Will the Lions put rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker on the active roster?

It has been the plan all along, and on Nov. 29 the Detroit Lions opened the 21-day window to put rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker on the 53-man roster before the season is over. Daily practice reports have consistently had him as a full participant lately, as the window to activate him winds down.

That 21-day window expires week. Thursday's practice will literally be the last one for the Lions before the decision has to be made on Hooker. If he's not activated, he will remain on the NFI list.

During his session with the media on Thursday, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, head coach Dan Campbell addressed the looming decision with Hooker.

"Look, we've got to make that decision next week," "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. He's been going here for really the end of three weeks now and he's gotten just a little bit better every week, which is what you expect."

After mentioning Hooker being raw and taking scout team reps, Campbell addressed the elephant in the room. There are only so many roster spots available.

"I think the plan would be we would love to get him on (the active roster), so we can continue to work with him here," Otherwise, you can't do anything. But ultimately, I don't think we can commit to that until we see what's going on here and what pieces we think are coming back. … You do that, then you're losing guys, and that's what makes it hard."

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Alim McNeill and James Houston are currently on IR. Gardner-Johnson seems set to open his 21-day window next week, McNeill is eligible to come back as soon as Week 18 and Houston may be able to return for the last regular season game or two before the playoffs. Fullback Jason Cabinda could also be ready to go.

So due to a simple upcoming crunch for spots, Hooker could easily be an odd-man out with it patently unlikely he'd play as the No. 3 quarterback. But Campbell isn't ready to say that just yet.