Matt Cassel: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation on QB's Status with Bills

The Buffalo Bills cut Matt Cassel on Saturday after officially naming Tyrod Taylor as their starting quarterback this week after a battle throughout training camp.

Field Yates of ESPN confirmed the team's decision.

Cassel's fate was all but sealed earlier in the week, when Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News quoted sources around the league on Sept. 2 who believed Buffalo would release Cassel in favor of EJ Manuel, who's retained the support of general manager Doug Whaley.

Cutting Cassel frees up over $4 million in additional cap space, according to Spotrac. His cap hit for 2015 also was the third highest among backup quarterbacks, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Taylor won the starting job with an electric display of playmaking ability during the preseason. He completed 77 percent of his throws en route to a 98.3 passer rating and also rushed for a team-high 108 yards on 11 carries over three games.

Still, they are just exhibition games. He attempted only 35 passes during the regular season in four years with the Baltimore Ravens. How he'll respond when opponents start game-planning to stop him is a mystery.

Manuel has also shined during the preseason with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Alas, he's been given the opportunity to capture the Bills' starting job three times now and hasn't been able to hold it.

Cassel represented the least exciting of the three options but also the most experienced. Before Taylor was named the starter, Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com classified Cassel as "the safe option in the quarterback race, but [also] the least inspiring."

With Cassel looking for employment, he shouldn't last too long on the free-agent market before another team picks him up as a backup option.