Source: Chase Daniel agrees to 3-year, $13.05M deal with Lions
The Lions knew they needed to address their backup quarterback situation after losing starter Matthew Stafford to a broken back for the final eight games of the season. Lions general manager Bob Quinn said after the season that potentially paying more for a backup quarterback this year was something the club would consider.
Stafford is good to go from a health perspective for 2020, but Detroit shuffled through multiple backups last year, including Josh Johnson, Jeff Driskel and David Blough, who remains on the roster to potentially become a developmental quarterback behind Stafford and Daniel.
Daniel, 33, has made just five regular-season starts since he entered the league in 2009. After stints with New Orleans, Kansas City and Philadelphia, Daniel signed a two-year, $10 million contract with Chicago in 2018.
Daniel served as Mitchell Trubisky‘s primary backup the past two seasons, making three starts and eight total appearances over that stretch.
The veteran quarterback came off the bench to replace an injured Trubisky last year in Week 4 and led the Bears to an impressive victory over the Minnesota Vikings, completing 22 of 30 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown. He also started the next week against the Raiders in London but tossed a pair of interceptions in Chicago’s 24-21 loss.
ESPN’s Michael Rothstein and Jeff Dickerson contributed to this report.