It’s been over a calendar year since Hendon Hooker tore the ACL in his left knee while playing for the Tennessee Volunteers. The quarterback hasn’t been active on the practice field yet. But that could be changing soon for Hooker, Detroit’s third-round rookie.
On Monday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked about the possibility of activating Hooker from the reserve/non-football injury list. Campbell enthusiastically indicated that it could happen as early as this week.
“Yeah, I mean I think we will. Brad (Holmes) and I talked about it last week. I just don’t want to sit here and tell you and then we don’t do it, and I lied to you. That’s all. I mean, I think we will, but we’ll see.”
Campbell explained why it’s important to activate Hooker to the active roster.
“Yeah, by rule we can’t coach him, so that’s why,” Campbell said. “I mean we can’t – we can have him in meetings, but he can’t be out there and going through any fundamental work. You’ve just got to kind of stand there. So, that’s where it helps, to be able to actually do individual work with him, have him take a snap. That’s why it’s big.
I mean it’d be nice to just do some of those things with him, but that’s why you’ve got to get him on the roster. Otherwise, rules don’t allow for him to do any of that.”
Hooker has been rehabbing the knee for months. The rookie has not made his injury progress public like many other players do, but as early as September, he was running and cutting at what appeared to be full-go with trainers.
The Lions have veteran Teddy Bridgewater behind starter Jared Goff, as well as David Blough on the practice squad. Activating Hooker wouldn’t be about playing him, but rather — as Campbell said — getting the rookie some legit practice reps and coaching.
