Cardinals, Drew Stanton agree to terms on two-year contract
Mar 8, 2016, 4:38 PM | Updated: Mar 9, 2016, 1:21 pm
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton (5) looks to throw against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona Cardinals will be keeping their backup quarterback.
The team announced on Tuesday that Drew Stanton has agreed to terms on a two-year contract to remain with the team. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport is reporting the contract is worth $6.5 million “with significant upside.”
Stanton originally signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals in 2013 before the team traded for Carson Palmer, who upon his acquisition was named the team’s starting quarterback.
Stanton, 31, has appeared in 16 games for the Cardinals, including eight starts in which he has posted a 5-3 record. He played sparingly in 2015, but in 2014 helped lead Arizona to the playoffs in relief of an injured Carson Palmer.
With the Cardinals, Stanton has completed 54 percent of his passes for 1,815 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians had expressed a desire to bring Stanton back as Palmer’s backup, but there had been some reports that the quarterback — who has also been with the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions — would seek out a chance to be a starter.
A veteran of nine NFL seasons, Stanton has appeared in 28 games — with 12 starts — and thrown for 2,973 yards with 12 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
