Detroit Lions announce roster moves involving kicker, rookie quarterback

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions have announced two roster moves involving a kicker and their rookie quarterback.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Lions waived kicker Riley Patterson and activated quarterback Hendon Hooker from the reserve/non-football injury list.

Patterson was Detroit’s starting kicker for the first 13 games of the season, making 15 of 17 field goal attempts and 35 of 37 extra points. He was replaced by Michael Badgley ahead of last week’s game against the Denver Broncos.

Badgley converted all six extra points attempts in the win. It looks like he’s the new kicker for the Lions moving forward.

Hooker was the team’s third-round pick out of Tennessee. He was only available at No. 68 overall because of a torn ACL he suffered late in his senior season.

The Lions announced late last month that they were opening Hooker’s 21-day practice window by activating him from the NFI list. That allowed him to participate in practice and receive hands-on coaching.

“By rules, we can’t coach him (if he’s not activated), so that’s why,” head coach Dan Campbell said at the time. “We can have him in meetings, but he can’t be out there and going through any fundamental work. He’s just got to kind of stand there. So that’s where it helps, to be able to actually do individual work with him, have him take a snap. That’s why it’s big.”

It only took a few days for Hooker to make an impression.

“It’s good to get him out there,” Campbell said. “I know he’s excited to be able to feel like he’s a part of the team, from his own perspective. It’s hard when you’re limited to meetings, and that’s about it. Then you go and rehab. So I know he’s excited to be out there.”

Hooker threw for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns, and two interceptions in 11 games last year at Tennessee. He also ran for 430 yards and five touchdowns. In total, he threw for over 6,000 yards and scored more than 60 touchdowns in two seasons with the Volunteers.

“We’re just in the beginning stages of it, but you can see just when he throws the ball why we acquired him,” Campbell said. “He’s got a poise about him and he’s got a really smooth delivery, tight spiral. But he’s just starting. He’s just starting, but it’s good to get him out there.”