Hendon Hooker could open the season on the non-football injury list at next week’s roster cut deadline, but the Detroit Lions are planning to have the rookie quarterback on their 53-man roster at some point this fall.
Hooker, a third-round pick in April’s draft, continues to progress in his rehab from the knee injury he suffered last November at Tennessee, when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee.
He has conducted regular post-practice workouts for trainers during training camp, often running through his own practice script and sprinting downfield after passes to simulate moving an offense in a game.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said last week the team had not made any decisions on Hooker’s initial roster status, but said he was pleased with Hooker’s development so far.
Players who start the regular season on NFI must sit out at least the first four games. If a player spends the entire season on NFI, the team has the option of tolling his contract.
That could be especially appealing to the Lions with Hooker as a way to obtain an extra year of control on a rookie quarterback who is a long shot to be a meaningful contributor this fall. But a Lions source familiar with the thought process on Hooker said that is not in the Lions’ plans and emphasized Hooker is expected to join the roster once healthy.
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“Honestly, we have not even talked about (what to do with) Hooker in those regards,” Campbell said last week. “It’s been more about, ‘Man, let’s get him back.’ I know this, he’s putting in the work in the classroom. Bru and J.T. (Lions quarterbacks coaches Mark Brunell and J.T. Barrett) have done a great job with him, and I know that he’s studying on it, he’s getting it, he’s learning it, and he’s got some really good guys to learn from in there.”
Jared Goff is the Lions’ unquestioned starter after leading the team to a 9-8 record last season, and the Lions signed Teddy Bridgewater earlier this month to serve in a backup role.
Bridgewater started last week’s 25-7 preseason loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars before giving way to Nate Sudfeld, who was Goff’s backup last season and took most of the second-team reps in practice last week.
Sudfeld is 24-for-46 passing (52.2%) this preseason for 274 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Bridgewater completed five of 11 passes for 34 yards against the Jaguars, and fourth-string quarterback Adrian Martinez was 4-for-7 passing for 37 yards and ran for a touchdown in the Lions’ preseason-opening win over the New York Giants.
NFL teams have until 4 p.m. Aug. 29 to cut to a 53-man roster, and the Lions are staring down a tough decision at quarterback.
Bridgewater seems like a lock to make the roster, but the Lions must decide whether Sudfeld is worth keeping as a No. 3 quarterback or whether to cut him and try to bring him back on practice squad.
Hooker would not count against the Lions’ initial 53-man roster if he opens on NFI, and his rehab schedule could factor into the team’s decision making.
Hooker suffered his injury Nov. 19, underwent surgery in December and spent six weeks on crutches.
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Lions receiver Jameson Williams, who tore his ACL in his final college game last January and underwent surgery the following week, opened last season on NFI, returned to practice before Thanksgiving and played in his first game Dec. 4. Williams did not suffer meniscus damage in his knee.
Campbell said he hopes Hooker “just continues to come along and get better” and the Lions will figure out his roster status when the time comes.
“Once we start hearing from Fisch (director of player performance Brett Fischer) and those guys, like, ‘Hey, this guy’s coming on,’ we get the, ‘OK, you guys may have a decision to make sooner than later,’” Campbell said. “But we’re not even going to worry about it right now.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.