The Dallas Cowboys have traded for quarterback Matt Cassel, the team announced Tuesday. Cassel had been sitting on the bench for the Buffalo Bills behind Tyrod Taylor. In Dallas, he may have a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job against Brandon Weeden with Tony Romo on short-term injured reserve with a broken collarbone.
Matt Cassel traded to the Cowboys
The Cowboys have found competition for the starting quarterback position.
“He’s someone who’s played for us. He’s played in the league,” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said about Cassel. “So he’s an experienced guy. He’s a smart guy.”
The Bills also give up a seventh-round pick and will get a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft in exchange, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network. Buffalo initially received Cassel and a sixth-round pick from the Minnesota Vikings for fifth- and seventh-round picks.
Cassel has taken a circuitous path to the Cowboys. He once looked like a viable starter in place of an injured Tom Brady in 2008, but struggled after being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009 outside of a stellar 2010, sparking a journeyman career that has taken him to Minnesota, Buffalo and now Dallas.
As quarterback insurance for the Bills -- who have 2013 first-round pick EJ Manuel as the No. 2 -- they signed former Cowboy Dustin Vaughan to their practice squad, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Weeden is the Cowboys' current starter after jumping in for Romo during the team's win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The former Cleveland Browns starter performed well, going 7 of 7 for 73 yards and a touchdown. Weeden has also had a bizarre career in the NFL. If Weeden struggles as he did when he was in Cleveland, Cassel could make his way back onto an NFL field.
For now, the plan Cowboys’ plan is to make Cassel a backup and keep him there, according to Breer. Garrett reiterated his support for Weeden on Tuesday.
“Brandon will not play exactly how Tony plays. We don’t want him to play exactly how Tony plays. We want Brandon to play how Brandon plays,” Garrett said. “We have a system of football that we believe in and we’re confident he can run it for us.”
The Cowboys also promoted Kellen Moore from the practice squad to give themselves additional depth at the position. He will reportedly be No. 2 on the depth chart until Cassel is well-enough acquainted with the offense. Moore has yet to throw a pass in a regular season game.
Cassel was a free agent as recently as Sept. 5. He was released by the Bills at their 53-man roster deadline before being re-signed by the team three days later. Cassel is a career 59 percent passer, averaging 6.6 yards per attempt with 96 touchdowns to 70 interceptions. In his most recent stint, he completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 2,232 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions across 12 appearance for the Vikings in 2013 and 2014.
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