The Detroit Lions might be staring down a crossroads at quarterback.

Jared Goff is locked in. He signed a four-year, $212 million extension this offseason, and if things go as planned, he’ll continue putting up big numbers while leading Detroit deep into the playoffs.

But things get murky behind him in a hurry.

The Lions used a third-round pick in 2023 on Hendon Hooker, the former Tennessee standout who was a Heisman contender before tearing his ACL late in his final college season. Detroit knew he’d need time to recover, and they were more than willing to be patient.

That patience, though, has an expiration date—and it’s fast approaching.

Hooker spent his entire rookie season rehabbing. He finally got into three games in 2024 but threw just nine passes total. Heading into the 2025 season, the Lions need to see real development. They need to know if Hooker can actually be Goff’s backup—or maybe more down the line.

To test that, Detroit brought in veteran Kyle Allen this offseason to compete for the QB2 job. Allen isn’t flashy. He’s a journeyman who’s bounced from Carolina to Washington to Houston to Buffalo and, most recently, Pittsburgh. Now on his sixth team, he’s trying to prove he can stick.

In 19 career starts, Allen has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 4,753 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. The numbers don’t wow you, but he knows how to move the ball and take risks—sometimes too many. He’s more gunslinger than game manager.

What raised eyebrows was Allen getting the start over Hooker in Detroit’s Hall of Fame preseason game against the Chargers. Goff sat, as expected—but instead of handing the reins to Hooker, the Lions rolled with Allen.

That’s not nothing.

This was supposed to be Hooker’s job to lose. Apparently, he’s either lost it—or he’s dangerously close.

It’s still early in the preseason, but the signs aren’t encouraging for Hooker. The Lions aren’t known for giving up on draft picks quickly, especially quarterbacks taken in the third round. But if they feel he hasn’t developed as expected, it’s not out of the question.

Hooker still has the raw talent. He’s mobile, has a strong arm, and flashed playmaking upside in college. But it’s the mental part of the game—reading defenses, making quick decisions, mastering an NFL playbook—that he needs to conquer.

The Lions would love for Hooker to step up and seize the backup job. But if he doesn’t start closing the gap—and fast—this could be his last shot at sticking around in Detroit.