The Detroit Lions have already been a part of one of the biggest blockbuster quarterback trades of this offseason and it appears they may not be done shaking up that spot on the roster. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Lions have had trade discussions with other teams regarding backup quarterback Chase Daniel. The 34-year-old journeyman is considered to be an ideal mentor for young quarterbacks, as Schefter notes, which could suggest that teams eyeing a QB at the draft or have an up-and-coming signal-caller already on their roster may have been talking with Detroit.
Daniel inked a three-year, $13.05 million contract with the Lions last offseason after spending the previous two seasons with the Chicago Bears. He originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri back in 2009 and ultimately latched on with the Saints to begin his career. He was with New Orleans through the 2012 season and then went on to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs. From there, he made stops in Philadelphia, a second stint with the Saints, and Chicago before ending up in Detroit last year.
If the Lions were to trade or release Daniel this offseason, they'd clear at least $2.3 million off of their salary cap. As things stand currently, Detroit is nearly $7 million over the cap, which they'll need to slash to the $180 salary cap threshold prior to the start of the new league year.
For his career, Daniel has completed 68.2% of his passes for 1,694 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions. As a starter, he's 2-3. In four spot appearances for the Lions last year, Daniel completed 67.4% of his throws for 264 yards, one touchdown, and two picks.