like I said before, I made a strong stance.”