The fifth-rated quarterback prospect in this year’s class is continuing to garner interest from potential NFL employers. Hendon Hooker is set to visit the Buccaneers next week, as noted (on Twitter) by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo adds that the Lions will also meet with the Tennessee product (video link). 
Four signal-callers – Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson – are expected to hear their names called on Day 1 of this month’s draft. Hooker is widely seen as the next best option, with his final Volunteers campaign being cut short by an ACL tear. That injury has hurt his draft stock, though Garafolo notes that Hooker is expected to available for part of the 2023 season.
Age (25) is the other main factor which has been named as a cause for concern regarding Hooker. That has not stopped analysts from connecting him to teams like the Buccaneers. Tampa is entering the post-Tom Brady era under center, and has 2021 second-rounder Kyle Trask set to compete with veteran signing Baker Mayfield at the moment. The former has nine regular season pass attempts to his name, and the latter inked a one-year deal. Given that, many have pointed to the Bucs as a landing spot for a second-tier passer to develop over the long term.
Detroit has a known commodity in Jared Goff on the books. The former top pick is under contract for two more years, but only has guaranteed compensation in 2023 remaining. That could set up the Lions for a transition to a younger option in the near future, though Goff earned his third Pro Bowl nod in 2022 after he had a strong season leading one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses.
Tampa and Detroit own picks No. 19 and 18, respectively; the Lions are also scheduled to pick sixth overall. It would be considered a reach by many for the teams to use any of those picks to add Hooker, though they could have the option of doing so in the second round. Detroit owns the 48th pick, while the 50th belongs to Tampa Bay, although Hooker may well have come off the board by that point.
These visits follow a number of others which have previously been reported. Hooker already met with the Saints and has sit-downs planned with the Commanders and Raiders. Wherever he lands, his first NFL franchise will be well-versed in his skillset and recovery timeline, and quite possibly have faced significant competition to acquire him.
The Lions should keep Thompson-Robinson out of UCLA on their radar.
If Hooker is available at #48, the Lions could get good value with him. Except for DT, they filled their pressing needs via FAs and can draft accordingly.
Gruß,
BSHH
Goff has played well for Detroit and will probably be good value on an extension. Maybe build the rest of the team and not lose draft picks and focus with a QB controversy in the building?
If I remember right Goff is signed through 2025 now with a reasonable salary, in this day and age of nfl quarterbacks. They do need s back up qb…Hooker would give them a back up and a future down the road.
Yes, but backup quarterbacks are drafted in the third to fifth round. The Lions have more pressing needs for the early rounds. If the Lions treat Goff right, he’s likely to resign after his rough treatment at Sean McVay’s hands. If Goff feels he’s just a placeholder, he will want to absolutely max out as a free agent. For now, the Lions would be better served to double down on Goff, most QB’s are worse, Goff has shown both resiliency and a high ceiling.
My point as they would have Hooker as a backup now and have him in the future. Goff is going to be very expensive in the future when contract is up.
My point was that they would have Hooker as backup now and could be future when Goff will want bigger contract.
I don’t think Goff will get a much larger contract, so it would make sense for Detroit to even extend him now, and let Goff know that he really has a home and a team to play for in the long term. If Goff feels like the Lions are only reluctantly keeping him, he’ll want to max out in free agency, which is to the Lions’ disadvantage. It’s like the Kirk Cousins situation in DC. The Redskins annoyed Cousins so he wanted more than his market rate to stay in DC.