Mike Daniels
Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 30
Contract terms: Signed through 2019, $7.8 million
2019 statistics through 15 games: 1.0 sack, 10 tackles
Analysis: Wow, what a miss. Did anyone think that they’d be saying that in December after the Lions coaxed the veteran Daniels away from a large group of suitors after his surprising release by the Green Bay Packers?
Daniels enjoyed an excellent seven-year run with the Lions’ divisional rivals before a foot injury prompted the Packers to sever ties. His acquisition seemed to be another tantalizing addition to a defensive line that many thought could be one of the league’s best. It never materialized.
Injuries were a contributing factor, as Daniels has appeared in just 9 games, and he has played over 50 percent of the Lions’ defensive snaps in just one game this year. When in the game, he has been largely ineffective, somewhat emblematic of the unit as a whole.
Credit the Lions for taking a swing on a proven player, and for landing him when nearly half the league was interested in his services. Credit them also for signing him for just one season; it seems very likely that the Lions will move on from Daniels come next year.