The latest Lions rumors show a surprising amount of disrespect towards Hendon Hooker

The Detroit Lions are more likely to have a quarterback, as Jared Goff signed a contract extension just before the start of the regular season. Goff is the man, and Dan Campbell will go down with the ship even if he throws five interceptions in 45 minutes.

Detroit is far from perfect, but as of this writing they are the #1 seed in the NFC. If the Lions have any need, it’s on the defensive end, especially at pass rusher. Aidan Hutchinson is out for the remainder of the regular season, and trading for Za’Darius Smith only brings so much value.

But instead of trying to solve the problem keeping them from a Super Bowl, the Lions are reportedly in love with Daniel Jones. No, I’m not kidding.

According to reports, Jones wants playing time for a playoff contender. I don’t see that happening in Detroit unless it’s Week 18 and they’ve already clinched the conference. Unfortunately, the Lions are interested in Jones and his potential.

Jones hasn’t looked like a true starting quarterback in more than a calendar year. Even when the Giants made the postseason and defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card round, there was an honest debate about whether Jones deserved a long-term extension. His opponents were right.

I don’t see a role for Jones on the Lions. I’m sure Ben Johnson could find one, but wouldn’t his time be better suited to fine-tune the playbook and ensure Detroit lives up to its high expectations? Not to mention, the Lions didn’t pick Hendon Hooker in 2023 for nothing. They definitely see something in him, otherwise he wouldn’t be Goff’s primary backup.

Just a few days ago, Johnson talked about how valuable Hooker has been and why he doesn’t let the Tennessee product throw in games more often.

“I think it’s invaluable for him to go out there, the lights are on you, there’s people watching you, it’s not a practice environment,” Johnson said. “Now we’re in a place where he’s been able to get a few in games this year, and the challenge for me is that I do want to give him some passes, but I also don’t want to be disrespectful to the opponent, so it’s kind of a balancing act when it comes down to that.”

The fact that Johnson even has a balancing act with Hooker is a good sign. It means Hooker is capable, and if Goff goes down for any reason, the Lions wouldn’t look lost on offense. Bringing in Jones, on the other hand, would disrupt everything.