Patriots QB Cassel masters life in the background

[weswelker#83]

Article about cassel being a backup to many great quarterbacks in his career.

"The hardest part about being a backup," Cassel said, "is getting ready every week but not playing."

http://www.ocregister.com/sports/cassel-brady-game-1970116-patriots-backup

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

Article about cassel being a backup to many great quarterbacks in his career.




http://www.ocregister.com/sports/cassel-brady-game-1970116-patriots-backup

good article....lets just hope he doesnt get his first major experience this week.

 

[dhamz]

He has had a strange career. He was highly touted out of high school and since then has sat behind two Heisman Trophy winners and an NFL MVP. Maybe he can really play.

Then again, Scott Zolak had a nice gig going for himself until Bledsoe got hurt that one season and went out on the field and proved definitively to anyone watching that he couldn't play.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

My first though was why have a back up QB that never started in college. I mean you got to think there are some decent undrafted QBs with college experience even if their name was never mentioned in the same sentence with Hiesman.

But after further thought, he mentioned that the hardest thing about being a backup is getting ready and remaining focused even though it is unlikely you will play. Maybe it is that experience is why he was drafted by the Patriots. Not every college QB would be able to remain that focused in a dead end job. If you are Trent Edwards backing up JP Losman you know you have a shot at the starting job. Being Cassel or Sorgi you know you are in a dead end position.

Four years of preparing for every game in a dead-end position for four years in college might be the perfect background.

 

[Watson's IQ]

Four years of preparing for every game in a dead-end position for four years in college might be the perfect background.

Maybe you're right, and it takes someone like that to realize that getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to do what he does is a blessing, not a hindrance.

I like Matt and I hope he gets a shot someday, even if it's not with the Pats.

 

[mcbee]

Maybe you're right, and it takes someone like that to realize that getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to do what he does is a blessing, not a hindrance.

I like Matt and I hope he gets a shot someday, even if it's not with the Pats.

As soon as he does he's most likely out of a job. He's bad.

 

[patchick]

It must be enormously difficult to motivate yourself to prepare 100% week after week, year after year for games you know you won't actually play. Like seven straight years of foreplay, knowing that...well, nevermind.

 

[BelichickFan]

As soon as he does he's most likely out of a job. He's bad.

You think Belichick would have kept him as the top backup to Brady if he were "bad" ? I don't. Not saying he's the next Brady but I bet he could play a competent QB for someone.

With him entering his last year next year, the optimal time to trade him, I wonder if we might be able to trade him to Atlanta with Dimitroff (sp ?) there. No, not for a lot. But I could see Atlanta trading a #4 or #5 in 2009 or something with a chance to compete to actually play there.

 

[Watson's IQ]

As soon as he does he's most likely out of a job. He's bad.

I don't know how you could possibly know that based off of what we've seen of him.

If he was "bad", BB would not have kept him around and made him the #2 QB on a Super Bowl team.

I'm going to go ahead and trust BB's eye for talent more than mcbee's, if that's all right with you.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

As soon as he does he's most likely out of a job. He's bad.

Pete Carroll recruited him and says you're wrong, but what else is new...

He's better than a lot of what is passing as staring QB's in the NFL these days. The fact that he has stuck as Brady's backup is not lost on people who really know what they're looking at. He'll have value if they decide to trade him and if they don't that will just further underscore it. Derek Anderson was third string in Cleveland when the season opened and he looked like crap in their pre season. Go figure. And he didn't even have anything approaching mentors.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

You think Belichick would have kept him as the top backup to Brady if he were "bad" ? I don't. Not saying he's the next Brady but I bet he could play a competent QB for someone.

With him entering his last year next year, the optimal time to trade him, I wonder if we might be able to trade him to Atlanta with Dimitroff (sp ?) there. No, not for a lot. But I could see Atlanta trading a #4 or #5 in 2009 or something with a chance to compete to actually play there.

Depending on how things go there that wouldn't surprise me. Beats taking another beating in the draft in that department, and he's a kid who could help install the culture they need to change to. Even if they take a QB in the first, they can't start him in that envorinment. They need to buy time to make some serious changes. Did they fill their HC and OC positions yet?

 

[BelichickFan]

Did they fill their HC and OC positions yet?

Not sure about OC but Mike Smith, former Jax DC, is the new HC.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Not sure about OC but Mike Smith, former Jax DC, is the new HC.

A guy who has probably come to appreciate the long time backup who emerges as solid game manager and stable team leader...

 

[BelichickFan]

A guy who has probably come to appreciate the long time backup who emerges as solid game manager and stable team leader...

My thought too. They would be well served to draft a mid round QB and make a minor deal for Cassel and let them compete behind Leftwich (who's signed for one more year) than to spend a top ten pick on another QB.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I don't know how you could possibly know that based off of what we've seen of him.

If he was "bad", BB would not have kept him around and made him the #2 QB on a Super Bowl team.

I'm going to go ahead and trust BB's eye for talent more than mcbee's, if that's all right with you.

He might not be a very good QB. He might just be very good at being a backup.

Here is what I mean, there maybe guys who if given a full week of practice vs. Cassel having a full week of practice would blow Cassel away. But those same better QBs, if given 5% of the weeks practice and doubting they would start would royally suck compared to Cassel with just 5%.

If I had two back up QBs.
A) had better natural talent, stronger arm and would be great if he had a full week of practice, but has a hard time staying focused when he knows he isn't going to play. and
B) medicore, but he is almost as good with 5% practice as he would be if he did 100% of the snaps. Remains 100% focused when he knows he won't play.

I would make B my #2 and A my #3. However, if my primary qb got injured and would not be able to return for several games, I would start A in the future games.

Cassel's true strength may not be in being a top QB. But in being the best back-up QB.