John Penisini, a rookie sixth-round pick, outplayed Shelton at nose tackle and should man the position this fall.
Daniel appeared in four games as a backup to Matthew Stafford, completing 29 of 43 passes for 264 yards with one touchdown and two interception.
The Lions let it be known they were willing to trade Daniel earlier this month, but found no takers for his bloated $4.3 million salary, of which $1.5 million is fully guaranteed.
David Blough remains under contract as a backup, but the Lions will add another veteran in free agency and/or a rookie around the draft.
Once processed, Daniels release will create $2.3 million in cap space, while Shelton s will free up $4 million.
2021 NFL free agency: Identifying the 25 best fits for the Detroit Lions
Updated Mar 14, 2021;
Posted Mar 14, 2021
Los Angeles Rams safety John Johnson III, right, breaks up a pass intended for Chicago Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif.(Associated Press)
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The Detroit Lions head into free agency with needs across the board, rocking a new head coach, general manager and starting quarterback.
Detroit’s defense has been among the NFL’s worst two years running, failing to generate consistent pressure, protect leads or flip the field via takeaways. On the other side of the ball, the passing attack has been a strength in recent years but heads into unchartered waters without quarterback Matthew Stafford and the team’s core trio of receivers.
Detroit Lions free agency preview: Who is going to back up Jared Goff at QB?
Updated Mar 09, 2021;
Posted Mar 09, 2021
Los Angeles Rams Jared Goff (16) evades Buffalo Bills Ed Oliver (91) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)AP
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Expiring contracts: None
Best available: Jameis Winston (Saints), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Dolphins), Cam Newton (Patriots)
Other names to watch: Mitchell Trubisky (Bears), Andy Dalton (Cowboys), Alex Smith (Football Team), Tyrod Taylor (Chargers), Jacoby Brissett (Colts), A.J. McCarron (Texans), Joe Flacco (Jets)
Breakdown: Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell aren’t fans of the word “rebuild.” That’s too bad, because few teams are more obviously rebuilding right now than the Detroit Lions. They were horrific on defense last year. Their running game showed some promise, but was inconsistent at best. The only real strength of that team was the passing game, and now