Ben Johnson Predicted to Steal Detroit Lions Quarterback

The Detroit Lions are gearing up for a new season, and this time around, they’ll be doing it without Ben Johnson as their offensive coordinator. Now, Dan Campbell is still at the helm, but without Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, it will be interesting to see how the play calling changes on the field for the Lions during the season.

Johnson, of course, is just a few hours away in the Windy City heading up the Chicago Bears. It didn’t help that he went to a major rival team in the NFC North. At least Glenn ended up with the New York Jets.

Now, Johnson is getting his ducks in a row in Chicago, and he’s putting the finishing touches on his team. Now, he’s being urged to trade with the Detroit Lions for a certain quarterback on the team’s roster. It would be kind of crazy to see this happen, but one NFL expert and analyst thinks it would be a good move.

Detroit Lions Backup QB Named for the Trading Block

Hendon Hooker has been a backup quarterback with the Lions since signing in 2023. He hasn’t started in a game yet for the Lions, and there’s a question as to whether he’s really the right fit for the team anymore.

In a piece published on Saturday, July 26, for Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox names quarterbacks that he believes teams in the NFL should pursue for trades before the new season begins.

In the feature, he notes, “Quarterback isn’t just the most important position in the NFL it might be the single most important role in all of professional sports.” He adds, “Teams that don’t have an elite signal-caller are constantly fighting to land one, and there are very few franchises that couldn’t stand to add more depth at the position.”

Hooker is one of the quarterbacks he names as a fit for the trading block. He has him going to either the Chicago Bears or New York Jets. How interesting that he picks both of the teams with the Lions’ old coordinators.

“Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker hasn’t started an NFL game and may not even be the top backup to Jared Goff,” Knox notes. “The far more experienced (19 starts) Kyle Allen is also on the roster.”

Ideas for a Lions Trade

Knox adds that if Detroit isn’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.”

So, as for the Bears, Knox says Hooker could be 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.” With the Jets, he could add some depth behind Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. “Fields is dealing with a dislocated toe, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, and Hooker’s dual-threat potential would mesh with New York’s QB room,” Knox adds.

It would be pretty wild to see Hooker with either Johnson or Glenn again, but he would likely welcome seeing some familiar faces.