The Buffalo Bills parted ways with veteran QB Matt Cassel once before at the close of the preseason when they made final roster cuts, but it was only temporary. Less than a month later they moved the 10-year veteran off the roster permanently through a trade with the Dallas Cowboys.
The two clubs consummated the deal late Tuesday, in which the Bills acquired an undisclosed draft choice in exchange for the experienced signal caller. Cassel's time with Buffalo certainly did not play out as many expected.
The Bills originally acquired Cassel on March 10 through a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. Outside observers considered him the favorite to land the Bills starting quarterback job when Rex Ryan announced a three-man competition between Cassel, EJ Manuel and Tyrod Taylor this past spring.
Taylor, however, won the starting assignment coming out of the preseason and Cassel was released by the club during final cuts only to be brought back to the roster days later with a new, and presumably smaller contract figure.
Cassel was listed as the backup quarterback the first two weeks of the regular season and was active for both games. He even took the first snap at quarterback in Week 1 as part of a gadget play against the Colts in which Taylor was also on the field.
Buffalo now has just two quarterbacks on the active roster in Taylor and EJ Manuel.
It's no secret the Dallas Cowboys were in the market for a backup quarterback after starting QB Tony Romo fractured his collar bone in Week 2 against Philadelphia. Brandon Weeden is the Cowboys starting quarterback in the interim.
Cassel, 33, was likely viewed as one of the most experienced and proven backups in the league by Dallas. For Cassel the Cowboys are his fourth team in four seasons.
