Sources: Packers releasing Kizer; going with Boyle as No. 2

The Packers have released last year's backup quarterback and are going with Boyle, who led the NFL in preseason passer rating.

Tim Boyle will likely be the Green Bay Packers’ backup heading into Week 1.

According to multiple sources, Boyle’s strong performance has resulted in the release of last year’s backup, DeShone Kizer.

Kizer and Boyle each started two preseason games but the production was overwhelmingly tilted in Boyle’s favor.

While Boyle completed only 59.6 percent of his passes, he was No. 1 in the NFL with six touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 112.9 passer rating. An undrafted rookie with big-time arm strength, consistency has been elusive, though the steps taken in that direction have made him the backup to Aaron Rodgers headed into Thursday night’s opener at Chicago.

Kizer completed only 55.6 percent of his passes with two touchdowns, two interceptions and a 70.0 rating. With his release, Kizer – a second-round pick by Cleveland out of Notre Dame in 2017 – will be searching for a third NFL team in as many seasons.

“I still think he’s a young player and he’s got a lot more to learn,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday of Kizer, who turned 23 in January. “He did a lot of good things, and then there’s some things that we were constantly on him about (and) trying to be a little bit more consistent. He’s talented. He’s athletic. He’s definitely into it. He’s been a great teammate; he’s been great in the room.”

Kizer has size, athleticism, intelligence, arm strength and attitude. What he hasn’t shown is the ability to put all of those tools together. Over the past two seasons, he has the worst passer rating in the league. The Browns went 0-15 with Kizer as the rookie starter, and the Packers lost with Kizer playing most of the regular-season finale against Detroit after Rodgers suffered a concussion.

“I think I became a better quarterback all-around,” Kizer said after Thursday’s game. “I’m throwing the ball a little more accurately. I’ve really been able to command the huddle the way I want to, really been able to lead within the offense, really been able to participate in offensive meetings the way I want to and give my insight from the experience that I’ve had. For the most part, I think I’m a much better quarterback than I was before training camp started. Now, it’s up to the guys upstairs to determine where my future is, and I’m looking forward to once again coming right back in this locker and preparing to go out and open up this NFL season and help Aaron (Rodgers) do what he does best, and that’s going out and winning games.”

Winning games means scoring points. It’s not an ideal comparison, but Boyle led the team to 52 points in the preseason compared to only 17 for Kizer.

As for Boyle, the Connecticut high school player of the year in 2012 was supposed to resurrect the University of Connecticut football program. Instead, after posting the worst career passer rating for any major-college quarterback since 2000, Boyle left his home-state school after the 2015 season and transferred to Eastern Kentucky. Playing down a level at the FCS school, he threw 11 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions in 2017.

With that resume, it’s no surprise Boyle went undrafted in 2018. What was a surprise is that Boyle made the roster as an undrafted free agent.

You know what does faze Boyle? The mention of “Tim Boyle Laser Show” and the accompanying Twitter hashtag of “#TBLS.” In fact, Boyle’s face turned a bit red when it was brought up at his locker on Tuesday.

“No, I don’t pay attention to any of that stuff,” Boyle said. “I know what it is. I know there’s a hashtag behind it. I don’t know if it’s a slight toward me.”

It definitely was not a slight. Boyle’s arm talent is undeniable, and it was obvious when he started throwing, well, lasers across the practice field as a rookie.

“It’s flattering that you guys think I have a strong arm but I don’t pay much mind to it,” he said.

While some players enter training camp hoping to simply be the best player they can be, Boyle entered training camp with a tangible goal: to be the No. 2 quarterback to Rodgers this season. He took a big step in that direction with his three-touchdown showing vs. Oakland in Winnipeg.

“It’s huge. Whenever you can get that going, that’s obviously a plus,” Boyle said after the game. “It’s a motivating factor moving forward. That’s the name of the game – score points. Whenever you can do that, it’s a fun day.”

Boyle wisely latched onto Rodgers, trying to soak up every bit of knowledge from the two-time MVP quarterback. He famously wore a Rodgers jersey in the locker room the day after Rodgers’ memorable come-from-behind victory over Chicago last year. He even hangs around for part or all of Rodgers’ weekly conversations with reporters at his locker.

“OTAs and training camp, I’ve seen a change in my approach and I think my play,” Boyle said. “When you’re around a dude who throws like Aaron, I’ll feel myself in the pocket, and Aaron does some funky stuff with his arm angles, and I feel myself doing that. Right after I do it, I almost feel like, ‘Wow, that was almost Aaron Rodgers-esque.’ He’s definitely rubbing off on me a little bit. I obviously have my own style and my own rhythm, but being around him has really improved my game both physically and mentally. From last year to this year, I feel more comfortable. I feel like I belong. I definitely feel like my confidence is on the rise.”

It’s not as if Boyle intentionally tries to play like Rodgers. Instead, it’s a byproduct of more than 15 months together in the quarterback room and practice field.

“It just happens,” Boyle said. “Your body’s in a position but you need to throw the ball now, so you’re almost torqueing your body to make sure you get enough arm strength behind it and enough accuracy. That’s something 100 percent I got from Aaron but it’s not something I’ve practiced, which was the weirdest part. I see him do it all the time; it was nice to see me do it and do it well.”