Wow! Do you watch games? Do you follow the team? Cassel is a quality backup QB for a bunch of reasons:
1. He can handle being a backup... knows his role, emulates one of the best QBs in the game and works REALLY hard to be ready to come in at any time... one snap, one game, one season... he's ready to go.
2. He KNOWS the offense... really knows the offense... we don't miss a beat when he comes in to play... now he isn't as good as Brady... given, but he can move the ball against first team defenses... as evidenced in the Giants preseason game.
3. He's cheap... he doesn't waste cap space the way other backup QBs do... he's grateful for the draft... he's humble, he's thankful for his roster spot and works well with others.
4. He helps TB... TB is the "master" and Cassel is the student... but the kid knows the game and can/will/does work through the tape with Brady.
5. He's pretty good. He MIGHT be better than some starters... I wouldn't bet the house on that... but he's certainly better than most backups.
As for Gutierrez... in my opinion, there is no way that he makes it through waivers... he showed WAY too much promise in the preseason (and I'm guessing in camp)... but my opinion means nothing... obviously BB and Pioli also thought this. The kid moved the ball.. showed poise... and, in flashes, looked as good as/slightly better than Cassel. He is also VERY cheap... and gives us some development.
Someone else put it out there right... were you against keeping Brady a few years ago?
Again, WOW.