Sources: Chase Daniel expected to sign three-year deal with Eagles

It looks like quarterback Chase Daniel will finally get his opportunity to compete for a starting job, as the former Missouri star is expected to join the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year deal, sources tell The Star.

ESPN reported the news first, which Daniel later confirmed on Twitter.

“Thank you to the Hunt family, Andy Reid, John Dorsey, Chris Ballard and all my coaches and teammates for these last three years,” Daniel wrote on Twitter. “You guys gave me a chance when no one else believed I could play and I’ll be forever grateful for my time in Kansas City.”

Daniel, 29, has only started two games in his career, both for the Chiefs. He started the 2013 and 2014 season finales against San Diego, playing well each time and guiding the Chiefs to a 1-1 record — though he was a missed field goal away in the 2013 game from being 2-0.

In all, he’s fared well in limited regular-season action, completing 50 of 77 passes (64.9 percent) for 464 yards, a touchdown and an interception. And when combined with his preseason stats from the last seven years (and yes, it’s only the preseason), Daniel’s statistics — he’s completed 241 of 364 passes (66.2 percent) for 2,673 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions — might be an indication of what he can do with full-time work.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid thinks so, at least.

“I think he’s a starting-caliber quarterback,” Reid said. “I have full confidence in him, and I think everyone on our team does.”

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who has worked closely with Daniel since both of them arrived before the 2013 season, agrees.

“Without a doubt, I think” he’s ready, Smith said. “Yeah, no question. Obviously you’ve got to have a skill set, and you’ve got to have the smarts. But he plays fast, he knows it. He’s been sitting there four years with Drew (Brees) and three with us now, and he’s been around a lot of offense, he’s seen a lot of football, he’s really smart.

“The guy has always prepared himself, been ready to roll. He works extremely hard. You pocket all that stuff, you learn from it. He has played well when he’s had those opportunities, so I do think he’s ready. And it’s just a matter of getting that opportunity and going with it.”

It appears Daniel has that opportunity. The Eagles recently re-signed their starter last year, Sam Bradford, to a two-year, $35 million extension, but Bradford has struggled with injuries and bouts of ineffectiveness.

Daniel also has a history with new Eagles coach Doug Pederson, who coached him the last three years as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator before moving to Philadelphia.

The move will leave the Chiefs with three quarterbacks on their roster in Smith, fourth-year pro Tyler Bray and third-year pro Aaron Murray. Reid was asked at the 101 Awards on Saturday if the Chiefs currently have their No. 2 quarterback for 2016 on the roster.

“I think we do,” Reid said. “I feel pretty comfortable with both of them. And that’s not to say Chase is gone, because we we like Chase, too. But if things work out for him to be a starter somewhere, then that’s a great thing. But I think we’ll be OK with what we’ve got.”

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Sources: Chase Daniel expected to sign three-year deal with Eagles."