Lions are auditioning potential trade chip in final preseason game

The Detroit Lions used a third-round pick on former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker at a time when they weren't as confident in Jared Goff as a long-term franchise quarterback. Since the selection, however, Goff took the Lions to the doorstep of the Super Bowl and earned a nice new contract that makes him the unquestioned top dog.

This does not bode well for Hooker, who is finally healthy after sitting out most of his rookie season while recovering from a knee injury sustained in college. He now finds himself in a competition with veteran Nate Sudfeld for the backup job behind Goff.

The Lions are reportedly going to give Hooker the start in their final preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. While they will likely use this as an opportunity to confirm if Hooker can steal the backup job away from Sudfeld, Brad Holmes may have an ulterior motive when it comes to putting Hooker out on the field.

With how many quarterback injuries have been popping up around the league and the number of backup quarterback races that are still unsettled, the Lions may be sending Hooker out there to showcase him to the rest of the league. If Sudfeld is the favorite for the backup job, as has been reported, why not try to flip Hooker for a pick if a team gets smitten with him?

Lions starting Hendon Hooker in preseason finale could lead to trade

Hooker threw just five interceptions against 58 touchdowns during his last two seasons with the Volunteers. With 1,000 rushing yards showing his dual-threat potential and his tremendous accuracy over the middle, Hooker has plenty of traits working in his favor as a possible Day 2 developmental gamble.

Still, the issues, even before the injury, were clear. Hooker is now 26 years old (he will turn 27 in January) and has never played a snap of NFL football. Mix that with arm talent that is merely average and coming from a Tennessee offense that is the farthest thing from an NFL gameplan, and Detroit has someone who was a major work in progress.

Sudfeld is a lumbering 6-6 30-year-old quarterback who was so bad during his stint with the Philadelphia Eagles that Doug Pederson was accused of losing on purpose by putting him in. If Hooker is unable to beat him out going into his second season, that does not bode well for his future.

Even with that concerning reality, all it takes is one team to fall in love with his potential. At least one of the 31 other teams will take it upon themselves to fix him.