Matt Cassel: 8 QBs the Chiefs Should Immediately Consider as Replacements

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel is quickly playing his way out of a job. The front office needs to start considering a variety of options to replace Cassel immediately. 

After losing out on the Peyton Manning sweepstakes in the offseason, head coach Romeo Crennel and Co. elected to stick with Cassel for at least one more season and defend him publicly. 

How quickly Cassel has changed their minds. 

According to Yahoo! Sports, a source close to general manager Scott Pioli had some negative things to say about Cassel, which appears to be the growing consensus throughout the organization:

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Look, there's a big reason why they went after Peyton Manning as hard as they did this offseason...What you're seeing from Cassel is pretty much what was expected. He's a really nice backup, not a starter.

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The organization is clearly losing confidence in its starting quarterback and he could be on the bench as early as this Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens visit Arrowhead Stadium. 

Here are eight quarterbacks the Chiefs should consider to replace Cassel immediately. 

Brady Quinn

The Chiefs brought in Brady Quinn as an insurance policy in case Matt Cassel began to play the way he has so far in the 2012 season. 

According to Kansascity.com, head coach Romeo Crennel has openly said he will give Quinn some first-string practice snaps this week and potentially play him should Cassel falter:

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With the quarterback, it’s always a touchy subject because that position is a special kind of position...It’s not difficult. The starter is still the starter if you just take him out for a series. You can put him back into the game. It doesn’t say you can’t put him back in the game when you take a guy out.

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Clearly, Crennel is prepared to make a move should Cassel struggle, but it is hard to imagine Quinn will be much better. 

Quinn is clearly not a long-term option, but at this point he has to be put in the game for a struggling Cassel to at least show that the organization is willing to try something different to win. 

Vince Young

Vince Young blew his shot with the Philadelphia Eagles last season and proceeded to do the same thing this offseason with the Buffalo Bills. 

Once a college football legend, Young is now nothing more than an erratic journeyman quarterback looking for a home. 

That home could be in Kansas City. 

How young fits with the Chiefs offense is hard to tell, but bringing him in would provide some competition for Cassel and possibly elevate his game. 

The worst case scenario if Young joins the roster is that he is as ineffective as Cassel, but the best case is that he can effectively control the offense and win some games. 

That's a risk worth taking. 

Ryan Mallett

If the Chiefs want to be more forward thinking in their search for a quarterback, they could explore the possibility of trading with the New England Patriots for backup quarterback Ryan Mallett. 

With any luck, it would turn out better than picking up Cassel, another former Tom Brady backup. 

Mallett is an unknown, but he has shown flashes of brilliance in the preseason. He has the physical intangibles to be a successful quarterback, but needs some time to develop. 

Exactly how much the Patriots want for Mallett, if anything at all, is unknown. The organization could view him as the quarterback of the future, but if the Chiefs are willing to give up enough they could land him.

Jimmy Clausen

Continuing the forward-thinking approach, the Chiefs could make a run at Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Jimmy Clausen. 

Clausen blew his opportunity quickly in Carolina and he was promptly replaced by Cam Newton. 

As they say, the rest is history. 

It is doubtful the Panthers would want much of anything for Clausen. Rather, they would be more than happy to get anything at all for him with Derek Anderson entrenched as the No. 2. 

Clausen still has some potential and a change of scenery has at times done wonders for struggling quarterbacks. The Chiefs would be crazy to not at least explore the option. 

Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy has shown flashes in the past with the Cleveland Browns, but was replaced this offseason with the arrival of Brandon Weeden. 

The Browns would be wise to unload McCoy to avoid the chants and media controversy should Weeden falter, and the Chiefs could install him as the starter right away. 

The issue for McCoy so far has been the lackluster amount of talent around him in Cleveland—that would change very quickly in Kansas City with a roster that is extremely talented outside of the quarterback position. 

McCoy could make a name for himself in Kansas City, but only if the organization can pry him away from the Browns. 

T.J. Yates

The Houston Texans are currently hiding a solid quarterback on the depth chart who looked promising in last year's postseason, T.J. Yates. 

Yates was impressive enough given his background and made the most of his opportunity with an ultra-talented roster around him. 

The Chiefs arguably have just as talented of a roster on the offensive side of the ball, so Yates could survive and be effective as the starting quarterback in Kansas City. 

Again, this comes down to exactly how much the Texans want for Yates, but he is another quality option that could thrive thanks to the talent around him. 

Matt Flynn

Matt Flynn has had quite the tumultuous ride as an NFL quarterback so far. After sitting behind Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, he decided to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, a team that was searching for a starting quarterback. 

As it turns out, Flynn was not the quarterback Seattle decided to go with. 

Flynn now finds himself as a backup to a rookie, albeit a backup with a large contract. 

Seattle could be looking to unload that contract and Flynn undoubtedly still believes he is a starting-caliber NFL quarterback. 

The Chiefs could take a chance on Flynn and his contract, which is not all too ridiculous for a starter. He lost a gig to a rookie, but he most certainly would not lose a starting job to Matt Cassel or Brady Quinn. 

John Skelton

John Skelton is currently recovering from an ankle injury. In his absence, Kevin Kolb has all but stolen the job from him with his stellar play and the Arizona Cardinals sitting pretty with an undefeated record. 

The Cardinals may be willing to part with Skelton now that Kolb has emerged as a legitimate NFL quarterback and the Chiefs would be wise to pounce on the opportunity. 

Skelton has looked solid in his limited appearances with a first-string offense and he could do well with the high-powered offense already installed in Kansas City. 

While one of the more difficult options to make a reality on this list, Skelton could be an effective quarterback now and into the future for the Chiefs once healthy. 

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