The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2012 season with a 2-14 record and are compensated with the number one overall draft pick in 2013; a big congratulations for being the very worst team in the National Football League. One of the biggest problems for the Chiefs this offseason is deciding what to do with quarterback Matt Cassel who could have played his last season in Kansas City.
Cassel got his big break back in 2008 when he was with the New England Patriots. He took over for Tom Brady who tore his ACL and MCL in Week One. His stats were rather impressive as he was 327-516 with 3,693 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But look at everything he had in New England. A veteran team, who had gone to the Superbowl the year before, not to mention one of the best head coaches in the league in Bill Belichick.
After his impressive starting debut in New England, it’s no surprised he signed a big contract with the Chiefs in 2009 that would keep him in Kansas City until 2014. Despite his impressive play, Cassel has only had one good season with the Chiefs when he threw for 3,116 yards with 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions while posting a 93 percent quarterback rating in 2010; leading the team to a 10-6 record and an AFC West division title.
Since 2010, it’s been downhill for Cassel. He had an off year in 2012 as he only played in nine games and went 161-277 with 1,796 yards, six touchdowns and 12 interceptions to finish the season with a 66.7 quarterback rating. After Cassel suffered a concussion in Week Five, second string quarterback Brady Quinn was their go to guy. Quinn’s numbers weren’t impressive either as he went 112-197 while posting 1,141 yards with only two touchdowns and eight interceptions to finish with a 60.1 quarterback rating in seven games. Cassel was benched in the third quarter of Week 11 and Quinn finished the season as the starting quarterback which has caused many to believe Cassel’s days in a Kansas City uniform are over.
Quarterbacks always seem to take the blame for losses, it just comes with the territory, but you can’t always put the blame on them. Everyone loved Cassel after he took his team to the playoffs in 2010 after winning the division. Bad play calling and coaching also contributed to the horrid season the Chiefs had. If they are able to get a quarterback better than Cassel via trade or free agency they will indeed release him, however if they aren’t able to get anyone better how can they let him go? Quinn doesn’t seem to be the answer either as his numbers were far from impressive.
He is also now a free agent, releasing Cassel wouldn’t necessarily be solely based on his play, but also on his contract and the fact they would owe him $9.8 million in 2013; which is a lot more than he deserves. He was supposed to be the answer to the missing piece in Kansas City, which in 2010 he seemed to be, but since that great season he’s had trouble with accuracy and has just thrown too many interceptions. It’s not like the Chiefs are a rebuilding team, they just had a really bad year. The Chiefs are in pursuit of a new quarterback and if they are able to find one, they will certainly send Cassel packing.