Originally Posted by
yashi
Those teams have no choice but to pay Stafford and Sanchez the big bucks, whereas we have options available.
I feel like the best and safest move is to wait until 6-7 games into the season, at which point Pioli can make a conscious decision whether or not to go after Cassel hard with a long-term deal.
I don't expect Cassel to come out and throw for 30 touchdowns next season being that he's going to be in a new system (though with many similarities), but I think we would at least have an idea of whether he has potential as a KC Chief.
He comes out guns ablazing and wows our pants off, cool. He gets his 35 million guaranteed.
He looks completely lost without Wes Welker to dump it off to for 10 easy yards every 3rd down, we wait and reevaluate at the end of the year. I'll take the risk.
Truth be told, there aren't a whole lot of teams who will be looking for a quarterback next season. Lions and Jets have their QBOTF. Rams reached on a guy they must like. Seahawks passed on Sanchez and seem to be confident in Hasselbeck's health and Seneca Wallace for the future. Dolphins appear to be ready to go full Wildcat with White. Vikings and Titans would probably only be interested if he had a good season.
Worst comes to worst, we somehow lose Cassel. I think Thigpen would be happy to resign knowing he'd once again be the starting QB, and because we apparently had a bad season, we'd likely get the first crack at a QB in the draft to groom while we ride the Thig-Train.
Don't get me wrong though. The best case scenario is if we lock Cassel up now and he rips it up. It's also the riskiest.