Why Cassel Is Worth The $63 million
By: SCUBA
The far-fetched notion that Matt Cassel will have to earn the top spot in training camp was put-to-bed on Tuesday. Cassel signed a 6 year deal for $63 million with $28 million guaranteed.
New coach
Todd Haley, as a show of professionalism, has to announce an open-competition at quarterback but we all know it's Cassel's job next year and for the foreseeable future.
The question is whether or not Cassel is worth this rather large sum of cash. I say "yes" he is and these are few reasons why:
1. He is young and healthy. He is a young quarterback who just turned 27 in May, and who still has the tread on the old-tire. With limited playing time he has been relatively healthy throughout his career.
2. He has proven that he can win at this level. No, the Patriots didn't make the playoffs last year. However, Cassel was thrown into-the-fire in week 1 (against the Chiefs) after a devastating Tom Brady knee injury, and did not disappoint. He still lead the team to an 11-5 record, winning the last 4 games straight to end the season.
3. He has the tools. He is a prototypical QB at 6-4, 230 lbs, who has made all the throws in NFL games. And although most will point out that he had Randy Moss and Wes Welker to throw under the tutelage of Bill Belichik, the fact is that he still put up 3,693 yards with 21 TD's and 11 interceptions with only working with the 2nd string and taking limited snaps as the 2nd string QB through their entire training camp. The Chiefs will obviously give him the reigns from day 1.
4. Matthew Stafford received a 6-year deal for $72 million and $41.7 million guaranteed. Stafford was the first overall pick in this year's draft. However, Stafford has never taken a snap in the NFL. Look at the last 7 #1 overall picks who were QB's: Tim Couch (1999), Michael Vick (2001), David Carr (2002), Carson Palmer (2003), Eli Manning (2004), Alex Smith (2005), and JaMarcus Russell (2007). Only Eli Manning and Carson Palmer could be considered "have lived up to their potential thus far". That means 5 out of the last 7 #1 overall QB's were risks that didn't pan-out or have yet to pan-out. First round quarterbacks who usually sign for the same kind of money Cassel just received are a much bigger risk than that of Cassel. There is a much higher ratio of QB's taken in the first round who don't work out in the NFL than one's who do. Cassel has shown that at the very least he can perform throughout the course of a season at the NFL level.