In the Lions' first practice of OTA's open to the media, Hendon Hooker looked like a quarterback who hasn't played a game in a year and a half. Many of his throws in team drills were either off-target or not on time, or both. His ball lacked touch and zip. Hooker is healthy, but clearly still recovering the form that made him a Heisman candidate in his final season at Tennessee before a torn ACL ended his college career and delayed his start in the NFL.
It was telling a week later when Dan Campbell, asked about Hooker's progress this spring, offered this: "I would say yesterday was good to see." As in, there it is. That's more like the quarterback we drafted in the third round.
"There was some improvement yesterday that we had really been looking for. You felt a little bit of -- there’s some development there that was really good to see. Just some of his reads, some of the throws he made," Campbell said last Thursday. "It’s hard to put a timeline on things. Every player grows at a different level, especially at that position. The quarterback position now, we put a lot on those guys, and he’s got a lot (on him).
"It’s a reminder that this is his first spring, and it’ll be his first training camp."
The Lions aren't in a rush with Hooker, a developmental pick from the start. They don't have to be with Jared Goff under center. Hooker is an experiment as much as a project, a talent worth taking a chance on. Goff is the Lions' guy, recently signed to a four-year, $212 million extension. Hooker, ideally, will grow into a capable backup.
Asked last Thursday if he feels like he's ready for that role entering year two in Detroit, Hooker said, "We're getting there. We're getting there. This is only my fifth practice. So going into a true offseason and a true training camp, I’m excited to keep getting better."
That's the name of the game for everyone at this stage of the offseason, but Hooker especially. He said he's still "getting used to my body" amid an ongoing rehab process following surgery in December of 2022 because he's "a lot stronger than I was before" the injury. He's added muscle in his legs and bulk up top. As a result of his heavier frame, Hooker said that he's "throwing a little different now."
"Just from disassociation of top half of my body, lower half of my body, and really learning how to do everything over again," he said. "Had to learn how to walk again, learn how to run again, and I’m still rehabbing and getting stronger every day."
Hooker, who turned 26 in January after a college career that spanned five seasons, was added to the Lions' active roster late last season so he could take part in practices. But he only got so many meaningful reps as Goff and the Lions prepared for the playoffs. He admitted it was hard to feel detached from the team for most of his first season.
"Football being my outlet, it's tough when you don't have that," Hooker said. "Especially when you're in the building, but you kind of don't feel like you're in the building. You want to be part of the team, you want to go compete, you want to talk junk with your teammates. But when you haven't made any plays, you can't really do that. So just continuing to stay positive and the people around me continuing to keep me positive and uplift me."
Hooker's much happier to be back on the field, even if he's yet to be playing at the level he'd like. He said the biggest challenge he's faced in getting back into action is "just turning my brain off when I'm playing."
"Just going out there and not thinking too much, trying to make too many checks, too many corrections, and just calling it and balling. I think that's the biggest thing from the spring so far," he said.
To that end, Hooker said his aim in spring practices is to "continue to gain confidence and continue to master the offense and just getting back into the rhythm of moving off my spot and completing balls. Just playing free. That's what I'm trying to get to: just playing free like I was at Tennessee."
The Lions' spring program continues with three minicamp practices this week, before the team breaks at the end of next week until training camp. Hooker was almost unstoppable in his two seasons at Tennessee, throwing 58 touchdowns to five picks while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and rushing for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. He last took the field for a game in November of 2022.
He'll get plenty of reps this summer. The preseason games will loom large as Hooker tries to beat out veteran backup Nate Sudfeld for the No. 2 job behind Goff. There's no doubt about QB 1 for the Lions, with Goff signed through 2027. Hooker, who will be 30 by the time Goff's contract comes to an end, said that hasn't changed his perspective at all about his place in Detroit.
"Never (has). I'm just ready whenever my number is called. Been a good backup to a lot of quarterbacks," he said. "So just being supportive and continuing to be locked in and prepared is what I'm gonna do."