Matt Cassel: The Future...of Another Team

For the past two weeks or so, Matt Cassel has been the toast of the town in New England, and now the rest of the league is beginning to take notice.

Cassel attended USC, where he was backup to Carson Palmer, then Matt Leinart. In fact, the only start Cassel ever made in college was at the tight end position.

Surprisingly, the New England Patriots selected Matt Cassel (a career backup) with their seventh pick in the 2005 draft.

Already a backup to a pair of Heisman trophy winners, Cassel would become backup to a Super Bowl champion, MVP, and future hall of famer in Tom Brady.

When it was confirmed that the injuries reigning MVP Tom Brady had suffered in the 2008 home opener were season ending, the spotlight was thrust upon a virtual unknown.

Enter Matt Cassel.

After a below average start to begin the season, Matt Cassel has really turned it on as of late throwing for consecutive 400+ yard games (something the aforementioned Brady has yet to do).

Not only is Cassel leading a battered Patriots team to win after win, but he has begun to do it in convincing fashion.

This brings up the big question, what happens when Tom Brady returns next season? At 32 and coming off major injury Brady will have been out of the game for a year or more.

Reoccurring or re-aggravating injuries are a possibility, as is the fact that the Tom Brady the league once knew may never return in full.

Might Matt Cassel become the quarterback of the future and starter even when Tom Brady returns? The answer to that is a flat out N-O. And there are two big reasons.

The first reason is a good one. Tom Brady. Simply put he may be the best quarterback of his generation. Mr. Clutch, Brady had three Super Bowl rings before the age of 30, along with last year's MVP award and the perfect season.

Tom Brady is not only one of the all time greats, he is an icon in New England and there is no way that when Brady comes back, even if it were at 50 percent, he would not be given the reigns.

The second reason may be an even better one. After this season Matt Cassel’s contract is up, plain and simple. The league has seen what he can do and come the free agency period there will be a number of teams interested in his services (the Vikings, the Eagles).

Not only will it be extremely unlikely that Matt Cassel would ever accept the position of a backup again, the money he will likely command (more than $5 million a season) will be out of the Patriots price range.

Yes, Cassel has become the savior of the 2008 Patriots but, Brady is the savior and face of the Franchise and he will be back next season and make no mistake about it, the Patriots belong to Tom Brady.

That being said, it looks as if Matt Cassel may have a real future ahead of him after all. However, starting in 2009, it will be with another team.