Chase Daniel could be option if Eagles look for stopgap QB

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If history repeats itself — and it seems like that’s the plan here — Doug Pederson will draft a quarterback and sign a veteran to hold down the fort until the rookie is ready.

Just like Pederson did for Donovan McNabb 16 years ago.

If the Eagles don’t re-sign Sam Bradford, and that certainly seems like a 50-50 proposition at this point, the next-most likely scenario is probably drafting a quarterback and signing a veteran.

An obvious candidate is Chase Daniel.

Daniel, who backed up Alex Smith under Pederson's watch the last three years with the Chiefs, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

He just finished a three-year, $10 million contract with the Chiefs but threw only 68 passes in three seasons in Kansas City.

“I like Chase, I like Chase,” Pederson said Tuesday, chatting after his press conference. “He was great for Alex. Great thinker, good mind, good arm, accurate passer, tough kid, another one that’s a little more athletic and runs better than you think.”

Daniel will be 30 this fall and is entering his seventh NFL season. He has two career starts to his name.

When Andy Reid signed Pederson back in 1999, Pederson was 31, had no NFL starts to his name and was also entering his seventh NFL season.

Reid was with Pederson in Green Bay before getting the Eagles' head coaching job, just like Pederson was with Daniel in Kansas City before getting the Eagles' head coaching job.

Quite a parallel.

Daniel started a game at the end of 2013 against the Raiders and completed 21 of 30 passes for 200 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He started a game against the Chargers last year and was 16 for 27 for 157 yards with no TDs or INTs.

Daniel was a Heisman Trophy finalist at Missouri, where his favorite receiver was Jeremy Maclin, his current Chiefs teammate.

In his six NFL seasons, Daniel is 50 for 77 (65 percent) for 464 yards with one TD, one INT and a 80.2 passer rating.

“I think [he] has a bright future and could be a starter in this league,” Pederson said.

The Eagles have just one quarterback under contract and that’s Mark Sanchez, who is scheduled to earn $4.5 million in 2016 with a $5.5 million cap hit. If the Eagles release him, he’ll count just $1 million against their cap.

The Eagles have the 13th pick in the draft. As of now, the only quarterback projected to be off the board by the time they pick is Cal’s Jared Goff. But that’s with the Senior Bowl, private workouts and the Combine still to come.

Frank Tripucka, the ninth pick in 1949; John Reaves, the 14th pick in 1972; and McNabb, the second pick in 1999, are the only quarterbacks the Eagles have taken in the first round since 1940.

They’ve taken only three others in the second round during that span: Jack Concannon, Randall Cunningham and Kevin Kolb.

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