Competition for Cassel

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Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel are now "adamant" that Matt Cassel will face competition for his starting job in 2012.
Their stance is a departure from Crennel's unqualified support for Cassel at his introductory press conference three weeks ago. "Who that [competition] is, I don't know," said Pioli. "Maybe it's Kyle (Orton), maybe it's another free agent, maybe it's a draft choice. Very few people can perform at an extremely high level without competition." Cassel will likely enter training camp atop the depth chart regardless. Source: Kansas City Star Feb 2 - 9:05 PM

I like Orton for sure. I just think allot of teams will like him also. He has said before that he doesnt want to compete with his friend Cassel and that its his team.

Where Will The Chiefs Quarterback Competition Come From?



Since we'll be talking a lot about the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback competition and how things might unfold in training camp and beyond, let's just make one thing clear: I hope Matt Cassel, if he starts, succeeds and has a terrific season. We're all Chiefs fans so, while we might disagree on who the quarterback should be, we all want whoever is back there to succeed because that usually means the team is winning games and winning games could lead to a Super Bowl which would lead to perhaps the greatest celebration KC has ever seen, when the Super Bowl parade goes rolling through downtown. But I'm getting slightly ahead of myself here.


The NFL offseason is prime for talking about free agency, the draft and ways to improve your team so that we can one day see that Super Bowl parade. And there's no position more popular than quarterback.


So, keeping in mind the Chiefs saying there will be competition at quarterback, I took a glance at where that competition could come from.


The draft pick: This would probably have to be a player picked in the first three rounds or so. From what I can tell, the top handful of quarterbacks -- those that could potentially challenge for playing time in year one -- will be gone within the first 2-3 rounds. From a Ryan Tannehill to a Brandon Weeden, drafting an early round quarterback doesn't seem like the best idea, barring a trade up for Robert Griffin III. I don't see any quarterbacks after Andrew Luck and RG3 that are noticeably better than Cassel, or have a significantly brighter future than him. It seems unlikely the Chiefs would find legitimate competition for Cassel in 2012 through the draft.

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Related: 2012 NFL Mock Draft

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The young, unproven guy: Your Chase Daniel. Brady Quinn. Brian Hoyer (via trade). Dennis Dixon. Jimmy Clausen. Guys who have very little playing experience. Quinn has started 11 career games, so he's the veteran on this list, but there are plenty of guys like this around the league. The quarterback with just a year to a few years of little playing experience who you think might have a chance to develop into something. Probably not very strong competition for Cassel in 2012 but more so in 2013 and beyond.


Matt Cassel, Part 2: Something similar to the Chiefs acquiring Cassel. This year's Cassel comparison is Matt Flynn of the Packers, although he's much more unknown than Cassel was when the Chiefs traded for him. Flynn is actually on his way to free agency so he wouldn't cost a draft pick (unless he's franchised, like Cassel was). But there are other top tier backup quarterbacks who could potentially be had for a draft pick. This would be immediate competition for Cassel, but it's also unlikely the Chiefs would pay both quarterbacks.


The veteran: Basically your Damon Huard. The veteran backup. This probably wouldn't be much of a competition for the starting job. Instead, a backup option so the Chiefs don't find themselves in a situation like they did in 2011, with a shot to win the division down the stretch only to have a quarterback injury help derail it. Maybe you find another Rich Gannon, or a Kurt Warner (from Giants to Cardinals). Or maybe you find a capable backup. I pushed for a veteran quarterback last training camp and I'm still in this camp.


The stunner: As in, a stunning move I don't expect the Chiefs to make (or be in a position to make). This is your Peyton Manning, or a current top 10 starter. Or, really, trading up to get Luck or RG3. The type of wild trade talk that helps drive sports talk radio (and, to be fair, is entertaining).

Jimmy Clauson is a free agent? Put me in that boat. Drafting Weeden would be worse than trading for Cassel.

RustShack wrote:

Jimmy Clauson is a free agent? Put me in that boat. Drafting Weeden would be worse than trading for Cassel.

I might be up for Clauson as a backup and try to develop. I would take a chance on his devlopement over Brady Quinn. I know your a fan, but I didn't care for him in college. I dont think hes ready to be a starter. I dont know that he will ever be much in the NFL.

Yeah he may be a lil gun shy after Carolina. We need someone to push Cassel to make him better or even beat him out of the starting job. Idon't think Clausen is that guy. Maybe if Weiss was still around.

Moore and Clauson were both awful in Carolina. Daboll made Moore look good in Miami. Weis and Daboll come from the same offense, so Clauson ran it in college.

RustShack wrote:

Moore and Clauson were both awful in Carolina. Daboll made Moore look good in Miami. Weis and Daboll come from the same offense, so Clauson ran it in college.

Good point actually, maybe Clausen could be an option. But would he be ready to walk right in and beat out Cassel. I think Orton would actually have a better chance. I may not be high on Orton, but unless it's Manning Idk if anyone is available that would actually learn the offense that Cassel already knows and beat him out. Orton would have the best chance I think.

Clauson is intreaging. There was A LOT of hype around him during that draft! He's still young and talented enough to be a franchise QB. Has experience in this scheme, and a little NFL experience to build on. Zorn is great with QB's, and like Rusty said Moore was in the same situation as Clauson and Daboll was able to produce with him.

Clausen is an interesting idea. He might actually be able to push cassel and might be cheap to come by.

1. Manning
1. A. Trade up for Luck/RG3(least likely)
2. Orton
3. Clauson to compete with Cassel, with the upside to potentially slide up to option 1. B.

RustShack wrote:

1. Manning
1. A. Trade up for Luck/RG3(least likely)
2. Orton
3. Clauson to compete with Cassel, with the upside to potentially slide up to option 1. B.

Clauson is the only realistic possiblity on this list. Manning wants to stay warm and will command major coin, and may be to big of a risk. It has never been in Pioli's nature to trade up early in the draft to take a QB, so you can count out RG3. He thinks he is "great" enough to find the next Tom Brady sitting in the later rounds of the draft. Orton is not coming back, and you are fooling yourself if you think otherwise. He will go to a team where he does not have to "compete" with a "franchise" QB that is clearly not as good as he is. Which leaves us with Clauson who I think is just good enough to lose out to Matt Cassell meaning your QB for the regular season opener is... wait for it.... Matt Cassell... like I've been saying all along. Don't like it, cannot understand it, but pretty sure that's how it's gonna go down.

Manning is a risk, a big risk. But also very high reward. And he has said if released he would agree to a incentive based contract on performance. So I think he could be a realistic option. Trading up for Luck/RG3 I din't see happening would be shocked. Most likely we will sign an Orton or Clauson, or someone to compete with Cassel. And we will just have to wait and see what happens from there on.

I don't think Orton is unrealistic at all. It's not like he's a great QB who will be handed the job anywhere. Crennel wants Orton, Daboll wanted Orton in Miami, and hell I'd assume Zorn wants Orton. I too find it interesting that we have Orton in our grasp and Pioli completely changes his stance and says there will be a QB competition. Even in an interview he said he wouldn't be against trading up for a QB unless the asking price was two first rounders.

SylvesterMalone1978 wrote:

I don't think Orton is unrealistic at all. It's not like he's a great QB who will be handed the job anywhere. Crennel wants Orton, Daboll wanted Orton in Miami, and hell I'd assume Zorn wants Orton. I too find it interesting that we have Orton in our grasp and Pioli completely changes his stance and says there will be a QB competition. Even in an interview he said he wouldn't be against trading up for a QB unless the asking price was two first rounders.

If I was doing it, I would put 2 - 1st round picks together along with a 2nd to go up and get RG3. RG3 will take multiple 1sts to execute the trade.

I'm really not a fan of those types of trades either honestly. If RG3(or Luck) falls down a few spots(which typically happens every year), I wouldn't be against packaging together a few picks to move up a few spots to get him... but I'd prefer not to lose two first round picks.

Yeah two 1st rounder would be way to much for someone who could potentially be a bust. I'm not saying he will be, but the possibility is there.

RustShack wrote:

I'm really not a fan of those types of trades either honestly. If RG3(or Luck) falls down a few spots(which typically happens every year), I wouldn't be against packaging together a few picks to move up a few spots to get him... but I'd prefer not to lose two first round picks.

I'm not either normally! But now is the time to do this kind of trade. First off, RG3 is a star! He's as good as Luck in my opinion! I have seen him actually throw the ball better than Luck. The kid has wheels and can throw on the run. He has learned to use his feet to extend plays where he primarily ran the ball early in his career. If we have learned anything this year with Tebow it's that kind of speed on the ground gives a just about undefenseable play in the flat. On 3rd down when a good defense covers every option you have and your QB takes off and gets the 1st down with ease its very demoralizing play that has to be accounted for. When they account for a QB like that it opens up other options for guys like Charles and company. It sucks to give up multiple 1st round picks but every now and again its essential when you play in a QB driven league. This team is in place now and will be complete after this FA and draft if Pioli plays aggressive. He fucking better play aggressive this year! There is to many good players out there and we have lots of money to spend. If you want to win Championships you have to have a QB! You can get lucky and win one with a Trent Dilfer type QB. Sooner or later, you have to whats necessary to land a stud QB

I would take Luck over RG3. IDk I really only watched RG3 against Iowa State and it wasn't pretty through the air for him.

There's no way I would give up multiple 1st rounders for RG3. MAYBE for Luck and thats a big maybe.

I would be more willing for Luck. But really don't wanna do that for anyone. Just take the OL. A OL full of Pro Bowlers and HOF players made Trent Green look like a Pro Bowler.

John Fox would like TWO new QB's to come in and compete with Tim Tebow. So Brady Quinn could be another option to compete with Cassel if Orton ends up walking.

The sad part about that is that Quinn would actually be great competition for Cassel...Clausen would as well.

Both have more potential than Cassel, there's that at least. Younger too

Can't really argue with that. Quinn or Clausen would be legit competition for Cassel. Could push to make Cassel better, or even beat him out. But Orton would have a better shot I think. Only time will tell. Just hope Daboll doesn't talk Pioli into bringing Chad Henne over.

I think Henne is a free agent so it's possible, but Daboll was pushing the trade for Orton before the season started so maybe not likely unless we just can't get Orton for a fair price. But any of the mentioned guys are an improvement over Palko, which is still big.