The Detroit Lions are shaking things up in the offseason—a promising move as they aim to return to high-profile success in the fall despite undergoing significant coaching changes. After losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets shortly after their playoff defeat to the Washington Commanders, the composition and chemistry of their top coaching staff are clearly in flux.
Now, with new coaches stepping in alongside veteran head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, key decisions are underway—one of which is the pursuit of a new quarterback.
Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Heading to Detroit
The Detroit Lions are strengthening their quarterback line up by signing veteran Kyle Allen, as announced by his agency, Vayner Football.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo also confirmed the news, noting that the Lions have reached an agreement with Allen. After spending a season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Allen now joins Detroit’s quarterback group behind Jared Goff.
At 29 years old, Allen served as a backup in Pittsburgh to Russell Wilson and Justin Fields during the 2022 season, and he even recorded his last two starts with the Houston Texans that same year. With 19 career starts and seven years of experience under his belt, he adds depth to a quarterback room that already features franchise quarterback Goff along with backups Hendon Hooker and Jake Fromm.
What a New QB Means to Hendon Hooker
While some suggest that Hooker’s time in Detroit might be coming to an end, that may not be the case. Detroit Lions analyst Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News, in a March 13 feature, mentioned that the developmental quarterback—selected in the third round of the 2023 draft—appears to have a secure role. He noted that the final verdict on Fromm, who is likely to be Kyle Allen’s main competitor, might only be determined at training camp.
On the other hand, Zach Ragan of A to Z Sports offers a different perspective. He argues that Detroit’s recent decision to sign free agent quarterback Kyle Allen could be unfavorable for Hooker. Ragan pointed out that the Lions’ move to demote Hooker late last season indicated they weren’t highly confident in the former Vol, and the new signing only intensifies speculation that Detroit isn’t fully committed to Hooker as their primary backup quarterback.
