I was surprised to see the size of the contract the Lions gave Tim Boyle. They not only signed him, they gave him a contract that will make him an above-average backup quarterback, salary wise.
Per reports, Boyle signed a one-year deal worth $2.4 million. That’s more than what Cam Newton got last year from New England. It’s about twice as much as what some other veteran quarterbacks have signed for in the last month, including Mike Glennon, Chase Daniel and Geno Smith.
Boyle went undrafted in 2018. In each of his four years of college (three at Connecticut, one at Eastern Kentucky) he finished with more interceptions than touchdowns. He was Green Bay’s backup quarterback the last two years, but with Jordan Love in the pipeline, the Packers didn’t extend Boyle a qualifying offer.
Lions must see something they like, and they apparently feel he’s a notch better than the nominal backups around the league. With Jared Goff being somewhat of a question mark, Boyle is more likely than some other backups to perhaps get tossed into the lineup late in the year.
Per the “Over The Cap” website, Boyle current ranks 11th in average salary among current backup quarterbacks.
| BACKUP QUARTERBACK SALARIES | |
|---|---|
| Player | Contract Avg |
| Nick Foles, Chi. | $8,000,000 |
| Case Keenum, Cle. | $6,000,000 |
| Jameis Winston, N.O. | $5,500,000 |
| Tyrod Taylor, Hou. | $5,500,000 |
| Jacoby Brissett, Mia. | $5,000,000 |
| Joe Flacco, Phil. | $3,500,000 |
| Marcus Mariota, L.V. | $3,500,000 |
| Jordan Love, G.B. | $3,095,868 |
| Mitchell Trubisky, Buff. | $2,500,000 |
| Jeff Driskel, Den. | $2,500,000 |
| Tim Boyle, Det. | $2,400,000 |
| Taylor Heinicke, Was. | $2,375,000 |
| Chad Henne, K.C. | $1,625,000 |
| Brandon Allen, Cin. | $1,500,000 |
| Mike Glennon, NYG | $1,375,000 |
| Colt McCoy, Ariz. | $1,212,500 |
| Geno Smith, Sea. | $1,212,500 |
| Ryan Griffin, T.B. | $1,150,000 |
| Josh Johnson, S.F. | $1,075,000 |
| Chase Daniel, LAC | $1,075,000 |
| Jacob Eason, Ind. | $1,006,816 |
| Mason Rudolph, Pitt. | $980,467 |
| Cooper Rush, Dall. | $977,500 |
| Will Grier, Car. | $963,249 |
| Mike White, NYJ | $850,000 |
| Devlin Hodges, LAR | $837,500 |
| Jarrett Stidham, N.E. | $789,028 |
| Tyler Huntley, Balt. | $780,000 |
| Jake Browning, Min. | $742,500 |
| Gardner Minshew, Jac. | $677,904 |
| Logan Woodside, Ten. | $555,000 |
| Atlanta Falcons | (no backup QB) |
—Ian Allan