Packers 2020 roster preview: Will Tim Boyle make the roster?
Will Packers backup QB Tim Boyle make the roster?
Tim Boyle has been with the Green Bay Packers for two seasons.
In 2019, he was promoted from the third-string spot to the main backup behind Aaron Rodgers. But will that remain the case as we enter the new season?
How does the addition of Jordan Love in the first round impact Boyle’s role with the Packers?
2019 stats
Boyle didn’t start any games but did come off the bench three times in games that were effectively over. He completed three of four passes for 15 yards.
2019 review
There isn’t much to review here unless we want to discuss how well Boyle lines up in victory formation. But Boyle did impress in the preseason, enough to win the number two job ahead of DeShone Kizer and Manny Wilkins.
In the preseason, Boyle completed 34 of 57 passes for 356 yards, six touchdowns, and zero interceptions. It was good enough for the Packers to trust him as the backup quarterback. Had Rodgers missed any time in the regular season, Boyle would’ve been the man to step up.
Odds of making roster: 30 percent
This is difficult to predict, but I’m giving Boyle a 30 percent chance of making the roster. Jordan Love likely won’t be ready to become a starting QB by the start of the season, but roster spots are so important and I’m not sure the Packers will want to keep three quarterbacks on the roster. Instead, I think they’ll roll with Love as the backup and hope he isn’t needed for many games in year one.
What to expect in 2020?
There is a possibility that the Packers want Love to sit all season without stepping in for Rodgers either at the end of blowout wins or losses, or due to an injury. If that’s the case, they may reserve a roster spot for Boyle to be the veteran backup with Love the third-string quarterback.
But to invest a first-round pick on a third-string QB for a year or two, all while you have a Hall-of-Famer who can help you win a championship? Ouch.
As they’ve traded up for Love, I think he has to be the backup. If Rodgers goes down, Love steps up. And unless the Packers go with the first option, Boyle won’t make the 53-man roster.