Kansas City Chiefs Reportedly Trying to Trade QB Matt Cassel

After four years with the Kansas City Chiefs, it appears as though quarterback Matt Cassel is on his way out of town.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the team has been shopping the former starting quarterback:

If the Chiefs are unable to find a trade partner, Cassel will be cut. This seems like the most likely scenario considering he is making a base salary of $7.5 million, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

The quarterback became expendable when Kansas City negotiated a trade to acquire Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers. According to ESPN, the team gave up a second-round pick in 2013 and a conditional pick in 2014.  

This would relegate Cassel to backup duty, and the price tag is simply too much for him to stay on the roster. It also doesn't help Cassel's case that the Chiefs signed free-agent quarterback Chase Daniel on Tuesday, according to Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports.

After three years of backing up Tom Brady with the New England Patriots, Cassel played well enough in the Pro Bowler's absence to warrant a trade to the Chiefs. They then locked up the quarterback long-term with a $63 million deal with an average of over $10 million per season.

Since coming to Kansas City, however, he has been largely inconsistent. Last season was by far Cassel's worst, as the quarterback finished with 12 interceptions and only six touchdowns in nine games. He finished last in the NFL among qualified players in quarterback rating. 

Brady Quinn took over as starter late in the season but was even worse with a 60.1 quarterback rating.

Hopefully for the Chiefs, removing Cassel from the equation will help them get a new start with Andy Reid in charge and Alex Smith at quarterback. 

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