David

Blough

Blough, who played QB for three years in Detroit and one in Arizona, will work under new Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury and work with third-year QB Sam Howell and whichever signal caller Washington drafts this spring.

Blough spent time with the Lions, Vikings and Cardinals last season after the Lions released him shortly after training camp. Blough would spend much of last season on the Vikings practice squad but was signed to the Cardinals’ active roster late in the season. In his two starts for the Cardinals, Blough completed 38-of-58 passes for 402 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He’ll likely battle for a spot on the 53-man roster this offseason.

Blough won’t return even if he clears concussion protocol as the Cardinals have nothing to play for in the fourth quarter of their blowout loss to the 49ers. Blough joined the Cardinals as a reserve option after Kyler Murray went down with a torn ACL. Colt McCoy eventually suffered a season-ending concussion and Arizona chose to start Blough over Trace McSorley. Blough didn’t fair much better than McSorley had, tossing two scores and two interceptions across a pair of starts. He will get signed after his stint in Arizona ends but profiles as a practice squad quarterback for the 2023 season.

With Kyler Murray done for the year after suffering a torn ACL, the Cardinals had an open roster spot and a vacancy in their QB3 role. Blough will take the spot behind Colt McCoy and Trace McSorley. Blough hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular season game since 2020 and hasn’t made a start since 2019.

Colt McCoy is done for the year because of a concussion, giving Blough his second start with the Cardinals. In his first, he threw 40 passes but managed just 222 yards. He found the end zone once. Blough peppered Trey McBride with targets, putting him in play as a streaming option at tight end. Other than him, this is a big hit to the fantasy values of the rest of the Arizona players for Week 18.

Blough wasn’t a disaster, which was a pleasant surprise given that he is the fourth quarterback the Cardinals have rolled out this season. He supported a strong game from Trey McBride, and the offense was functional enough for James Conner to total 110 yards. Blough could have a much rougher outing against a 49ers defense that is far stronger than the Falcons’. However, it’s possible that Colt McCoy is under center in Week 18, sending Blough back to the bench.

Colt McCoy experienced more concussion symptoms and was ruled out, while apparently Kingsbury didn’t think much of Trace McSorely’s start last week. Blough went 0-5 as a starter with the Lions in 2019, completed 54 percent of his passes and throwing four touchdowns against six picks. His presence elevates the Falcons D/ST into the streaming conversation in Week 17.

Blough was waived by the Lions after losing a camp battle with Tim Boyle. Given Boyle’s struggles last year, losing a battle to him doesn’t bode well for Blough’s odds of becoming a backup-caliber quarterback anytime soon. Blough will serve as Minnesota’s QB3 from the practice squad.

A reminder the “final 53-man roster” is anything but. The Lions reportedly hope to get Blough back on the practice squad. Nate Sudfeld, who was cut by the 49ers on Tuesday before the Lions picked him up, will serve as Jared Goff’s backup.

There’s an “open competition” to back up Jared Goff. Frankly, nothing Tim Boyle did last season was more impressive than Blough’s Thanksgiving start a few years ago, so this isn’t wildly surprising. Blough will be a free agent at the end of the season, so earning a No. 2 role would be a big step for his career prospects.