Archives for March 5, 2015

'Cassel’s eventual acquisition decreases the likelihood the Bills will pursue a quarterback when free agency opens next week, but doesn’t necessarily eliminate it. However, the options available on the market – Jake Locker, Brian Hoyer and Mark Sanchez, to name a few – are in the same class as Cassel.'

'Like every quarterback available in the veteran free agent market, the 32-year-old Cassel is underwhelming. In 71 career starts with New England, Kansas City, and Minnesota the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder is 33-38, which makes you wonder why the Bills swapped draft picks to get him rather than just wait to pluck someone in free agency. Reportedly they sent 2015 fifth- and seventh-round picks and got back the Vikings 2015 sixth-round pick.'

'Trades in the NFL are rare and it's rarer still that a team can obtain a 26-year-old, three-time Pro Bowl running back in his prime for a 24-year-old linebacker with one season to his credit and coming off ACL surgery.'

'Since the day the Bills were cleaning out their lockers at the end of the season, Spiller has made it clear he knows what he's worth and is willing to hit the open market to get it. After he turned down that offer from Buffalo, the Bills made an unexpected trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for 2013 rushing champion LeSean McCoy. While McCoy carries a $10.25 million cap hit for the 2015 season, he's certainly an upgrade over Spiller, who came back to earth the last two seasons after a breakout 2012 season.'

'But before everyone jumps down the Bills' throats for not doing enough at quarterback, they are without a first-round pick in the upcoming draft and the free agent quarterback class includes the likes of Mark Sanchez, Brian Hoyer and Jake Locker. The Bills just needed to find a bridge to 2016 when they can take another stab at stabilizing the position long-term.'

'Both head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley stressed the importance of adding competition at quarterback, and the 32-year old Cassel, who hasn't started for a full season since 2010, can bring a bit of that.'

'The question here is whether the Bills needed to make this trade in the first place. Could the Bills draft a running back in the mid-to-late rounds who would be the No. 1 back they need? Keep in mind Buffalo has a guy on the roster, Fred Jackson, one of the best running backs in franchise history, who wasn't drafted.'

'"Cassel will win the job. It probably won't even be close," Greg Cosell, chief analyst and senior producer for NFL Films, said over the phone. "It's a good move for the Bills. Cassel actually is a pretty good thrower. What he ultimately is, to use the cliché, is a system player.'

'Cassel would have been one of the league’s highest-paid backup quarterbacks in 2015. By trading him next week, the Vikings will clear his $4.75 million salary from the books. As it stands now, the team will enter free agency with about $25 million in cap space.'

'Cassel, 32, was in line to receive a $500,000 roster bonus March 17, so the Vikings were eager to clarify his situation.'

'"We went through our process, we evaluated all of our players," said Vikings general manager Rick Spielman last month at the NFL Scouting Combine when asked about Cassel's future with the team. "We looked at everything from what they bring to our football team, in the locker room, off the field, what they bring to us on the field. But we also have to look at where they're at from a standpoint of their contract, where we're at from a cap standpoint.'

'Well, Ryan is trying. McCoy’s importation is a start, but to really turn this into Rex Hatefest, Upstate Style, he must do something more. If he wants to stoke the flames again, he has to try and pilfer Revis and Devin McCourty away from Foxboro.'

'That Ryan and the Bills might have their eye on a big free-agent acquisition was evident earlier this week when they decided not to apply the franchise tag to productive pass rusher Jerry Hughes because doing so would tie up too much of their 2015 cap.'

'The trade also wouldn't have been initiated had the Vikings not been confident in Teddy Bridgewater, the first-round draft pick who took over as the starter in the third game of last season after Cassel broke his left foot. Cassel spent two years with the Vikings, taking over in 2013 after Christian Ponder struggled to keep the job.'

'"Knowing that we're making some moves to win this season and being honored for an accomplishment off the field, it's one of those things where I'll enjoy this week as long as I can."'