Will former Lions quarterback Tim Boyle find another NFL job?

The Detroit Lions cut quarterback Tim Boyle on Monday, so will another NFL team give him a chance?

Tim Boyle got the start under center in the Detroit Lions preseason finale, which gave him an ever-so slight edge to beat David Blough for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Jared Goff. But Boyle was not just bad, working with the other offensive starters and later with backups. He was awful against the Steelers (5-for-15 for 64 yards, one interception, 19.8 passer rating).

On Monday, with outside backup quarterback options to come available as other teams trim also their rosters to 53 players, the Lions cut Boyle.

Boyle was of course the Lions’ No. 2 quarterback last year. He wound up starting three games in Goff’s place, with three touchdowns, six interceptions and a 63.5 passer rating. The Lions went 0-3 in those games, and the consistent angle here has been they could have won two of them with merely adequate quarterback play.

Is former Lions quarterback Tim Boyle going to get another chance in the NFL?

Prior to signing with the Lions last year, Boyle spent three seasons with the Green Bay Packers after being signed as an undrafted free agent. He appeared in 11 games over the 2019 and 2020 seasons as Aaron Rodgers’ backup, with completing three of four pass attempts with -16 rushing yards due to kneeldowns.

Boyle split his college career between UConn and Eastern Kentucky. Of his 602 career pass attempts, 327 came with Eastern Kentucky in 2017 with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

For his college career as a whole, against hardly high-level competition, Boyle had 12 touchdown passes and 26 interceptions. That he ever got on an NFL roster is a minor miracle.

Boyle finally got a chance to put something on tape in meaningful NFL action last season, and without going all the way with criticism it was uninspired. Then he followed with a showing this preseason that was more bad than good, with the aforementioned final impression that led to the Lions cutting him the next day.

It’s hard to see any other NFL team picking up Boyle. He’s not young (27; 28 on Oct. 3), and the upside has been clearly shown to be low without considering his age. He might have to wait into the season for another chance, if it ever comes.

But failing that, there’s the USFL to possibly give Boyle a chance to keep playing quarterback. The third rendition of the XFL is also coming next spring.