Lions Add Veteran QB Kyle Allen to Depth Chart
The Detroit Lions have added another veteran presence to their quarterback room, agreeing to a deal with Kyle Allen. The former Pittsburgh Steelers backup joins the roster behind Jared Goff, further shaking up Detroit’s depth chart at the position.
The move raises questions about the future of Hendon Hooker, who served as the backup throughout the 2024 regular season. However, when the playoffs arrived, the Lions opted to elevate Teddy Bridgewater—who had been out of the league and coaching high school football—over Hooker. That decision signaled uncertainty about Hooker’s role moving forward, and the addition of Allen only intensifies that speculation.
Allen has had a journeyman career since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Carolina in 2018. He started 12 games for the Panthers in 2019, posting a 5-7 record with 3,322 passing yards and 17 touchdowns. Since then, he’s bounced around the league, spending time with Washington, Houston, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh, making just six starts in the last five seasons.
While Goff has been remarkably durable—playing all 17 games in each of the last three seasons—the Lions clearly value having a more experienced backup option. Whether Allen is simply depth competition or a sign that Detroit is ready to move on from Hooker remains to be seen.
Detroit Lions Bring in Ex-Steelers Quarterback as Offseason Moves Continue
