Detroit Lions: 5 lessons learned in latest loss to Bucs

#3 – Chase Daniel was an overpay

Last season, Stafford missed the final eight games with a back injury in which they had to rely on low quality quarterbacks to get them through the season. In those eight games that Stafford was out, they lost all of them.

As mentioned in the previous slide, the Lions are not a good team without Stafford and when he was out last year, the whole team’s performance deteriorated. Former general manager Bob Quinn made it a priority last offseason to address the backup quarterback situation as they needed a quality guy under center to play in case Stafford went down with another injury.

He signed quarterback Chase Daniel to a three year deal worth $13.05 million with $2.75 million guaranteed. He was coming off a season where competed 70.3 percent of passes for 435 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in four games (three starts).

The signing seemed a little much at the time but Daniel’s recent performance made it look like a horrible contract. He entered the game halfway through the first quarter and even though he completed 72.2% of his passes, he only threw the ball for 86 yards.

By the time the fourth quarter came around, Daniel was out of the game as the coaching staff decided to put in third string quarterback David Blough.

Daniel still has two years left on his contract and is guaranteed to make $1.5 million next year although they can cut him loose at the conclusion of the 2021 season.