The Detroit Lions have themselves a new backup quarterback behind Jared Goff in the form of former Green Bay Packers backup Tim Boyle, who has spent the past three seasons behind Aaron Rodgers in the Frozen Tundra.
And while the Lions still feature David Blough on the roster, Boyle is the odds-on favorite to land the job as Goff’s backup. And having served as backup to one of the all-time greats at the position, Boyle naturally has taken a few lessons from Green Bay to the Motor City.
“When you’re around someone elite like Aaron Rodgers, you always want to pick their brain and ask those questions, and he was awesome to me in making sure he understood what he was seeing,” Boyle said from Detroit’s minicamp. “So I see the game a little differently now being around him, and like I said — like (Lions quarterbacks coach) Mark Brunnel, he’s seen so many snaps, been in every situation. He has a wealth of knowledge, so I was fortunate enough to be with him for three years, pick his brain, and apply what I’ve learned from him on the field now.”
With a fiery coach like Dan Campbell now patrolling Detroit’s sidelines as well as the opportunity for potential additional reps, it was an easy decision for Boyle to sign with the Lions.
“Talking with coach over the phone, over that kinda process was fun. He’s, as you guys know, a very unique individual, and understanding what he’s about, the culture he’s trying to build here, it was very appealing,” Boyle said. “Obviously, the opportunity — just being around the guys — like I said, I think the big draw was being around coach and understanding where he’s been, and understanding what he’s trying to do here and trying to be a part of growing a winning team with a great culture.”
In addition to Campbell, another new face on the Detroit sidelines is offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, whom Boyle had plenty of good things to say about.
“I think the offense is where it should be,” Boyle said. “Like I said, this is that phase of new offense — you know, I remember having a new staff in Green Bay, and those OTAs, you kinda have to feel it out. You feel out the coaches. You feel out the concepts. Everybody is used to a different scheme, and you have to step in and learn as fast as possible, but I think we’re where we should be right now.
“We’ve definitely hit a lot of strides this week. Seven-on-sevens, making sure those are competitive, and guys are starting to get those competitive juices flowing, which is critical, but I think we’re doing well for where we’re at right now, and we’re going to continue to build on it through tomorrow and next week.”
– – Quotes via Benjamin Raven of MLive Link – –
