One Lions player at every position to watch in preseason matchup vs. Chiefs

When the Detroit Lions travel to Kansas City to play the Chiefs in the second preseason game for both squads, most, if not all of Detroit’s starters won’t suit up for the contest.

But there are still plenty of battles being waged for roster spots and roles. Below is one player worth watching at each position with these ongoing competitions.

Quarterback: Hendon Hooker

Look, I could make a reasonably compelling case for keeping close tabs on Nate Sudfeld, but I get the feeling most of you would close your eyes, plug your ears and start singing, “La, la, la, la, la.”

After a lackluster performance in soupy conditions against the Giants last week, you’ve made it abundancy clear you’re not interested in Sudfeld’s floor, preferring to discuss Hooker’s ceiling. Who am I to deny you what you want to read?

I was as interested as anyone in Hooker’s debut last week, particularly after watching the daily inconsistency on the practice field, wrapped around some of camp’s most brilliant throws. The talent is unbelievable, he just needs to be developed to the point where he can be trusted with the keys to the offense if starter Jared Goff were to suffer an injury.

Unfortunately, we only got to see two drives with Hooker at the helm before he was forced to the sideline by a concussion. In those 20 snaps, he flashed his promise as a dual-threat option, and even with the inconsistencies as a passer, brought a juice to the offense that was absent under Sudfeld during the first half.

Whether it’s getting the start or taking over to begin the third quarter, Hooker’s development continues to be one of the most interesting stories of the 2024 offseason, proving "Backup Intrigue Syndrome exists even when Super Bowl aspirations are present.

Running back: Sione Vaki

Vaki, a fourth-round draft pick out of Utah, evenly split 26 snaps during his preseason debut between the offense and special teams. But for as important as special teams can be, it’s difficult to get fans interested in covering kicks and protecting against punt blocks.