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Should Detroit Lions Be Concerned at Backup Quarterback?

The Detroit Lions feature two relatively inexperienced backup quarterbacks.
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The Detroit Lions quickly replaced former backup quarterback Chase Daniel. 

This offseason, Tim Boyle agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. He secured a $1 million signing bonus and $1.5 million in total guarantees.

In 2019, Boyle appeared in three games, completing 3-of-4 passing attempts for 15 yards and an 80.2 passer rating.

David Blough, meanwhile, is entering his third season in the National Football League, and appreciates the support he has garnered from Detroit's new coaching staff.

"It's great to hear the head coach say good things about you," Blough said. "He's been first class from the first time we talked on the phone. He got to be in New Orleans around Drew Brees, and that was my hero growing up. Dan has said, 'Just go out there and run our offense. Do what you do. Play your game and make the right plays, every single time.' That's what I try to do when I take the field. Dan has empowered us as quarterbacks to do that."

Like most franchises, Detroit would likely collapse if new signal-caller Jared Goff missed any significant period of time due to injury. 

In a recent ranking of projected backup quarterbacks by CBS Sports, Boyle ranked 29th out of 32, while Blough was not ranked at all. 

As CBS Sports writes, "Aaron Rodgers’ anonymous understudy from 2018-2020, Boyle showed enough to survive the transition to Matt LaFleur’s regime, not to mention beat out Jordan Love. But nothing else suggests he’s ready to win games if Jared Goff goes down in Detroit."

Detroit's best bet to win games in 2021 entails Goff taking the majority of snaps under center. 

Even though Boyle and Blough have impressed the coaching staff, experience matters at the NFL level. 

Mark Brunell, who played 18 seasons as an NFL quarterback before retiring, is Detroit's new quarterbacks coach.

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