It’s clear the Detroit Lions are in dire need of a capable backup quarterback

The Detroit Lions need to make finding a backup quarterback a priority this offseason.

I know what you are thinking; of all the needs, why should the Detroit Lions be so worried about adding a backup quarterback? Well, that’s just how bad their quarterback situation is as 2021 comes to a close.  Just add a backup quarterback to the lengthy off-season grocery list.

It won’t take the average football fan very long to see that Tim Boyle is not a capable NFL backup and shouldn’t be on an NFL roster. Also, we saw enough of David Blough to know he’s not anything more than a QB3.

Back in 2019, Blough was forced into duty due to a string of injuries making five starts. Blough, to no one’s surprise, led the Lions to an 0-5 record completing just 54% of his passes, totaling 984 yards, four touchdowns, and six interceptions. Blough averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt over those five games. You thought current starter Jared Goff was a check-down machine? To give you a comparison, Goff is averaging 6.5 yards per attempt in 2021.

The fact that Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is reluctant to give David Blough a chance tells you everything you need to know about the quarterback situation.

With Goff missing his third game of the season in Seattle, Campbell turned the keys to the offense over to Boyle once again.

Boyle made his first career start in Cleveland Week Eleven for the Lions, throwing for just 77 yards on 15 completions. The Lions leaned heavily on the run game against the Browns but came up short, losing 13-10.

At home, the Lions turned to Boyle again in Week Sixteen against the Atlanta Falcons. In that one, Boyle went 24 for 34, tossing for 187 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Despite losing to the Falcons to the tune of 20-16, Boyle had the Lions in a position to win this game before throwing an atrocious interception in the red zone, in turn, ending the game.

Finally, this past Sunday in Seattle, the Detroit Lions went with Boyle one more time as they once again lost 51-29. Boyle completed 59% of his passes, totaling 262 yards throwing for two touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Detroit Lions are not just in the market for a future starting quarterback but also a capable backup.

With the lackluster results the Detroit Lions have seen this season with Boyle under center, and the fact that Dan Campbell refuses to give Blough an opportunity despite playing with a 2-13-1 record signals that he won’t be considered an upgrade at the position.

This should come as no surprise as you read back his stats from 2019. The Detroit Lions are expected to roll with Goff for at least one more season due to his significant $30.5 million dead cap in 2022. Following the ’22 season, Goff’s dead cap number considerably decreases to $10 million in 2023 and $5 million in 2024. Expect the Detroit Lions to seek a franchise quarterback at the top of the 2023 NFL Draft.

In the meantime, the Detroit Lions are in the market for a capable backup quarterback and someone to potentially push Goff next season.

I recently provided you with three suggestions here. Still, in addition to those, the Detroit Lions should also consider current Miami Dolphins backup Jacoby Brissett or New Orleans backup Trevor Seimian.