It's been four years since the Detroit Lions acquired quarterback Jared Goff. When Goff arrived in Detroit, many fans thought he would be a bridge QB, with the Lions drafting a quarterback to replace him. However, Goff has had a career resurgence in Detroit and halted any plans for a replacement.
Still, the Lions drafted quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third-round of the 2023 NFL draft. The former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback was recovering from a torn ACL as a rookie, which slowed his development. Since then, Hooker has failed to establish himself as as reliable backup quarterback.
As a result, the Lions brought in competition for him this offseason, and general manager Brad Holmes confirmed that he had to earn his spot. With that being said, if the 27-year-old can't earn a spot on the roster, here are three viable trade partners for Detroit.
1. Dallas Cowboys
This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys let backup quarterback Cooper Rush test free agency. During his time in Dallas, Rush proved to be a solid backup and is now Lamar Jackson's backup in Baltimore after signing a two-year deal. This means the Cowboys' only current backup option is Will Grier.
The journeyman quarterback has started just two games in his five-year career. In those outings, Grier completed a measly 53% (28/52) of his passes for 228 yards and four interceptions. Having that as the only backup plan for Dak Prescott who's coming off a hamstring injury is problematc.
Although Hooker has failed to prove himself as a backup with the Lions, he surely has a bit more upside then Grier. Therefore, Dallas is the most logical trade partner for Hooker.
2. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos might be the most intriguing trade partner for Hooker. Last offseason, Denver selected quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th pick in the NFL draft. Everyone thought the Broncos reached selecting Nix's that high, but Sean Payton quickly silenced the doubters.
Payton helped Nix put together a great rookie season where he completed 66.3% (376/567) of his passes for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. This performance earned Nix third place in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
As it stands right now, Denver's backup is Jarrett Stidham, and their QB3 is Sam Ehlinger. The former New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback has started four games in his career. In those games, Stidham completed 54.4% (85/156) of his passes for 1,000 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions.
While that's not bad for a backup, that production won't necessarily win games if Nix goes down. Pairing Hooker with Payton could change the trajectory of his career and make him a viable backup quarterback and maybe even a fringe starter.
3. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are at an interesting quarterback crossroads. Anthony Richardson, who was drafted to be the franchise QB, is entering his third season competing for the starting job.
Over his first two seasons, the 22-year-old has been wildly inaccurate, completing only 50.6% (176/348) of his passes for 2,391 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Furthermore, Richardson has had attitude issues.
As a result, the Colts signed Daniel Jones to push Richardson this offseason. That said, Jones has also not had the strongest start to his career, so adding a third name to the mix would make things even more interesting.
Nonetheless, Indianapolis is probably unlikely to see out a trade for Hooker. Yet, if they were, it would certainly be a fascinating landing spot.