Dan Campbell knew Hendon Hooker was coming off a knee injury, but the Detroit Lions coach said on “Green Light” with Chris Long that there was just something about the former Tennessee quarterback. He looks the part, has a big arm and is mature, and those were some of the reasons the Lions drafted Hooker.

“He’s just got to learn how to play in the NFL,” Campbell said. “He’s a pro, now, and I like the fact that he was older. We all kind liked the fact that he was older. I think you want your quarterback to be more mature. They’ve got a lot on their plate.”

Campbell said that the team views 2023 as “a redshirt year for him” since Hooker, who is 25, will be rehabbing and Jared Goff remains the starter.

Hooker’s openly discussed by fans and media as a possible successor to Goff, but Campbell said “it’s going to be a long time” before the team knows if that will be the case in Detroit.

“Let’s see what happens, if he can eventually become your (backup) or down the road, maybe it’s more than that, it’s going to be a long time,” Campbell said.