Detroit Lions rookie Isaac TeSlaa on his touchdown celebration
Detroit Lions rookie Isaac TeSlaa talks about his touchdown catch and celebration during Detroit’s preseason loss against the Houston Texans.
The Detroit Lions have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to cut their roster to 53 players. We’ll keep track of every move the Lions make — and the big moves around the league — here.
On Sunday, two of the Lions’ top competitors in the NFC made moves to solidify their backup quarterback spots. The Minnesota Vikings traded backup quarterback Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles for a swap of draft picks, then signed veteran Carson Wentz.
Tanner McKee, the Eagles’ No. 2 quarterback behind Jalen Hurts, injured his finger in practice last week.
Wentz played for the Kansas City Chiefs last season and will backup first-year starter J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota.
Aidan O’Connell, backup to starter Geno Smith, suffered a fractured wrist in the Raiders‘ preseason finale and is expected to be out 6-8 weeks. First-year coach Pete Carroll said the team is now looking for an experienced backup. Rookie Cam Miller, a sixth-round pick from North Dakota State, would currently slot in behind Smith.
Will Lions keep Hendon Hooker as third QB?
The Lions are expected to keep Kyle Allen as their No. 2 quarterback behind Jared Goff. Allen outplayed Hendon Hooker this preseason and closed the exhibition slate with a perfect 5-for-5 passing day against the Houston Texans.
Hooker’s future is in question after he struggled in preseason games, committing five turnovers and leading one scoring drive in 20 possessions over four games.
Lions coach Dan Campbell insinuated Hooker might benefit from a change of scenery when asked about the pros and cons of keeping three quarterbacks Saturday.
“How much development do you believe there still is? Sometimes does the player need a change of scenery? What about our own depth in other areas?” Campbell said. “I mentioned this the other day relative to that — all right, maybe there is room to grow. Is that worth it for the depth we need at O-line, D-line, receiver, DB? And so those are all things you have to weigh.
“Look, I wish Hooker, and I know he does — would’ve had a better outing, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. It’s not like he was playing with our first O-Line out there, or first-team skill position, all of that. So you take that all into account as well. I thought he was prepared. I thought he was ready, looked pretty calm, just circumstances didn’t work out today, that’s all.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.