The Detroit Lions lost one of their backup quarterbacks, Hendon Hooker, to a concussion during the preseason opener.
These preseason reps are viewed as vital for the second-year passer, who spent all of last season rehabbing a torn ACL suffered during his senior season at Tennessee. Hooker went five-for-nine for 36 yards and rushed four times for 34 yards during his two series of action.
Moving into the team’s second preseason game, set for Saturday at Kansas City, coach Dan Campbell expressed uncertainty about Hooker’s status moving forward.
“Honestly, we don’t know. We don’t know where he’s gonna be,” Campbell explained Sunday. “He’s not gonna be out there today, we probably won’t have him tomorrow. And so it’s looking less like we will have him in practice this week until Friday getting ready for the Chiefs. And that’s not a guarantee until he obviously clears the concussion protocol, and we’re on a hold with him, so that’ll kind of play itself out.
“So for the limited snaps that he was in there, with a very limited package offensively, it was promising,” Campbell explained further. “There again, there’s not a lot of reps and until he’s ready to go, we’re on hold with him really.”
Because the Lions have just one other passer on the roster, Nate Sudfeld, the organization is currently deciding whether or not to add another passer to the mix to provide depth. Starter Jared Goff did not play in the preseason opener, so Sudfeld would be the only other option under center if Hooker is unable to clear concussion protocol.
“Brad and I talked about it this morning, that could come down the wire today or tomorrow,” Campbell said. “There is a chance. I think we’ll have a pretty good idea this afternoon as to, do we need to go ahead and do that, just to make sure we’ve got a guy other than Nate for the game.”
Sudfeld started Thursday’s game and re-entered in the fourth quarter when Hooker left with injury. He finished 13-of-24 for 96 yards and an interception. Ahead of the second preseason game, Campbell expects improvements in small areas from the nine-year veteran.
“Yeah, improve. I would say that with any of these guys,” Campbell said. “Make the smart decision. Do the things, end of game, end of half, third downs, that we know that’s why you’re here. Just make all that clean. I don’t need to see make every throw, but just those little things and improve a little bit and that’ll go a long way. It’s as simple as that, it really is.”
