Hendon Hooker update: When will the rookie quarterback be on Lions' active roster?

It's no surprise coming off a torn ACL in his final college season at Tennessee, but the Detroit Lions are not rushing anything with rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker. Head coach Dan Campbell called this a "redshirt year" for Hooker back in May.

"This really is just a redshirt year for him,” “He’s got to get this leg right first; then he’ll learn under Jared (Goff) and let’s see what happens, you know? If he can eventually become your two (backup), or maybe down the road later on it’s more than that. But it’s going to be a long time.”"

However, in August Campbell left the door open for Hooker to be put on the Lions' active roster at some point this season. He was put on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List to start the season (since his knee injury happened in college), and after four weeks he was eligible to come off that list. That move doesn't seem imminent, but that's fine.

Friday morning, Campbell offered an update on Hooker.

When will Hendon Hooker be put on the Lions' active roster?

Via MLive, here's what Campbell said about the rookie signal caller.

"He’s doing well. He’s progressing very well,” “Certainly, there’s no setback, he’s doing well. I can’t really give you a true timetable right now. But he is doing good."

“Yeah, still hopeful (for this year). But there again, there is a lot that can happen between, now and, OK -- ‘Is it time to pull him up? Is it not?’ You never know what can happen with this roster between now and then. But he’s doing good.”

Quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell also talked about Hooker.

"It’s all meeting time. He’s doing a great job. He’s picking up our system,” Brunell said.....
I mean, this is a redshirt year, you know? When he comes back, that’s past me, I just know that we can’t wait to get him on the field. He can’t wait to get on the field. Actually doing football is better than just talking about football. When he gets that chance, I think he’s just going to be great.”

If Hooker is ever on the active roster this season, which is a definite question, it will likely only be to have him as the emergency No. 3 quarterback behind Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater. An injury to either Goff or Bridgewater would likely bring a veteran addition, and not push Hooker into being the No. 2 quarterback on game days.