CHICAGO — Daunte Culpepper and the Lions have agreed on a contract, although the length and financial terms of the deal were not clear.
Coach Rod Marinelli, who made the announcement after his team’s 27-23 loss to the Bears on Sunday, would not answer questions about the deal but did say it hinges on the results of a pending non-orthopedic physical.
At 0-8, the Lions clearly need help.
How much the 31-year-old Culpepper can provide remains to be seen. He planned to retire in December because he was frustrated about not finding work after a knee injury limited him with the Dolphins in 2006 and Raiders in 2007. The three-time Pro Bowler worked out with the Lions last week and apparently showed enough to land a spot with them.
Dan Orlovsky started the past four games, with Jon Kitna out for the rest of the season with a back injury, and Marinelli would not say who will start against the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday.
“Like I told you, every week we will wait until Sunday,” Marinelli said. “That’s being consistent.”
Orton suffers ankle injury
CHICAGO — Bears quarterback Kyle Orton injured his ankle and had to watch as backup Rex Grossman engineered a comeback win over the Lions.
Orton was taken off the field on a cart with an injury to his right ankle following a rollout to his right in the second quarter. He was hit by Detroit’s Cory Redding, and Dewayne White fell on Orton as he was hitting the turf.
Minutes before Orton went down, the Bears lost safety Mike Brown to a calf injury with 1:05 to go in the first half.
Injury updates.
Texans quarterback Matt Schaub injured his left knee in the second half against Minnesota.
• Chiefs running back Kolby Smith was carted off the field with a sprained knee in the third quarter of a loss to Tampa Bay.
• The Titans lost defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who started but went to the sideline in the second quarter and never returned against Green Bay.
• Browns offensive guard Eric Steinbach sustained a left rib injury in the third quarter against the Ravens and did not return.
The Associated Press
