Much has been made of what kind of forward leaps Chicago Bears quarterback, Caleb Williams, could and should make in 2025.
However, some are focusing more on what the the Bears may do with the backup situation. Currently, the franchise is rolling with former undrafted free agent, Tyson Bagent as their QB2, but it is not impossible to imagine that the franchise may prefer to roll with a different option – or indeed give Bagent a competition for the spot this training camp.
And a name that Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox proposes, that could be in play, is division rivals, the Detroit Lions’ former third round pick, Hendon Hooker.
Bears Proposed To Make A Move For Former Third Round QB
“Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker hasn’t started an NFL game and may not even be the top backup to Jared Goff. The far more experienced (19 starts) Kyle Allen is also on the roster.
However, Hooker has intriguing potential as a 2023 third-round pick. The Tennessee product was coming off of a torn ACL when he was drafted, but had a solid NFL floor…Now in his third offseason, Hooker has started to show growth.”
With two seasons remaining on his deal, the Lions are at a perfect juncture to maximize their return for the former Tennessee star. And given both Goff’s performances and Allen’s ability to take the backup role, he could be expendable for the organization.
“If the Lions aren’t sold on Hooker as a long-term backup and/or successor to Goff, they could be willing to trade the final two years of his contract. The Chicago Bears and New York Jets are two teams that should see if he can be had.
The Bears, who employ former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach, could view Hooker as a multi-year backup to Caleb Williams. With a high athletic ceiling, Hooker might mirror Williams’ play style than Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum in Johnson’s system.”
Ben Johnson Link Could See Hendon Hooker Head To Chicago
Johnson is likely very much aware of the capabilities of Hooker from training, but he has done little – only due to lack of opportunity, with Jared Goff being fully healthy in 2024 – to demonstrate what he can during an actual regular season game in the pros.
Schematically, however, and in the locker room, Johnson will know that he can count on Hooker to be a solid backup.
And whilst that, on paper, would not necessarily be enough to make the Bears give up draft compensation for him – it is worth remembering that many regarded Hooker as a late first round-quality talent prior to to him tearing his ACL in November 2022 – so his ceiling could well be higher than that of Bagent’s.
Right now, the team seem content with the Shepherd University alum, but it would not be shocking to seem them add competition for him. A mock trade could look something like this:
Chicago Bears receive: Hendon Hooker
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