The Detroit Lions finally gave up on project quarterback Hendon Hooker heading into the 2025 season. After nearly three years of working with the signal caller, the results were too underwhelming to continue to ignore. Hooker has since landed on the Carolina Panthers practice squad and hopes to be the third option behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton, leaving Kyle Allen as Detroit's primary backup and one of the few remaining question marks.
Having a backup that gives you a puncher's chance if your starter goes down isn't a common theme. There is a reason why franchise quarterbacks remain so elusive, with nearly half the league consistently shuffling its starters. For the Lions, you have the rare advantage of being able to start one of the league's best in Jared Goff. There isn't a backup on the market that gives you the ceiling of the underrated starter.
However, there is also no denying that Allen's resume is extremely underwhelming. The signal-caller won the job based on Hooker looking so consistently awful, while the veteran backup was able to take advantage of facing depth players in preseason action. If an upgrade hits the market, the Lions could easily look to make a change.
Lions QB Kyle Allen Could Still be Demoted in the 2025 Season
Allen winning a roster spot is more about the Lions' lack of options and less about anything the backup has accomplished. It would've been ideal if the franchise had been able to bring back Teddy Bridgewater before Tampa Bay reached an agreement with the veteran. Having the starting experience as well as being familiar with the system are two huge boxes to check when looking for a backup option.
With this in mind, Allen needs to understand that this role isn't locked into place. In the middle of the 2024 season, the Lions brought in Bridgewater and were happy to search for an upgrade. This same outlook is going to be in place for a team that cannot afford to search for every possible upgrade.
From the practice squad to your starting lineup, if you're going to make an elusive Super Bowl run, you must find a way to upgrade even the most overlooked positions. Allen unquestionably qualifies and has several concerns that presented themselves when he was called upon. He had a solid preseason 401 yards, 5 TDs to 2 INTs on 79.5% completion rate), but that doesn't mean he can replicate those results when it matters.
With this in mind, the Lions should keep one eye on the quarterback market, hoping to find an upgrade behind Goff even after the 2025 season gets underway.