From Pro Football Weekly re: Cassel

[KY Pats Fan]

Patriots' backup QB job open for the taking


We’re hearing that after being very high on him through his first two years with the team, the Patriots are starting to sour a little bit on backup QB Matt Cassel. Drafted in the seventh round of 2005 out of USC despite never having started a game for the Trojans, Cassel displayed enough promise to convince New England it could develop him into a serviceable backup to Tom Brady. If all went according to plan, the Pats also harbored the hope they could fetch a high draft pick for him from a QB-needy team, a la Matt Hasselbeck. But Cassel has been a bit disappointing in 2007. In limited action — he has thrown just five passes — he sports a dismal QB rating of 19.2, with his lone interception getting returned for a touchdown by Dolphins DE Jason Taylor. Sources tell us it’s a distinct possibility that current third-stringer Matt Gutierrez could climb into the No. 2 role before the end of the season, and that even practice-squad player David Greene could mount a case for the job.


I'm not the greatest Cassell fan. I had hoped he would develop nicely then the pats could trade him off for a draft pick. I'm thinking now that maybe we just cut ties and try to bring in someone like Griese or Simms.

 

[shmessy]

Re: from Pro Football Weekly re: Cassell

Maybe not all late round QB's are Tom Brady.

I think Cassell was damned by high praise and expectations because, well Brady did it, shouldn't everybody?

Brady doing what he did while having been drafted #199 is an extremely rare occurrence.

 

[Brady to Brown]

5 passes?

He is Brady's back up. If Belichick had no faith in him Vinny would have been signed. Get off the kid's back until he has a chance to play.

 

[satz]

Derek anderson - i rest my case .He played like crap in small outing but since given the starting job has improved every week.
you cannot judge a player with 5 minutes of game time.

 

[PatsNut]

5 passes?

He is Brady's back up. If Belichick had no faith in him Vinny would have been signed. Get off the kid's back until he has a chance to play.

I agree to a point. Cassel hasn't played enough to really get a feel if he is a qualified backup or not. But, if Brady went down (I didn't just say that, it's your imagination), would you feel confident having Cassel leading this team into the playoffs? It's a scary thought.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Not the first time this has been posted.

And, again, if the Pats were that unsure about things, why on earth did they let Testaverde go?

 

[patsox23]

Cassel's performance, and any judgments of it, comprise a ridiculously, USELESSLY small sample-size. Also, this PFW Whispers thing is a week old, at least, isn't it? I think we already "did" this topic.

 

[patchick]

Derek anderson - i rest my case .He played like crap in small outing but since given the starting job has improved every week.
you cannot judge a player with 5 minutes of game time.

Cassel's tiny sample of game performance has certainly done nothing to inspire confidence. But when he's played longer, as in preseason games, he's generally gotten better as he's gone along. I get the impression that he presses too much at first, overeager since he gets so little action.

2nd coming of Brady? Of course not. Respectable backup (and terrific 7th-round pick)? Sounds about right.

 

[LiveShot]

Cassell made one bonehead play where he followed the receiver all the way and Jason Taylor, a very good defensive end read him and made the interception. I think he will get more playing time as the season winds down and improve his play.

 

[Seymour93]

And, again, if the Pats were that unsure about things, why on earth did they let Testaverde go?

Because they had confidence in Gutierrez and/or Green, and perhaps they have some other veteran QB on the shadow roster....

 

[Metaphors]

Cassel's tiny sample of game performance has certainly done nothing to inspire confidence. But when he's played longer, as in preseason games, he's generally gotten better as he's gone along. I get the impression that he presses too much at first, overeager since he gets so little action.

2nd coming of Brady? Of course not. Respectable backup (and terrific 7th-round pick)? Sounds about right.

Agree with your points. What does the #2 QB do in practice besides know the plays, stay healthy and play catch with the backup WRs? The #3 likely plays with the scout team and gets some meaningful practice time against the #1 defense (granted with the other team's plays).

You really can't effectively evaluate a backup until they get practice time as the #1 QB and start a regular season game. That being said, also agree with your gut-feel assessment of Cassel.

 

[cstjohn17]

Because they had confidence in Gutierrez and/or Green, and perhaps they have some other veteran QB on the shadow roster....

Bingo! Say hello to #80 Troy Brown. Our offense goes to the 4 TE set and we run the option every play.