The Case for Cassel

[MDChiefs!]

Been hearing alot of rumors as of late, and even a couple 3 way trades involving our QB, Brady Quinn (weis connection) and the Broncos and it got me thinkin..I know this is a touchy subject with some, but I have to share my opinion...

I like Cassel, but I dont see him as our QBOTF. Last year towards the end of the season, everyone picked up their game on the offense. We were playing some pretty decent games. We got Bowe back and our WRs stepped up big time, the o-line stepped up big time with Wade Smith, BA and O'Cally looking very impressive and JC really stepped his game up and cut out most of his fumbles...Cassel is the only one we didnt see improve even with and improved line and better running game. I know some will still lay all blame on the "atrocious o-line" and our WRs, but you cant deny that we got better at those positions in the later part of the season. Its in the tape.

Bash me, or criticize me if you will, but I am only telling you what I see and hear. I am one for giving one time to develop, and I understand how that works, but this is his 7th year in the league, and the ceiling cant be too much higher for him at this point in his career. I think it was also one reason we front loaded the hell out of his contract. #1 we have the cap room now to absorb that kind of hit and #2 I think that they thought after a year or so that they would have their own hand picked coaching staff in there, which we do now. And everyone knows, the coaches are going to want their guy. With the state of the NFL cap this year, and how much we are under the cap I dont think its out of the question that Cassel could be traded. Plus Brodie is a FA and Haley really likes Brodie too...Personally I would like to keep Cassel for one more year unless we get offered something fantastic for him, but I dont think the idea id as farfetched as some might think....opinions?

[MDChiefs!]

I dont get what your getting at with the $$ comment. I understand market value for franchise QBs.....Im just saying were paying him all this $$$ (guaranteed) in the first 2 years for more than one reason I think...and again...we keep blaming everyone around him for mistakes only he can make. I am well aware of the dropped passes, and the o-line play in the beginning, but regardless of what playbook, and what WRs you have you still need to make good decisions. You cant blame Haley or Bowe for his decision making. My question is after 6 years as a pro, shouldnt your accuracy and decision making be a little better? Lets not even get started on his deep pass...

yes Canada. And he has only played/started in 2 of them. Cassel in 2010 will be atleast 100% better. You can quote me on that. I dont think it is fair to judge a QB with new players, bad receivers, a new sytem after the firing of chan gailey (so basically a new system from the 3rd preseason game on), and questionable protection. All the while still not having much game experience. If you actually give the guy a chance i think he will do pretty well. Yes, he made a few bad throws in each game, but what do you expect? Peyton Manning?

The whole money thing is nonsense anyways because he was coming out of his contract year, after he just won 9 or some odd games and filling in for tom brady. starting qbs who sign long term deals are going to get lots of money. its that simple....

[pbatrucker]

One more note and Chambers pointed this out last season. Some of those interseptions were caused by the WR's running the wrong routes.
You can't say he should play better because he has beeen in the league for five years. Truth is he had very few snaps in practice and even less in game situations before Brady was hurt. We have an inexperianced QB with a lot of upside. IMO he will be greatly improved this year.

[Connie Jo]

Been hearing alot of rumors as of late, and even a couple 3 way trades involving our QB, Brady Quinn (weis connection) and the Broncos and it got me thinkin..I know this is a touchy subject with some, but I have to share my opinion...

I like Cassel, but I dont see him as our QBOTF. Last year towards the end of the season, everyone picked up their game on the offense. We were playing some pretty decent games. We got Bowe back and our WRs stepped up big time, the o-line stepped up big time with Wade Smith, BA and O'Cally looking very impressive and JC really stepped his game up and cut out most of his fumbles...Cassel is the only one we didnt see improve even with and improved line and better running game. I know some will still lay all blame on the "atrocious o-line" and our WRs, but you cant deny that we got better at those positions in the later part of the season. Its in the tape.

Bash me, or criticize me if you will, but I am only telling you what I see and hear. I am one for giving one time to develop, and I understand how that works, but this is his 7th year in the league, and the ceiling cant be too much higher for him at this point in his career. I think it was also one reason we front loaded the hell out of his contract. #1 we have the cap room now to absorb that kind of hit and #2 I think that they thought after a year or so that they would have their own hand picked coaching staff in there, which we do now. And everyone knows, the coaches are going to want their guy. With the state of the NFL cap this year, and how much we are under the cap I dont think its out of the question that Cassel could be traded. Plus Brodie is a FA and Haley really likes Brodie too...Personally I would like to keep Cassel for one more year unless we get offered something fantastic for him, but I dont think the idea id as farfetched as some might think....opinions?

I'm curious, did you read the article here: Cassel's Work Ethic, Already Getting Busy

I think it explains much related to last season with the difficulties Cassel faced. I don't fully comprehend why it matters that Cassel has been in the NFL 7, or 6 seasons as Canada posted...when he's not played or started all those season's?

If a QB has only played/started 2 seasons, then that's the realistic experience they have with all factor's of a regular season game occurring...no? Pre-season, practice and sideline observing will gain some knowledge, be of very limited game experience...but no where close to the real deal IMO.

[chief31]

You seem to be equivalating three years of bench-riding to three (Five, by your count) years of starting at QB.

Is that really what you mean here?

As for the concept that everyone else 'stepped it up' while Cassel didn't...

I suppose one could see it that way. He certainly did not play stellar once the offense started to open up a bit.

But, in all fairness to Cassel, he spent most of the season preparing to be hit very quickly. And probably was unable to get rid of the jitters of being on the run for most of the year.

He also was looking at the same defensive gameplan through the first half,plu, of the season. Teams knew to stuff the middle, and just go after the QB from the outside.

Charles and the the emergence of outside rushing changed what opponents were doing on defense. And that changed what Cassel was going to see from the defense.

Personally, I would lean toward giving a guy more than a handful of games with a functional offense before being too judgemental.

I do think that calling a second year starter a seven year vet may be part of what is forming your opinion here.

You are aware that he has been in the league for five years, not seven, right?

I'm not trying to bash your opinion. I am not particularly sold on him as our QBOTF yet either.

But I really don't see the 2009 season as being enough to form much of an opinion, either way.

[matthewschiefs]

I dont get what your getting at with the $$ comment. I understand market value for franchise QBs.....Im just saying were paying him all this $$$ (guaranteed) in the first 2 years for more than one reason I think...and again...we keep blaming everyone around him for mistakes only he can make. I am well aware of the dropped passes, and the o-line play in the beginning, but regardless of what playbook, and what WRs you have you still need to make good decisions. You cant blame Haley or Bowe for his decision making. My question is after 6 years as a pro, shouldnt your accuracy and decision making be a little better? Lets not even get started on his deep pass...

I am not saying that Cassle did not make mistakes this past season. He made a lot of them. Like any QB playing in his 2nd full season would on a brand new team.

BUT the recivers dropping passes made his numbers look worse then they did. And a couple of INTs were balls that realy should have been caught by chiefs recivers. Cassle played pretty well in his first year on what was a BAD football team. I think he will be around for a long time and thats a good thing.

[MDChiefs!]

In an earlier post I specifically stated that im am not on him for riding the bench...I only brought that up because someone was trying to make comparisons between Brees and Cassel after their first 2 years starting, which is like comparing apples to oranges. But the fact remains he has been a pro QB for 6 seasons (not 7 thank you canada) and his decision making is as bad as his accuracy sometimes, when the receivers dont drop them or run off route. After 5 years of coaching at the highest level I would expect a little more. I guess im questioning his intangibles...something that has nothing to do with WRs, and the o-line.

I'm curious, did you read the article here: Cassel's Work Ethic, Already Getting Busy

I think it explains much related to last season with the difficulties Cassel faced. I don't fully comprehend why it matters that Cassel has been in the NFL 7, or 6 seasons as Canada posted...when he's not played or started all those season's?

If a QB has only played/started 2 seasons, then that's the realistic experience they have with all factor's of a regular season game occurring...no? Pre-season, practice and sideline observing will gain some knowledge, be of very limited game experience...but no where close to the real deal IMO.

[MDChiefs!]

I dont think you need a handful of games to judge a QBs cadance in the pocket, his accuracy or his decision making. I understand he had to get rid of the ball quickly sometimes because the pocket would collapse early, but thats no excuse for the poor decision making he made under pressure. And a starting QB in the NFL shouldnt be having issues with jitters...hes not a rookie.

You seem to be equivalating three years of bench-riding to three (Five, by your count) years of starting at QB.

Is that really what you mean here?

As for the concept that everyone else 'stepped it up' while Cassel didn't...

I suppose one could see it that way. He certainly did not play stellar once the offense started to open up a bit.

But, in all fairness to Cassel, he spent most of the season preparing to be hit very quickly. And probably was unable to get rid of the jitters of being on the run for most of the year.

He also was looking at the same defensive gameplan through the first half,plu, of the season. Teams knew to stuff the middle, and just go after the QB from the outside.

Charles and the the emergence of outside rushing changed what opponents were doing on defense. And that changed what Cassel was going to see from the defense.

Personally, I would lean toward giving a guy more than a handful of games with a functional offense before being too judgemental.

I do think that calling a second year starter a seven year vet may be part of what is forming your opinion here.

You are aware that he has been in the league for five years, not seven, right?

I'm not trying to bash your opinion. I am not particularly sold on him as our QBOTF yet either.

But I really don't see the 2009 season as being enough to form much of an opinion, either way.

[tornadospotter]

I have already been on record here, as not very happy with Cassel. I hope to become a huge Cassel fan. The things I am concerned about with Cassel, he throws a low hard to catch pass, he needs to fix that.

[Connie Jo]

In an earlier post I specifically stated that im am not on him for riding the bench...I only brought that up because someone was trying to make comparisons between Brees and Cassel after their first 2 years starting, which is like comparing apples to oranges. But the fact remains he has been a pro QB for 6 seasons (not 7 thank you canada) and his decision making is as bad as his accuracy sometimes, when the receivers dont drop them or run off route. After 5 years of coaching at the highest level I would expect a little more. I guess im questioning his intangibles...something that has nothing to do with WRs, and the o-line.

Yeah, I read your clairfication after relpying, sorry. :) Sometimes I don't catch everything the first time I read a thread, and sometimes reply to a single post before reading further, while a thought is there.

I don't think it's of great significance how long Cassel has been in the NFL, rather see the significance with judging his ability, accuracy, decision making... as being based upon actual regular season game's played. From my perspective that is two yrs, which IMO isn't long enough to judge fairly.

Consider all the unusual circumstance's he faced last season, I feel at least one more season is needed, maybe two, before we'll know one way or another what Cassel is capable of, or not.

[chief31]

I dont think you need a handful of games to judge a QBs cadance in the pocket, his accuracy or his decision making. I understand he had to get rid of the ball quickly sometimes because the pocket would collapse early, but thats no excuse for the poor decision making he made under pressure. And a starting QB in the NFL shouldnt be having issues with jitters...hes not a rookie.

If you say so. But Tom Brady and Peyton Manning would develope "the jitters" if they spent a year getting pressured as heavily as Cassel was early this season.

And this, being his first season with this team and it's terrible protection, could be viewed as equivalent to a rookie season.

The only other season that he got any real playingtime was with the Patriots' top-notch pass protection.

I expect that any mortal human being would get "jitterey" with their first season of being hounded by that kind of pressure.

I think that holding a QB to the unattainable expectaion of not being a human being may be a bit much. At least this early in their career.