Matt Cassel - Pro Football Rumors

QB Rumors: Eagles, Bills, RGIII, Browns

August 21st, 2015 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Assuming he doesn’t make any significant errors during the team’s remaining preseason games, quarterback Tim Tebow is on track to earn a spot on the Eagles‘ regular season roster, a source tells ESPN’s Dianna Russini. According to Russini, head coach Chip Kelly has been getting increasingly excited about using Tebow in two-point and short-yardage scenarios.

With Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, and Tebow likely to make the Eagles’ roster, it would seem to leave Matt Barkley on the outside looking in. According to Russini’s source, Barkley remains available in a potential trade.

Here’s more on a handful of unsettled quarterback situations around the NFL:

Bills head coach Rex Ryan sees potential big-play ability in quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and would prefer to start him over the team’s other QB options, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, Cole adds that other members of the Buffalo coaching staff believe Matt Cassel would make fewer mistakes than Taylor, and is the more consistent, reliable option.
In a separate video at Bleacher Report, Cole also tackles the Washington quarterback situation, indicating that the decision on Robert Griffin III‘s long-term future – or lack thereof – with the team will ultimately be made by owner Daniel Snyder. Head coach Jay Gruden and his staff want RGIII in the starting lineup as much as possible this year, so that the club can get a thorough evaluation of the former second overall pick before that decision is made.
On the heels of Josh McCown‘s underwhelming, two-interception performance against the Bills, Browns head coach Mike Pettine stressed that he’s not looking to create a QB competition, and that McCown remains his No. 1 guy over Johnny Manziel. Still, Pettine wasn’t ready to guarantee that McCown would be the team’s starting QB in Week 1 (Twitter links via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal).

East Notes: Rice, Cassel, Giants

August 9th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Rory Parks

The Bills signed Nickell Robey to an extension this morning and may now direct their attention to a long-term deal with Marcell Dareus, but one transaction that the team is not contemplating is a reunion between head coach Rex Ryan and embattled running back Ray Rice. Per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, Ryan reiterated, “We don’t have any interest [in Rice] and we never went into great detail about it because of the type of depth that we have at running back.” Those comments were made despite a recent hamstring injury to Fred Jackson and Bryce Brown‘s continued fumbling woes.

Now let’s have a look at some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

Although the Bills‘ quarterback competition is far from over, The Associated Press reports that Matt Cassel will “probably” start the team’s first preseason game against Carolina this week. All three competitors–Cassel, E.J. Manuel, and Tyrod Taylor–have had mixed results in camp, and no one has separated themselves from the pack as of yet. We heard just last month that Cassel was in danger of being released, and while that may still be the case, he will at least have the first chance to lead Buffalo’s offense in game action in 2015.
The top of the Jets‘ depth chart at wide receiver has remained intact, but as Brian Costello of The New York Post writes, recent injuries to players like Chris Owusu, DeVier Posey, and Devin Smith have really tested the team’s depth. Of course, there is not much by way of free agent talent available at this point, though Reggie Wayne and Wes Welker are both ostensibly looking for jobs.
In his latest mailbag, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes that Bennett Jackson, the Giants‘ sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft, has enjoyed a terrific camp thus far, and he has put himself in position to not only make the 53-man roster, but to earn one of the starting safety spots.
In the same piece, Graziano writes that Marshall Newhouse, whom the Giants originally signed to be a backup, is New York’s undisputed starting right tackle at the moment.
Hank Kurz, Jr. of The Associated Press writes that Jamison Crowder, Washington‘s diminutive rookie receiver, is making a splash in training camp, but John Keim of ESPN.com says Crowder has not yet passed Andre Roberts and Ryan Grant on the team’s depth chart. Keim does concede, though, that Crowder has been outperforming Roberts and Grant and it could be a matter of time before he seizes hold of Washington’s No. 3 receiver job.

East Notes: Kromer, Cassel, Harris

July 16th, 2015 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer is scheduled to appear in court for an August 12 plea date, following his arrest last weekend, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. With Kromer having been placed on indefinite paid administrative leave by the Bills this week, that August court session could go a long way toward determining whether or not he’ll have a job with the team by the time the regular season gets underway.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

We’ve been hearing in recent weeks that Matt Cassel may be in danger of losing his roster spot on the Bills, but Rodak believes that, despite a shaky spring and a sizable salary, Cassel still has about a 60% chance of making the regular season roster.
This week, ESPN.com’s AFC East writers weighed in on which coach is on the hottest seat in the division. Unsurprisingly, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin ran away with the dubious distinction. Philbin is 23-25 as Miami’s head coach. Meanwhile, Rex Ryan (Bills) and Todd Bowles (Jets) were just hired earlier in 2015, and Bill Belichick‘s job with the Patriots certainly seems safe.
Wide receiver Marcus Harris, cut by the Giants yesterday with an injured designation, underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee last month, which led to his removal from the team’s 90-man roster, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Assuming he’s not claimed today, Harris figures to land on the Giants’ injured reserve list. It’s the second straight year that the 26-year-old has seen his chances of earning a spot on the club’s Week 1 roster dashed by injuries.

Cassel, Henderson On Bills’ Roster Bubble

June 20th, 2015 at 2:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the Bills three-headed monster of Matt Cassel, EJ Manuel, and Tyrod Taylor all competing for the starting job, fans in Buffalo don’t have a ton to look forward to on offense. However, one of those three may actually already be falling behind the curve.

Cassel, an 11-year veteran, may be in danger of not making the roster, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN. Rodak called him the clear loser of the group of passers based on the three OTA practices and three minicamp sessions that were open to the media. He added that Cassel was inaccurate, forcing throws, and turning the ball over at alarmingly high rates (via Twitter).

Rodak listed Manuel as the slight winner, but was adamant that Cassel had been the worst of the three, noting that he was “consistently subpar this spring,” (via Twitter).

Many fans and pundits saw the Bills trading for Cassel as an indication that they planned on starting the season with him under center. It would have been difficult to imagine him not making the roster, even as a veteran backup for Manuel at the very least. However, if he continues to underperform, the team could still take the $4.15MM he is set to earn this year off the books by releasing him before the season opener.

Last year’s starting right tackle Seantrel Henderson may also be on the bubble of making the roster, and there are a few red flags that lead Rodak to believe he could be the odd man out along the offensive line (via Twitter). Henderson arrived to camp late and lost the starting job in practice to last year’s second-round pick Cyrus Kouandjio. Additionally, head coach Rex Ryan expects the team to sign veteran swing tackle Wayne Hunter, who could play both right tackle and left tackle, as well as tight end in heavy packages. With Hunter, Kouandjio, and Cordy Glenn in the fold, Henderson would have limited value to the team.

Bills Notes: Free Agency, Spikes, Draft

March 27th, 2015 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have been active during the first couple weeks of free agency, landing LeSean McCoy and Matt Cassel in trades, re-signing Jerry Hughes, and adding Percy Harvin and Charles Clay in free agency. What’s next for the team? According to GM Doug Whaley (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News), Buffalo is still considering adding a veteran receiver, and would also like to bring back linebacker Brandon Spikes.

Here’s more on the Bills:

Offensive line is another spot the Bills need to address, but that will happen in the draft rather than in free agency, tweets Carucci. As Carucci notes, Buffalo pursued offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga in free agency and tried to trade for Saints guard Jahri Evans, but didn’t land either player.
Whaley tells Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the Bills are open to the idea of drafting a quarterback. However, as Rodak points out, that could be tricky, since the salaries of both E.J. Manuel and Tyrod Taylor are guaranteed for 2015. Drafting a quarterback would mean either carrying four on the roster, or parting ways with one of Cassel (just acquired), Taylor (just signed), or Manuel (guaranteed salary; former first-rounder).
In his look at 20 contract situations around the league, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com examines a pair of Bills-related issues, discussing Buffalo’s offer to Clay and the increasing price of the team’s defensive line.

Bills Aiming To Extend Matt Cassel

March 24th, 2015 at 6:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While it’s not set in stone, Matt Cassel is the presumptive favorite to be the Bills’ starting quarterback after the club acquired him from the Vikings in exchange for two draft picks. And while he’s not the QB of the future in Buffalo, the team does hope to work out an extension with the 32-year-old as a means of creating more cap space, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).

The Bills currently have less than $7M in cap space to work with, and with a 2015 draft class still to sign, the club could use a bit more wiggle room if they hope to add any additional free agents. Buffalo doesn’t have a first-round pick this year (as a result of moving up to select Sammy Watkins in ’14), meaning they’ll probably have the cheapest rookie class to sign. But an extension for Cassel, who has one year and $4.75MM left on his contract, could create the room needed to bring in a few street free agents.

In negotiating an extension, the Bills would likely seek to bring down Cassel’s $4.15MM base salary and give him a signing bonus, spreading the cap hit over multiple seasons. But because of Cassel’s age, I’d think Buffalo would be wary of committing any money to him too far down the line. As such, simply adding one more year to his deal and extending him through 2016 might be the best bet.

East Notes: Bills, Hoyer, Cromartie, Jets, Fins

March 10th, 2015 at 11:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Bills spent some time today weighing quarterback alternatives in case they weren’t comfortable with Matt Cassel‘s physical. Brian Hoyer and Matt Moore were among the potential options considered, sources tell Caplan. Ultimately, the Bills passed Cassel on his physical and the swap with the Vikings became official.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

In Darrelle Revis and Buster Skrine, the Jets have already added two corners today, but they might not be finished. The club is still talking with Antonio Cromartie, who is known to be interested in playing for New York, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). Manish Mehta of the New York Daily news classifies the discussions as “serious,” suggesting a Revis-Cromartie reunion may be in the cards (Twitter links).
While admitting that he talked to Frank Gore during the past few days, LeSean McCoy denied that he told the former 49er to back out of his deal with the Eagles and sign with the Colts instead, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. McCoy, rather, says he told Gore that he’d handle the ball a lot and called Chip Kelly a “mastermind.”
Updating a previous item, the Dolphins have put an offer in to free agent cornerback Brice McCain, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. We heard earlier tonight McCain was in Miami, and it sounds like something could get done.
Free agent quarterback Tyrod Taylor is paying a visit to the Bills, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Taylor, who has been the Ravens’ backup in recent years, would be in the mix with Cassel and E.J. Manuel if he were to sign with Buffalo.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Bills Acquire Matt Cassel

March 10th, 2015 at 6:33pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 10, 6:30pm: Cassel has passed his physical and is now officially a member of the Bills, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Tim Graham of the Buffalo News tweets that Cassel initially failed his physical with the team on account of a broken foot. However, the Bills passed him because of the minimal risk associated with the injury.

MARCH 4, 11:53am: According to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (via Twitter), the Bills are sending one of their 2015 fifth-round picks (from the Buccaneers) and a 2016 seventh-rounder to the Vikings for Cassel, and will get a 2015 sixth-rounder back from Minnesota.

MARCH 4, 11:36am: Following their reported acquisition of LeSean McCoy, the Bills have struck another deal to add an offensive starter. The team announced today that it has agreed to terms with the Vikings on a trade that will send Matt Cassel and an undisclosed draft pick to Buffalo in exchange for two undisclosed picks. Like the McCoy swap, this trade can’t be made official until the new league year begins next Tuesday, but the two sides are in agreement.

Cassel, who turns 33 in May, started just three games for the Vikings in 2014 before a broken foot landing him on the injured reserve list, ending his season. Given the way Teddy Bridgewater took the starting job and ran with it after Cassel went down, the veteran wouldn’t have been more than a backup had he returned to Minnesota — in Buffalo, he’ll get a chance to compete for the starting job.

Cassel, who is entering the final season of a two-year contract he inked last winter, is owed a base salary of $4.15MM, along with a roster bonus of $500K (due March 17) and a $100K workout bonus. The Bills will assume all those amounts, for a total cap hit of $4.75MM, leaving no dead money on Minnesota’s books for the coming year.

After starting his career with the Patriots, Cassel saw his first action as a starter during the 2008 season when Tom Brady was sidelined for the year. He parlayed a solid season in New England into a free agent deal with the Chiefs, and while his stint with Kansas City had some bright stops – including a Pro Bowl 2010 season – the team decided to move on from the signal-caller after a 2012 campaign in which he threw for just six touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

In Buffalo this summer, Cassel figures to battle with EJ Manuel for the No. 1 job, and if the club’s goal is to contend immediately, Rex Ryan and his staff may opt for the veteran. With McCoy expected to be in the mix, and last year’s fourth overall pick Sammy Watkins developing into a big-play threat, Cassel would have some solid weapons at his disposal if he wins the job. The trade allows the Bills to avoid diving into a free agent market where the top available options would have been players like Mark Sanchez, Brian Hoyer, and Jake Locker.

Of course, the Vikings may now become players in that market. While there’s no question that Bridgewater will enter the 2015 season as Minnesota’s top signal-caller, Christian Ponder is eligible for free agency, meaning Bridgewater will be the only QB on the team’s roster as of next Tuesday. Signing a veteran backup as an insurance policy for the second-year man makes some sense for the Vikes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Rumors: Revis, Jets, Tannehill

March 8th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Rob DiRe

It will be hard to beat the Patriots re-signing Devin McCourty in terms of news, but there are a number of other rumors surrounding the AFC East teams as we approach free agency.

As the “legal tampering” period continues, the Patriots are still the favorites to keep either Darrelle Revis or McCourty, and are “a pretty good bet” to keep both players, according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter). The team already completed a deal with McCourty, and only needs to keep Revis to make good on Curran’s tweet.
While the Patriots may be the favorites, keeping Revis is not a done deal. The Chiefs and Jets are still contenders to sign Revis, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
The Jets are looking to add a veteran passer to its quarterback depth chart, and one name that has surfaced as a favorite it Brian Hoyer, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
The team has also targeted Ryan Mallett as a possible addition, although he has far less experience than fellow Tom Brady-backup Hoyer (via Twitter).
La Canfora also examines the impact of the Dolphins signing Ndamukong Suh will have on Ryan Tannehill‘s next contract. He writes the team has left itself little wiggle room to pay Tannehill if he has another productive season that would warrant an Alex Smith-like extension, which came in at four years and $68MM, with $45MM in guaranteed money.
It also surfaced that the Bills are expected to come to terms on a long-term deal with newly acquired quarterback Matt Cassel.

Bills, Matt Cassel Exploring Multi-Year Deal

March 8th, 2015 at 9:32pm CST by Rob DiRe

After trading for Matt Cassel, the Bills were praised for bringing in a veteran quarterback on a low-risk move. Still, not many were ready to anoint Cassel as the future of the franchise at the most important position.

Now it looks like the team will be expected to sign Cassel to a multi-year contract that could entrench him as the starter in Buffalo beyond 2015, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The team made a similar move after trading for running back LeSean McCoy, guaranteeing him $26.5MM to play with the Bills.

Cassel won’t sniff that kind of money, but any extension at all seems like a curious decision (via Twitter). Mike Rodak, who covers the Bills for ESPN, was particularly critical in analyzing the possible reasons and structures for an extension. The Bills owe Cassel a $500,000 roster bonus next weekend, but after that nothing would have been guaranteed (via Twitter).

Rodak writes that converting $4MM of his base salary into a signing bonus would only clear out $2MM in cap space but would guarantee him $4MM for 2016 (via Twitter). He adds that Cassel would be unwise to take a pay cut without getting more guaranteed money, and that the Bills would have no reason to give him any guaranteed money (via Twitter). Rodak would be more afraid of wasting money on a quarterback like Cassel than him exceeding expectations and demanding a big raise (via Twitter).