David Blough, Tim Boyle not only fighting for Detroit Lions backup QB job, but roster spot

As Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday, practice is important.

No matter what Allen Iverson thinks.

Whether it’s through organized team activites, minicamp or training camp, since January, practice is how the Lions have spent time learning new schemes, building on old concepts and forming a chemistry on the field.

Nowhere does that hold more true than at quarterback, so while Jared Goff is the unquestioned starter, the Lions have a conundrum as far as what to do behind him.

Quarterbacks David Blough and Tim Boyle have alternated reps with the second-team offense the entire offseason and Tuesday morning, Campbell said he would feel comfortable with either should something happen to Goff.

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“I think we’re taking it as it comes, but both those guys had a good week last week, Boyle and Blough,” Campbell said. “I feel like they’re both better than they were in the spring.

“But I would say it’s still early in camp. Until we get these preseason games, I think that will tell a lot for us.”

When the lights are brightest

Practice is one thing, game action is another.

Blough said Tuesday he can’t wait for Friday’s game so he can finally get hit again — he’s sick of the red noncontact jersey.

But to this point in their careers, neither he nor Boyle have wowed under the brightest of lights.

Blough, a Purdue alum, has played in seven games, five of which came in 2019 when Matthew Stafford landed on the injured reserve with a back injury, as well as one apiece the past two seasons.

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In that span, he’s completed 100 of 184 passes (54.3%) for 1,033 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Boyle, who spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons behind Aaron Rodgers before getting phased out for 2020 first-round draft pick Jordan Love, served as the Lions’ QB2 when Goff went down with injury a season ago.

He threw just four career passes before 2021, but finished his five-game season (three starts) going 61-for-94 passing (64.8%) for 526 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions.

“Of course, I do,” Boyle said when asked if he feels he’d be more capable this year than last. “Those reps last year in games for me were critical. You don’t really know what you know until you’re in those game situations and those three starts I had last year were incredible for my growth as a quarterback but also gives me some perspective on what I’m doing out here (at practice).

“Once those live bullets are flying and the quarterback is live, stuff gets real, so I do feel like I’m more comfortable and I know what to expect next time I’m out on the field.”

Compare and contrast

While the numbers and experience are roughly equivalent, Blough and Boyle’s skills are quite different.

That’s what Campbell, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell are all consistently evaluating; which puts the team in a better position overall.

“I think they’re both different in what they do,” Campbell said Tuesday. “Blough is a little scrappier, he’s more of a ‘Man he’s going to find a way.’ That’s what he’s about, but he can certainly run the offense.

“Boyle’s got all the gifts, all the traits. He just consistently doing it. Again, I think he’s got to do it in the preseason games so we can see where he’s progressed from last year.”

Take Tuesday for instance, when Blough got the first shot at second-team reps. He opened a live period by throwing a 45-yard dot to Kalif Raymond over his outside shoulder on a go route to get inside the 5 yard line.

On the next series, a second-down pass was batted out of the air by defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs and on third-and-short, he took a sack to fall out of field goal range.

Boyle’s first drive started in a red zone situation, and on the first play he stepped up in the pocket, rolled right and threw — a, well, it wasn’t a spiral — for a touchdown to Tom Kennedy.

He celebrated by getting on a knee, pulling out an imaginary rifle and shooting it in the air.

“It was an end-over-end (throw) but I always say there’s no pictures in the stat book,” Boyle said. “It wasn’t a great ball… I realized, ‘Ooh that was a duck’ and I said it to the defense, so I got on a knee and shot it down.

“You’ve got to keep it light, you’ve got to keep it humorous, so that was my attempt at that.”

Two plays later, he was intercepted by Jarrad Davis.

Adding value where you can

Proving to be someone who can points on the board and win ball games is of course job No. 1.

But the backup role goes well beyond that.

Whether it’s being in charge of the scout team or diagnosing defenses on Sundays from the sideline — there’s always value that can be added.

Do it well enough and there’s a lane as a career backup — like journeyman and former Lion Chase Daniel, who’s now in his 14th season and has made $42 million despite starting just five games.

“I got to see Chase Daniel do it for a year as the second guy and he was as prepared as our starter was,” Blough said. “He would study, he’d know every single pressure, he knew every look… man if I can help on one play that can go for an explosive play, or create a first down or create a touchdown, that’s a big part of the job.”

Boyle noted Tuesday how he, Goff and Blough are all 27 years old. So not only are they at similar points in terms of growing in their football acumen, they’re at the same point in life.

That wasn’t the same in Green Bay with Rodgers 11 years his elder and Jordan Love more than four years younger.

“David is married, Jared is engaged so we’re kind of hitting that next phase right now where we can have mature conversations and talk football but also be in the quarterback room and talk about life,” Boyle said. “The fact we all support each other, love each other, have great conversations, build off each other and compete every day, we just love it.”

The main question for whoever loses the battle for QB2 is: Will the Lions decide to carry three players at the position. That likelihood seems smaller than it did a year ago, when the roster’s talent was thinner.

Right now, there are no guarantees outside of that No. 2 spot.

“I think most of it will come down to what else is on the roster,” Campbell said. “Are you keeping a QB3 instead of a stud special teams player or somebody you know is going to play 30 snaps for you on defense and be a critical role player?

“I think that’s what it’s going to come down to honestly.”

Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @realtonygarcia.