Cardinals backup quarterback Drew Stanton agreed to a new two-year contract Tuesday.

Drew Stanton is staying with the Cardinals.

The quarterback, set to reach free agency Wednesday, agreed to a new two-year contract Tuesday. He will remain the backup to Carson Palmer. The 31-year-old, who will be headed into his 10th season, appeared in five games last season, completing 11-of-25 passes for 104 yards.

But last season Palmer was healthy and missed only one play due to injury all season – he left the field after dislocating his finger in Philadelphia – so Stanton's work was limited to mop-up duty during blowouts. The season before, however, Stanton's play helped the Cardinals maneuver through Palmer's injured shoulder, allowing the Cardinals to win 11 games despite myriad quarterback issues.

Last week, Stanton said he wasn’t sure about his future. Staying with the Cardinals meant the reality of remaining a backup, and he could have sought out a team where a starting job might have been easier to obtain.

Yet Stanton also understood the advantage of staying with a coach in Bruce Arians who Stanton has worked with for four straight seasons, and also with a team that has a chance to be successful. Arians had repeatedly said bringing Stanton back was a priority.

"I want to surround myself with good organizations that have good people within them," Stanton said. "I think this is one of those places."

The Cardinals now have three quarterbacks under contract, with Palmer, Stanton and Matt Barkley. There is still a possibility the team could look at drafting a quarterback.