Odds David Blough Makes the Lions' 2021 Roster

Does quarterback David Blough have a chance to be on the Detroit Lions roster in 2021?

Jared Goff is firmly entrenched as the Detroit Lions' starting signal-caller entering the 2021 NFL season.   

But, who will be Goff's backup? 

If it's based on past experience with the organization, David Blough, who's been with the Lions since 2019, will have the upper hand over former Green Bay Packers reserve quarterback Tim Boyle. Boyle was acquired by Detroit on a one-year, $2.5 million deal ($1.5 million guaranteed) this offseason. 

Boyle has played in 11 career games, but has never made a single start. He's also only attempted four passes, completing three of them for 15 yards. 

Obviously, there's nothing to write home about Boyle. And, in defense of him, it has a lot to do with his lack of reps at the NFL level. 

Meanwhile, Blough, who went undrafted out of Purdue and was acquired by the Lions via a trade with the Cleveland Browns that involved a swap of seventh-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, has logged five career starts. He also came off the bench in relief of former Detroit signal-caller Matthew Stafford in Week 16 of the 2020 campaign, which came against the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

In his five starts -- all of which came in 2019 -- he completed 54 percent of his pass attempts for four touchdowns, six interceptions and 984 yards. Not that it should matter that much because it's more of a reflection of the lackluster state of the team at the time, but Detroit also failed to win a game during Blough's five starts under center. 

So, Blough, similar to Boyle, doesn't have the most impressive NFL resume. 

However, due to his familiarity with the Lions organization and Boyle's lack of experience as an NFL passer, I give Blough a 60 percent chance of making Detroit's roster out of training camp, as at least the team's No. 3 passer. 

And, with a good showing in camp, I could even see Blough being Goff's backup to start the season.

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