Backup quarterback Tim Boyle will undergo surgery for a broken right thumb Monday, and there's no timeframe yet for his potential return, head coach Dan Campbell said.
"We won't know exactly how long that is until he comes out of his surgery," Campbell said Monday. "Once that happens then we'll know exactly the depth of it. He may be out for a little while, but we don't know how long that'll be."
Boyle was on the inside track to be Jared Goff's backup entering the regular season, especially after a good performance in Friday's preseason finale, completing 7-of-9 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown while playing through the thumb injury suffered on the first series of the game. He was 4-for-4 on third down playing through the injury on the second series, leading Detroit on a 14-pay touchdown drive capped off by his 15-yard strike to wide receiver Quintez Cephus.
Campbell doesn't think the injury is season ending, but he can't rule that out.
Expect veteran David Blough, who had a solid camp and preseason, to enter the season as Goff's backup.
Blough started five games for Detroit back in 2019. He completed 54 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and six interceptions, but Detroit lost all five contests.
CROSBY RELEASE
The Lions made their first wave of roster cuts Monday ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline to trim the roster from 80 players to 53. Among the cuts was veteran tackle Tyrell Crosby, who at one time was expected to be Detroit's swing tackle this season.
Crosby, who was waived injured, started 11 games for the Lions last season and has played in 38 games with 18 starts the last three seasons. He played both tackle spots in camp this year, and he also got work at both guard spots.
"We didn't feel like he was one of the best guys," Campbell said of the Crosby release.
Detroit is solid upfront along their offensive line with the starting five – Taylor Decker, Jonah Jackson, Frank Ragnow, Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Penei Sewell – but depth could certainly be an issue.
It wouldn't be surprising if the Lions look to bolster their depth upfront via the waiver wire after Tuesday's cuts across the league.
"There are going to be some guys that are on our team that aren't even in the building now," Campbell said Monday. "That's probably going to happen. There's a good chance that'll happen."
Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes met Sunday to go through the rosters of the other 31 teams in the league and discussed potential cuts and possible fits for the Lions roster.
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.
Detroit Lions tight end Darren Fells (80) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson (88) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions outside linebacker Trey Flowers (90) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit lions outside linebacker Charles Harris (53) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Safety C.J. Moore (38) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dean Marlowe (31) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions nose tackle John Penisini (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Kevin Strong (92) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit lions outside linebacker Charles Harris (53) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Javon McKinley (83) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams (30) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Javon McKinley (83) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus (87) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jermar Jefferson (28) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus (87) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (44) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Jalen Elliott (42) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye (24) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker (21) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs (39) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dean Marlowe (31) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Will Harris (25) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jamie Collins Sr. (8) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Tavante Beckett (59) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jahlani Tavai (51) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions nose tackle Alim McNeill (54) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions nose tackle John Penisini (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) Detroit Lions running back Jermar Jefferson (28) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah (23) Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) Detroit Lions running back Jermar Jefferson (28) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah (23) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on August 30, 2021. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
ROSTER MOVES
Along with Crosby, the team also waived injured tackle Dan Skipper, who was injured in Friday's preseason contest vs. Indianapolis and had to be carted off the field.
The team also released veteran wide receiver Breshad Perriman, who was a free-agent acquisition this offseason. That cut isn't much of a surprise, however, as Perriman was outplayed by a number of players in the receiver room, including Tom Kennedy, who Campbell said Monday has an inside track to make the roster. Campbell didn't rule out the possibility of keeping five receivers on the roster.
Also waived were: Wide receivers Victor Bolden and Damion Ratley, guard Evan Heim, safety Alijah Holder, nose tackle Miles Brown and cornerback Mike Ford.
The Lions have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to trim the roster to an initial 53 players. They can start to form their 16-man practice squad on Wednesday.
