Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has assessed rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker and although he likes what he has seen so far, Lions fans shouldn’t expect Hooker to challenge for the starting job this fall. In fact, Hooker will likely spend the season holding a clipboard and observing.
Campbell recently appeared on Chris Long’s “Green Light” podcast and used the term “redshirt” in reference to Hooker’s role on the team for the upcoming season. Given Campbell’s positive evaluation, though, Hooker seems to have a chance to be Goff’s backup in the future.
“Really, this is a redshirt year for him,” Campbell said. “He’s got to get this leg right first and then he’ll learn under Jared (Goff), and then let’s see what happens. If he can eventually become your two or maybe down the road, later on, it’s more than that, but it’s going to be a long time.”
Campbell referred to the ACL surgery that Hooker underwent in December. The Lions coach then praised Hooker for his arm strength and maturity. The 25-year-old rookie was high on Detroit’s list despite the fact that he is three years older than most NFL rookies tend to be.
Detroit’s head coach also did a favor for NFL fans looking forward to the 2023 season with his comments. With this insight, Campbell made it clear that Goff is the starter in Detroit as long as he is healthy. The Lions’ trading up to draft Hooker 68th overall might have suggested a quarterback controversy to fans.
Campbell dismissed that notion, giving confidence to not only fans but people who are looking forward to betting on their favorite NFL team as well. If Campbell had failed to commit to Goff, it might have created doubt around the Lions’ ability to score points. As a result, fans who want to participate in some NFL betting shouldn’t see much movement in futures markets from this interview.
While Hooker probably won’t contribute much on the field in 2023, that won’t be the case for other Detroit rookies. The Lions struggled defensively last season. Detroit was dead-last in the league in terms of total defense.
However, rookies like safety Brian Branch, defensive tackle Brodric Martin, and linebacker Jack Campbell could help the Lions improve defensively. There are others outside of the organization who think the Lions might progress in all aspects of the game in the upcoming season.
Oddsmakers also like the changes Detroit made, setting the NFL betting line on the Lions’ win total for 2023 at 9.5 wins. The Lions will start off the season as road underdogs on the NFL Week 1 betting odds as they face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The schedule gets more manageable from that point on, enabling Detroit to possibly win 10 or more games.
At this time, there’s no reason to bet on Hooker taking part in those games. If he uses this “redshirt” season well, though, he could have a bright future in the NFL.
