Lions sign former Panthers starting quarterback Kyle Allen, could have implications for Hendon Hooker's future with Detroit

The Detroit Lions have made another free agency move and this one is kind of big and may have some implications. The Lions are signing veteran quarterback and former Panthers starter Kyle Allen to a deal. 

Allen has been in the NFL since 2018 and was the quarterback that actually replaced Cam Newton in Carolina. In his one year as a starter, he had a fairly decent season for a first timer throwing for 3,322 yards, 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. 

The Panthers moved on from him after that year and he's spent time with the Steelers, Commanders, Bills and Texans. He's been one of the better backup quarterback options in the league over that time. In total he's started 19 games in seven years and has taken the field when he's needed to or in blowouts. 

What does this move mean for Hendon Hooker? For starters, Allen is going to be the QB2 for this team. The signs all year have been pointing to things just not working out for Hooker and Detroit. 

The Lions spent the entire summer telling us that they didn't think he was ready quite yet. The Lions talked all summer about whether or not they would keep three quarterbacks, and that goes up until the final day before cutdown time.

Ultimately Nate Sudfeld was really bad and the Lions had to make a move there, but the interest for another backup was always there. In November the Lions reportedly had "significant interest" in signing former Giants starter Daniel Jones. That didn't wind up happening as Jones chose to go to the Vikings.

One month later Teddy Bridgewater came out of retirement and the Lions signed him. Dan Campbell talked about how the Lions were going into "a different world" and how he had a lot of trust for Bridgewater.

Then in the playoffs, the Lions made Hooker inactive and the emergency quarterback and went with Bridgewater as their number two. A guy who was retired up until a few weeks before that game.

We'll have to see what could happen moving forward. Maybe the Lions go into camp with Hooker or maybe they look for a trade partner. If he stays he's going to have to get over this obstacle. If he leaves he might have a shot to play elsewhere.