The Detroit Lions made a massive commitment this offseason when they chose to sign quarterback Jared Goff to a massive extension. Goff’s new contract is for four years and $212 million. It’s a huge step to make, but it’s clear that Brad Holmes and the Detroit front office believe fully in Goff’s ability to lead the team.
However, there are significant questions about Goff’s quarterbacking abilities. If Goff were to go down with an injury, could Hendon Hooker actually step in and lead this team to contention?
That has left some wondering if the Lions should consider making a move at the backup quarterback position as they continue developing Hooker.
One name is starting to generate some buzz as a potential candidate for the Detroit Lions.
Detroit Lions Could Make Huge Quarterback Move Behind Jared Goff For 2024
Bleacher Report analyst Alex Ballentine proposed that the Lions consider signing free agent veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
“Elsewhere in the NFC North, the Lions would be handing the offense over to second-year player Hendon Hooker if Jared Goff were to be injured. Hooker spent most of his rookie season rehabbing a torn ACL, so it would make sense for the Lions to bring in a more experienced passer behind Goff.”
Tannehill is such an interesting player, because he’s had both good and horrible seasons. At times, he has bene a legitimate playoff contending quarterback. Other times, he has been a big part of the reason that his teams haven’t made it to the postseason.
Tannehill played 10 games for the Tennessee Titans last season before being benched in favor of Will Levis. He had a dismal stat line in the ten appearances. He completed 64.8 percent of his throw attempts, totaling 1,616 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
For the Detroit Lions, this is a move that may or may not make sense. If they think that Tannehill could run the offense better than Hooker, a one-year deal would make sense. Hopefully, Tannehill would never see the field.
On the other hand, the Lions may believe that if Goff is injured, the quarterback position will be insufficient to save them. Hooker may be able to perform well enough to let the rest of the squad carry him.
All of that stated, it will be intriguing to see whether the Detroit Lions make any quarterback moves before the 2024 season. If they don’t, they’re saying they’re confident in Hooker’s ability.
