We are officially less than two months away from the Detroit Lions' season opener against the Packers. As the NFL season quickly approaches, the training camps are right around the corner. In fact, the Lions' rookies report to camp on Wednesday, July 16, with veterans to follow on Saturday. As usual, all eyes will be on the rookies, newcomers, and players competing for roster spots.
For the Lions, that competition exists in the most important position in football. Behind Jared Goff, the Lions have some questions about their quarterback rotation. Newcomer Kyle Allen hasn't proven that he is QB2 material so far this offseason, leaving him with a ton to prove in training camp.
Kyle Allen Has a Ton to Prove in Lions Training Camp
At this point, the Lions were hoping for Hendon Hooker to emerge as the surefire backup quarterback behind Goff. Heading into his third season in the NFL, the former third-round pick has yet to establish himself as an NFL-caliber signal-caller, in part due to the injury-riddled start to his career. Detroit clearly felt the same way this spring, and brought in veteran QB Kyle Allen to compete for the QB2 role.
Early results from OTAs, however, were not promising. Neither player reportedly flashed, leaving the backup quarterback spot still up for grabs.
Fortunately for the Lions, they haven't had to rely on a backup QB thanks to the fact that Goff has been remarkably healthy. Yet, every Super Bowl contender is one injury away from disaster, highlighting the importance of having a reliable option behind your franchise quarterback.
That is why Kyle Allen needs to show more at training camp. The 29-year-old signal caller has significantly more experience than Hooker, starting in 19 games in his NFL career. He has had solid stretches early in his career, but flamed out and fell out of favor over the last few seasons. He now has an excellent opportunity to revive his career in one of the best offensive ecosystems in the league.
With this opportunity comes pressure. Whether Allen will be able to handle it and come out better on the other side remains to be seen.