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Hendon Hooker said he is on track to be ready for the start of this NFL season, but the Lions likely are thinking more about 2024.
The Lions selected Hooker — who is recovering quickly from a torn ACL in his left knee suffered in November and expects to be fully cleared for action by Sept. 1 — in the third round (No. 68 overall) of the NFL draft on Friday night and set up a potential quarterback succession plan to Jared Goff.
The only other quarterback on the Detroit depth chart is Nate Sudfeld, so Hooker can slide in as the rookie No. 2 and perhaps take over as soon as the 2024 season when there is no guaranteed money remaining on Goff’s contract.
“First I want to heal, and come in and be a sponge from anyone,” Hooker said on ABC.
Hooker wasn’t about to push Goff — who resurrected his once-flailing career as a Pro Bowler in leading the Lions to a 9-8 record this past season — out the door.
