DETROIT (Feb. 28, 2005) -- The Detroit Lions and Dominic Raiola have agreed on a five-year contract, keeping the team's center off the free-agent market.
Raiola has started every game the past three seasons after spending much of his rookie season in 2001 on special teams. The 26-year-old Hawaii native was drafted in the second round out of Nebraska.
The Lions also are looking at signing a veteran quarterback to serve as a backup to starter Joey Harrington. They have interviewed Jeff Garcia and put him through physical tests at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
"We'll just have to wait and see, because it has to be the right fit on the field with our situation and it has to be the right fit cap-wise," Millen said of the Garcia situation.
Garcia was released by the Cleveland Browns Feb. 22. He completed 144 of 253 passes for 1,731 yards with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 10 starts last season.
Garcia earned his second straight Pro Bowl selection in 2001 with San Francisco under then-49ers coach -- and current Lions coach -- Steve Mariucci. The quarterback completed 62.7 percent of his passes and accumulated 3,538 yards and 32 touchdowns that year.
Kurt Warner, who played for the New York Giants last season, also will be available and could be considered by Detroit.
