Matt Cassel was part of the three-man quarterback competition that the Buffalo Bills had throughout training camp and preseason this year, but it appears that he may be the quarterback that gets cut after all. Tyrod Taylor has already been named the starter, while E.J. Manuel appears ready to be named the backup. According to a report from Vic Carucci, Cassel is expected to be cut by the Bills in the near future.
Expectation of multiple #NFL personnel people is the #Bills will cut Matt Cassel & keep EJ Manuel, who has strong support from Doug Whaley.
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) September 2, 2015
Buffalo is making the right choice with their quarterback situation, as both Taylor and Manuel played much better than Cassel throughout preseason action. It was Manuel that was rumored to be cut up until this point, which simply didn't make much sense. There are plenty of reasons to pick Manuel over Cassel, which this report shows that Rex Ryan sees.
Neither Taylor nor Manuel has the type of experience that Cassel has, but the Bills don't necessarily need an experienced quarterback. All that Buffalo needs is a player who can make some throws and pick up yardage through the air, while also working well with star running back LeSean McCoy being the main workhorse.
Taylor fits that mold perfectly, as he is one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL. He will make the smart plays with his arm, but is also capable of making big plays with his speed on the ground as well.
Cassel's career may be coming to an end fairly soon. He may have another year or two of struggling to win a backup quarterback job, but his years as a starter are over unless a desperate team is searching for a quarterback.
This season is going to be a very intriguing year for the Bills. Ryan knows how to get the most out of his players and instill confidence in them, and Buffalo has one of the best defenses in the NFL as well. Assuming the starting quarterback can be a solid game manager, the sky is the limit for the Bills in 2015.
Expect to see them compete for a playoff spot this season, and don't be surprised if they are one of the better teams in the AFC if they live up to the full potential that they have on paper.
