One Lions player at every position worth watching during joint practices
Training camp is on the move this week as the Detroit Lions are packing up and shipping out to New Jersey to conduct a pair of joint practices against the New York Giants, leading to the teams’ preseason opener Thursday night.
It’s a sequel to last year, when the Giants came to Allen Park for similar work with the Lions. The biggest difference in 2024 is Detroit’s a legitimate Super Bowl contender, already humming two weeks into the camp thanks to a healthy amount of continuity across the coaching staff and roster.
Still, there will be a head-swimming amount of action to watch this week. Here’s a player from each position we’re especially interested in tracking.
Quarterback: Hendon Hooker
Who else was it going to be? The Lions are conducting an open competition between Hooker and Nate Sudfeld for the right to back up Jared Goff, but it sure feels like Sudfeld has opened up a sizeable lead in the race through the first couple weeks of camp.
Of course, Sudfeld was balling in early August last year, too, before abruptly falling off a cliff prior to the signing of Teddy Bridgewater.
To be clear, Hooker has made some of the best throws of anyone so far, including Goff. When Hooker has time, sees it and can get square, his delivery is smooth and the placement is pristine. But those highlight plays are overshadowed by inconsistency. He frequently holds on to the ball too long and his accuracy is a throw-to-throw adventure.
There’s still plenty of reason to believe Hooker is the long-term backup plan, but unless he turns a corner the next couple weeks, the safer bet is the team carries three QBs to open the season and it’s Sudfeld who is active on game days.