The Detroit Lions are pitting a promising young quarterback against a steady veteran in the battle to back up Jared Goff this season, but one analyst believes the winner of this summer’s competition isn’t even on the roster yet.
The Lions signed veteran Kyle Allen to compete with 2023 third-round pick Hendon Hooker, giving the two the chance to compete for the No. 2 spot. With no clear leader in the race and questions about both quarterbacks, USA Today’s Cory Woodroof suggested the Lions could add a former $128 million quarterback and onetime MVP candidate.
Lions Could Add Another Veteran
Woodroof pegged the Lions as the top landing spot for veteran quarterback Carson Wentz, who is still looking for his next NFL home after his contract with the Kansas City Chiefs expired. Woodroof noted that the Lions may not feel great about either option for backup right now, giving Wentz an opportunity to bring stability to the quarterback room.
“With Hendon Hooker still a relative unknown as a backup quarterback, Detroit could add Wentz to give them a little more peace of mind behind quarterback Jared Goff,” Woodroof wrote. “Wentz is still a good backup in most any offense.”
Wentz is one of the most experienced quarterbacks available, with 94 total starts over his nine NFL seasons. He has completed 62.7% of his passes for 22,410 yards with 153 touchdowns and 67 interceptions in his career.
Wentz would also be an affordable addition as he signed a one-year contract with the Chiefs last season for $3.3 million.
Other Options for the Lions
The Lions could look to other quarterbacks if neither Hooker nor Allen rises to the top in training camp. Mike Payton of A to Z Sports suggested the team could look to give Will Levis a fresh start, noting that he could develop well under Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunnell.
“Look, I don’t have any faith in Hendon Hooker or Kyle Allen at this time,” the report noted. “That could change at the end of the summer, but right now I see a younger guy in Will Levis, and I see a really good quarterback coach in Mark Brunell. There’s no reason to think Levis couldn’t be a better backup quarterback right now.”
The Lions also seem comfortable moving forward with Allen, who started 12 games for the Carolina Panthers in 2019 and has a total of 29 starts. Brunnell shared praise for the veteran, saying he would do well running Detroit’s offense if needed.
“What we saw in Kyle was a quarterback who has experience. He has played, he’s been on multiple teams, different systems, very smart,” Brunell said, via SI.com. “What I loved about the tape we saw (was) he made good decisions with the ball. He managed very well. You can tell he was operating within whatever offense that he was in, and just has a good grasp on how to play at this level and has for a while. In our room, being a resource for Jared. Always being ready, that’s at the top of the list if necessary, but be a good resource for Jared, another set of eyes.”
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