It is pretty hard to argue that Matt Cassel was anything other than the Vikings best quarterback in 2013. It is also hard to argue that they don’t need to improve at the position and can’t afford to take steps backwards.
1500ESPN’s Darren Wolfson, however, reports that source told him Wednesday that Matt Cassel intends to void the second and final year of his Minnesota Contract. If he indeed goes through with it, then he is essentially wagering that he can do better than the $3.7 million one-year deal he would have been playing for in 2014.
Many have expressed surprise that Cassel would bail on a nice payday like what he was owed, but I am not at all surprised. I listed Cassel as the Vikings top internal free agent candidate and actually assumed he would void the deal. With such slim pickings at the quarterback position this offseason when it comes to free agents, he could easily be trading a nice one year deal for a nice longer-term deal.
Both Josh McCown and Michael Vick are a few years older than Cassel, so is arguably the most attractive free agent option at the position this offseason. He won’t be breaking anyone’s bank, that is for sure, but I’m sure he’ll come out of this with more long-term stability than if he had played under the one year deal.
The only real question for the Vikings at this point is whether or not they want to attempt to re-sign Cassel for more money and commitment, or begin the offseason by taking a small step backwards at the quarterback position while also clearing some cap space. It would not be a total shocker to see Cassel still end up back in Minnesota to play under Norv Turner.
With quarterback Josh Freeman also scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, it is entirely possible that Christian Ponder is this team’s only quarterback option at this moment in time.
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first draft in a long time where I trust HC and OC to make the right QB decisions...............I did, however, leave out the GM in this equasion.....hopefully he will accept wise counsel...
That's right Krug, I do believe old Norm will be useful in drafting A QB.
Trade Ponder for anything...7th rounder. Just do it.
Vikes will keep Ponder. He is cheap and the only qb under contract. I wouldn't be surprised if Ponder is the starting qb next year. Even if Bikes draft a qb early, he won't start right away.
ponder is awfully young to be a mentoring stop-gap guy to a rookie QB. quite the fall he has taken in the last 14 months
we can still rebound pretty good next season, though, if our D improves substantially
Why not. Cassell would be a fool if he did not at least attempt to leverage a higher paying contract. I predict the Vikings or Houston makes a run at him. Wouldn't be surprised if Washington makes a draft day trade of Kirk Cousins. He's gotta be somebody's back up plan if the draft takes an unforeseen turn. Maybe SpielMullen's.
Hey everybody, be sure to check out Fred Evans sister, Aja Evans. She's on the Olympic bobsled team. Her role is something called The Brakeman, but I've seen her naked, she's really a girl.
#jealous
Supposedly this years Andrew Luck....http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/blake-bortles-the-next-andrew-luck-qb-guru-sees-similarities-020514
I'm heart broken over the Cassel news. After the week 17 win over the Lions, I thought there was no way Cassel would opt out of 3.7 million and a starting job with the Vikings. Looks like I was wrong.
I don't think it's about the money.
One of the first coaches the Vikings reached out to was Bill O'Brien (ex New England offensive coach). One reason why the Vikings went after O'Brien could have been his good working relationship with Cassel.
I can't blame Matt Cassel for testing the waters. It only takes one other team to show interest... and if Houston is that other team, he is in very very good position.
But it wouldn't suprise me if he signed a very affordable 2 or 3 year deal with the Texans. If the Texans signed Cassel, they could then focus on drafting Jadeveon Clowny.
Even if the Vikings were the highest bidder, I just don't see Cassel staying in Minnesota.
If Norv wanted Cassel... and if there was any hope of Cassel staying, Norv and Zim would not be giving the "silent treatment" right now about any desire to keep Cassel as the starting QB.
I don't think Blake Bortles is the next Andrew Luck, but Bill O'Brien was a great relationship with Bortles' coach George O'Leary at UCF so he could go #1 overall.
Bortles or Clowney (maybe Johnny Football, but I'm not buying that) will be the top pick in the draft.
Could Cassel be a pawn (so to speak) to the Texans so that Bortles drops to #2... and maybe the Vikings trade up with the Rams to get him?
I hope Cassel is just looking for a better deal from the Vikes. I will have nightmares if Ponder is the starter. Good luck selling tickets if that's the case. Cassel is the best option at this point