Tim Boyle

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/22/24

Today’s reserve/futures contracts:

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Texans Sign QB Tim Boyle To Practice Squad

With C.J. Stroud still sitting in concussion protocol, the Texans are adding some depth to the quarterback room. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Texans are signing quarterback Tim Boyle to the practice squad.

Stroud suffered his concussion during Houston’s Week 14 loss to the Jets. Per Wilson, the second-overall pick still has concussion symptoms, putting his status for this weekend’s game against Cleveland in doubt. If the rookie can’t play, veteran Case Keenum is expected to get another start against his former team. Keenum started for Houston this past weekend and helped guide the team to an overtime win over the Titans.

Considering Stroud’s uncertainty, the Texans have been in the market for some QB help. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Texans tried to claim Nathan Rourke after he was waived by the Jaguars. The Patriots won the waiver claim battle, forcing the Texans to look elsewhere.

Boyle joins the Texans after having spent the first part of his 2023 campaign with the Jets. Initially brought in as a familiar backup to Aaron Rodgers, Boyle ended up getting inserted into the lineup in the middle of the season. The Jets went winless in his two starts, and in three games, the QB tossed one touchdown vs. four interceptions. After starting his career in Green Bay, Boyle went winless in three starts with the Lions in 2021. He got into one game for Chicago in 2022, tossing a pair of interceptions in eight pass attempts.

It’s unlikely Boyle sees any playing time in Houston, assuming Stroud sees the field again before the season is done. Even with the rookie out of the lineup, the veteran would be the QB3 behind Keenum and former starter Davis Mills.

Jets To Sign QB Brett Rypien Off Seahawks’ Practice Squad, Waive Tim Boyle

Set to make another change to their quarterback depth chart, the Jets are making a shake-up to their roster as well. New York is adding Brett Rypien off the Seahawks’ practice squad and waiving Tim Boyle, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson.

The latter passer received a pair of starts after the decision was made to bench Zach Wilson. Boyle did not impress in either outing, however, and he was lifted in favor of Trevor Siemian in the fourth quarter of the team’s Week 13 loss. Now, a new face will enter the situation in the form of Rypien, who had been in Seattle for roughly one month following the end of his Rams tenure.

The 27-year-old filled in for an injured Matthew Stafford for one contest, but he struggled and was let go as a result. No teams put in a claim for him, leaving him free to sign anywhere. He elected to join the Seahawks, a decision which recently saw him elevated in the wake of Geno Smith facing availability concerns. Smith was able to play, however, and the presence of backup Drew Lock limited Rypien’s prospects of seeing playing time in the Emerald City.

Now, the the former Bronco will have the chance to earn practice reps and/or playing time with the Jets as they continue to search for a short-term answer under center. Wilson had an extended run in the wake of Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear, but he was later demoted to third-stringer for the second season in a row to clear a starting spot for Boyle. With the latter now out of the picture, Wilson is believed to be the Jets’ preference for Week 14. A report from Monday indicated, however, the former second overall pick has expressed hesitancy over returning to game action.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh had not yet named a starter for Week 14 or beyond, something which especially makes sense given today’s news. The addition of Rypien will give New York a new option to consider as the team looks to find some level of consistency on offense. Boyle, meanwhile, will hit the waiver wire, making him available to any interested teams. If he clears, he will become a free agent and be able to join the Jets’ practice squad or head elsewhere in search of playing time.

Jets Rumors: QB, Winfrey, Other Injuries

The Jets continue to see struggles at the quarterback position. Hours after hearing that Aaron Rodgers would likely not work his way back to a starting role this season, the situation at the position became even more dire as third-string starter Tim Boyle was benched in today’s loss to the Falcons in favor of veteran Trevor Siemian. The team is currently undecided on whether or not the switch will be permanent going into next week, per Josh Alper of NBC Sports.

New York was trailing Atlanta early in the second half, and Boyle had completed just over half of his passes for 148 yards in what was a fairly uninspiring performance. When Boyle threw an ill-advised pass that ended up in the hands of an over-the-top safety, head coach Robert Saleh put the 29-year-old on the bench, sending in Siemian, the recent journeyman.

Siemian, who despite playing for four different teams has started a game in each of the past five years, didn’t fare much better than Boyle against Atlanta. While Saleh hoped the move would spark the offense, Siemian failed to lead the team to any points, completing only 5 of his 13 pass attempts for 66 yards. He also fumbled the ball three times, losing one to the opposing defense.

With that failed experiment, Saleh has yet to make a decision on what the plan will be next week. Asked if benched former starter Zach Wilson could make a return to the first team, Saleh replied that Wilson is “always in consideration.” With Rodgers not likely to return, Saleh will need to figure something out with the options available to him.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of East Rutherford:

  • Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey made his season debut today after being a standard gameday elevation from the practice squad. Unfortunately, that’s where his 2023 campaign will end. In today’s loss, Winfrey suffered a “really bad” foot injury that Saleh proclaimed would leave him done for the season, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
  • Also sidelined in the loss were veteran tight end C.J. Uzomah and undrafted rookie wide receiver Jason Brownlee. Per Cimini, Uzomah suffered a sprained MCL and Brownlee left the game with an ankle injury. Taking away offensive weapons from the Jets’ arsenal surely doesn’t help the team’s struggles at quarterback.

Jets To Give QB Tim Boyle Another Start

Tim Boyle is getting at least one more start for the Jets. Coach Robert Saleh told reporters this morning that the backup QB will be under center next weekend against the Falcons.

“Yeah, we’re giving Timmy a chance to roll again next week,” Saleh said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).

It wasn’t a great showing for Boyle yesterday in his first start of the season. While the 29-year-old completed a respectable 71.1 percent of his passes, he also tossed a pair of interceptions and had a pair of fumbles. The loss to the Dolphins dropped Boyle to 0-4 as a starter in his career, with the other three losses coming with the Lions in 2021.

If Boyle is replaced, the Jets would likely turn to newly-named QB2 Trevor Siemian. The veteran was signed to the Jets active roster earlier this week as the team reworked their depth chart, a shakeup that saw Zach Wilson get demoted to the third spot on the depth chart. At this point, it seems unlikely that the Jets would turn back to the former second-overall pick, meaning Boyle or Siemian should get the bulk of the snaps at the position.

Of course, Aaron Rodgers has continued to keep the door open regarding a late-season return. However, thanks to yesterday’s loss, the Jets are now armed with the third-worst record in the AFC. Even with a future Hall of Fame QB back in the lineup, it’s unlikely they’d have enough time to insert themselves into the playoff picture.

Speaking of, that Jets loss also means the team would be eyeing a top-10 pick if the season ended today. Even though the organization is quickly climbing into “QB territory” on the draft board, Cimini says it would be a stunner if the front office chose a quarterback in the upcoming draft. The team still plans to roll with Rodgers in 2024, so any move will likely revolve around their win-now mentality.

Jets To Start Tim Boyle In Week 12

3:02pm: For the second straight season, the Jets will demote Wilson two spots on their depth chart. Saleh confirmed Siemian will be Boyle’s backup in Week 12. The Jets made this move last season, bumping Joe Flacco up the depth chart as White’s backup. After another season of continued struggles, Wilson will be out of the equation for the time being.

11:59am: As Robert Saleh‘s comments foreshadowed, the Jets will be making a change at the quarterback spot. Tim Boyle will get the start in Week 12 in place of Zach Wilson, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Saleh benched Wilson in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Bills, another game in which the Jets’ offense struggled mightily. The unit has put up highly underwhelming numbers in a number of categories – including on third down, where New York has a conversion rate of 22.9% on the season – due to a number of issues. Wilson’s play has been one of them, though, which resulted in Boyle finishing the game yesterday.

The latter went 7-for-14 for 33 yards and one interception during his brief relief appearance in Week 11. That marked his first regular season action with the Jets, as he had previously served as Wilson’s backup in the wake of Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear. Wilson has failed to show signs of tangible development in 2023 (although factors such as an injury-riddled offensive line have played a part in his struggles), but Saleh routinely backed him earlier in the campaign. His stance shifted yesterday, however, with the announcement New York would make a decision on a starter for the team’s upcoming Black Friday game.

Boyle, 29, joined the Jets in the spring to serve as depth behind Rodgers and Wilson. His signing marked his first foray out of the NFC North, having spent his first two years with the Packers followed by one-year stints in Detroit and Chicago. Boyle was part of New York’s final roster cuts, but he was immediately retained via the practice squad. That decision, coupled with the Rodgers injury and Wilson’s performance, has now thrust him into a No. 1 role.

The former UDFA has three starts to his name, each of which came in 2021 with the Lions. Boyle has played in 18 total regular season games in the NFL, making him a less experienced option than Trevor Siemian (35 games, 30 starts). The latter signed in September in what the Jets quickly confirmed would be the team’s only outside addition at the QB spot. Siemian has remained on New York’s practice squad since his arrival.

One year remains on Wilson’s rookie contract, though the Jets could elect to pick up his fifth-year option for 2025 this offseason. Such a move would come as a major surprise, since for the second straight year (after the change to Mike White which took place in 2022) he has seen an extended run as a starter brought to an end. Today’s move marks another sign of lost confidence in the former No. 2 pick, as well as a bid to rescue the remaining weeks until Rodgers’ targeted return to action. New York will face Miami on Friday to begin the attempt at a rebound on offense.

Jets Undecided On Week 12 Starting QB

Zach Wilson started the Jets’ Week 11 loss to the Bills, but he did not finish it. In the wake of another poor outing by the former No. 2 pick, head coach Robert Saleh took a different stance than the one he has in previous weeks regarding the situation under center.

Whereas Saleh has publicly endorsed Wilson on a number of occasions this year amidst questions about his status atop the depth chart, he declined to name a starter in the aftermath of Sunday’s loss. New York is set to play Miami on Black Friday, so a decision needs to be made quickly with respect to who will be under center. Veteran Tim Boyle entered the game late in the third quarter, though the change did not spark an offensive improvement.

“Like I told Zach on the sideline, it’s not just him,” Saleh said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “It’s easy to point the finger at the quarterback, but it’s pretty easy to see. You’ve got missed protections, you’ve got dropped balls, you’ve got missed routes. Now, obviously, he has to get better. There are things he could’ve done a lot better, but it’s everyone right now.”

As recently as last week, Saleh confirmed the Jets had a consensus regarding where the organization stood with Wilson. The 24-year-old completed seven of 15 pass attempts for one touchdown and one interception against Buffalo, however, adding to a season of performances which have shown a distinct lack of development. The Jets elected not to add Carson Wentz as a mid-season free agent, leaving either Boyle or Trevor Siemian – who finds himself on the practice squad – as New York’s options to supplant Wilson as the starter.

Of course, the Jets’ QB situation has involved such uncertainty due to Aaron Rodgers‘ Week 1 Achilles tear. The four-time MVP has continued to progress in his rehab, and recent indications point to Dec. 24 as his targeted return date. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network corroborates that, while adding the obvious caveat that a Rodgers return would only be feasible if the Jets were still in postseason contention late in the year (video link).

Sitting at 4-6, New York could still make a run at a wild-card spot, but the depth of talented teams in the AFC stands to make the path to the playoffs a difficult one in the absence of better play on offense in particular. It will be interesting to see if Saleh’s post-game comments are reflected in a QB change ahead of Week 12’s matchup with the Dolphins.

AFC East Rumors: Jones, Jackson, Jets

The NFL’s franchise in New England had been spoiled with their consistency at the quarterback position over the 20-year reign of Tom Brady. This season, though, many are wondering if Brady’s eventual successor, Mac Jones, has what it takes to retain his seat atop the depth chart. According to several different sources, his starting job as the Patriots‘ quarterback is safe for now.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report this morning that the Patriots would be sticking with Jones at quarterback for today’s game against the Saints and that “no change was imminent.” He did mention that second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe, who got about a quarter of the team’s offensive snaps is last week’s blowout loss to the Cowboys, got more practice snaps than usual throughout the week.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated detailed that a lot of the struggles seen with Jones last week were things that have been noticed at practice in New England. He asserts that Jones still has a bit of leeway with the coaching staff, but Jones is going to need to remedy those issues in order to keep it that way.

Even after another blowout loss today that saw Jones pulled from the game in the fourth quarter, head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that Jones will remain the team’s starter, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports. Belichick reportedly said that “the team will be ‘starting over’ as they move toward next Sunday’s game against the Raiders, but the new start won’t include a new” starter.

Here are a few other rumors out of the AFC East, starting with a new familiar face who recently returned to Massachusetts:

  • Recent trade acquisition from the Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson was once a prized free agent addition in Los Angeles after his original stint with the Patriots. But things this year deteriorated to the point that Jackson, who was a healthy scratch for the Chargers in Week 3, was asked to enter the game to fill in for an injured Michael Davis, and he refused to do so, per a joint report from Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Jackson, who had already sustained a serious injury during his time in Los Angeles, knew he had no future with the team and didn’t feel comfortable risking further injury. Additionally, the arrest warrant issued for Jackson in late September for reckless driving has reportedly been lifted, according to David Linton of The Sun Chronicle. Jackson paid the fine and agreed to probation in order to avoid arrest.
  • Along with Aaron Rodgers‘ former Green Bay teammates, wide receiver Mecole Hardman was considered a big addition to the Jets‘ receiving corps in the offseason. And despite his once prominent role on the perennial contender in Kansas City, Hardman has been a non-factor in the first five weeks of the season, including his status as a healthy scratch today. Hardman voiced his frustration to ESPN’s Rich Cimini saying, “I’m probably the best in the league in space. Maybe (the coaches) see something different. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I think when I was in K.C., I proved that I was probably the most dangerous guy on the jet sweep, or whether it be on the end-around or on the screen, I think I proved year-out that I was that guy you had to worry about doing that.”
  • Sticking with the Jets, many expected a change to the composition of the quarterbacks room coming into the week. Cimini relayed head coach Robert Saleh‘s assessment that the room was “status quo” today. Tim Boyle remained as Zach Wilson‘s primary backup, while Trevor Siemian stayed down on the practice squad today.

Poll: Which Jets QB Will End Season With Most Starts?

Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear four plays into his Jets tenure doubles as one of the most crushing injuries a team has sustained in many years. The Jets have gone from a team with Super Bowl aspirations to one trapped in the kind of situation that caused the all-out Rodgers push.

The team has turned back to Zach Wilson, the former No. 2 overall pick who was twice benched last season. Robert Saleh has encountered some scrutiny for his unwavering support of the 2021 draftee, but after the Jets did not make a strong effort to acquire a veteran backup behind Rodgers, they are sticking with the struggling BYU alum.

Wilson, 24, has made 24 career starts. He sports a career 54.9% completion rate and ranked in the bottom five in Total QBR in each of his first two seasons. Through three games this year, Wilson is ahead of only Justin Fields — the same placement the 2021 season brought. Wilson’s status created issues in the Jets’ locker room last year, leading to Mike White‘s promotion. While buzz about White staying briefly circulated this offseason, the Jets instead parked Wilson — rumored to be on the outs late last season — behind Rodgers. That has thus far proven to be a mistake, one that certainly could threaten the jobs of Saleh and GM Joe Douglas.

The Jets have been connected to a few outside options, attempting to add Colt McCoy and ex-Nathaniel Hackett charge Chad Henne. They also looked into poaching fellow ex-Hackett pupil Brett Rypien off the Rams’ practice squad, but Los Angeles promoted the ex-Broncos backup instead. Two years after the Jets took heat for not backstopping Wilson — a plan former OC Mike LaFleur called a mistake — the team has not attempted to chase a veteran who would unseat him.

Citing the Jets’ $276MM in cash spent — a number that trails only the Ravens and Browns — a Thursday report indicated a top-down Jets directive has led the team to prefer to have a QB rise through the practice squad route. This, and the team’s desire to avoid a Wilson QB controversy, has led to the current depth chart forming. As such, Trevor Siemian represents the top option to take over if Wilson continues to struggle. Although the recently added arm has not been a regular starter since 2017, the ex-Peyton Manning Denver successor has made 30 career starts.

Siemian, 31, is 0-6 over his past six starts. Prior to losing four games leading a depleted Saints roster, Siemian did pilot the Saints past the then-defending champion Buccaneers in his first appearance with the team. Siemian also started a Jets Week 2 game in 2019, a contest that featured the then-Sam Darnold backup going down with a season-ending ankle injury. But the seven-team journeyman is back in town. Although he is not coming off the practice squad this week, an elevation figures to take place soon after.

Current backup Tim Boyle has thrown 106 career passes, residing as a Rodgers and Jared Goff backup during his career. Boyle’s most notable work came when he started three games for an injured Goff in 2021. A rebuilding Lions team lost all three of those games. Boyle, who played at UConn and Eastern Kentucky, served as Rodgers’ top backup at points in Green Bay. The Jordan Love pick changed his standing with the organization.

The Jets cannot trade their first- or second-round picks, with those selections in escrow since they are part of the Rodgers trade package. But will the Jets attempt to use a mid-round choice to trade for a better option? The team still boasts an upper-echelon defense that is again tied to a bottom-tier QB situation. Teams will not be eager to unload a proven backup, but decent draft compensation could change that equation. The Texans’ backups have generated trade interest, and either Case Keenum or Davis Mills could potentially be pried away. Would they move the needle much for the Jets?

Douglas was in place when the Eagles traded up for Wentz in 2016, and the fifth-year Jets GM was present when the former No. 2 overall pick soared to the MVP favorite before an ACL tear ended his 2017 season. Wentz’s stock has tanked since that outlier year, but he is just 30 and would be an upgrade on Wilson. Matt Ryan is 38 is coming off a dreadful Colts season. While Ryan indicated he is happy at CBS, both free agents are believed to have reached out to the Jets. Although Colin Kaepernick wrote Douglas a letter campaigning for a P-squad opportunity, the Jets are not interested in a player out of the league for the past seven seasons.

Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill loom as longshots that have not come up in legitimate trade rumors, but both are on expiring contracts — albeit pricey expiring deals — and playing for teams with sub-.500 records. The Titans, who drafted Will Levis in Round 2, would likely need to eat some of Tannehill’s money. The 12th-year veteran is on a $27MM base salary; the Jets hold barely $8MM in cap space. Cousins carries a no-trade clause. Both 35-year-old passers have void years at the end of their contracts, with the Vikings starter’s void number checking in at a whopping $28.5MM for 2024.

Will the Jets aim higher via Wentz or a trade? Or will Siemian represent Wilson’s top competition for the rest of the season? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this situation in the comments section.

Jets Sign K Austin Seibert To PS, Rule Out K Greg Zuerlein

3:35pm: An updated report informs that the move will reportedly be adding Seibert to the practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. He and linebacker Samuel Eguavoen will be called up from the taxi squad as gameday elevations for tomorrow’s game.

Wilson also reports that practice squad quarterback Tim Boyle will be signed to the active roster to serve as Zach Wilson‘s backup. The vacancy created on the practice squad by Boyle’s promotion will be the one filled by Seibert’s addition. In order to make room on the active roster for Boyle, wide receiver Irvin Charles has been waived.

1:53pm: With reports coming in from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, we can confirm that the Jets have officially downgraded Zuerlein to out for tomorrow’s matchup with the Cowboys. As most teams choose not to carry more than one kicker on their roster, this will require New York to make an addition to the team for tomorrow.

After a successful workout yesterday, Seibert has won the backup kicking job for the Jets, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. As mentioned below, Seibert is the most experienced of the three who tried out after spending his rookie season in 2019 making 86 percent of his kicks as the full time kicker for the Browns. He’s bounced around a bit since then and will now get a new opportunity in New York.

Even if Zuerlein is only out short-term, the job is a good opportunity for Seibert to showcase his in-game kicking abilities to other teams in the NFL who may be in need of a kicker down the line.

9:17am: With Greg Zuerlein questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Cowboys, the Jets were busy figuring out a contingency plan yesterday. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Jets worked out three kickers: Matthew Wright, Austin Seibert, and Caleb Shudak.

Seibert has the most experience of the bunch, with the former sixth-round pick getting into 30 games since 2019. Since appearing in 16 games a rookie, the kicker has bounced around the NFL, spending time with the Browns, Bengals, and Lions. He most recently got into three games for Detroit in 2022, connecting on three of his five field goal attempts and all 12 of his extra point tries.

Wright has seen time in 23 games, including a 2021 campaign where he appeared in 14 games for the Jaguars. He split the 2022 season between the Steelers and Chiefs, converting 12 of his 14 FG tries and all seven of his XPs. Shudak was busy during his lone NFL appearance, contributing 10 points during an appearance with the Titans in 2022.

Zuerlein suffered a groin injury during practice on Thursday, and Robert Saleh has declared the starting kicker 50/50 for tomorrow (per ESPN’s Rich Cimini). The head coach also acknowledged that the injury isn’t serious, so it sounds like the Jets may just need a one-week replacement at the position.

“Joe [Douglas] and the staff, they’re on it, to get all these kickers in for a workout to see which one would be best available come Sunday,” Saleh said (via Andrew Crane of the New York Post). “But gotta roll with the punches.”