Minnesota Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel has reportedly voided the final year of his contract with the Vikings, according to KSTP.
Source: Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Matt Cassel will void his contract for the 2014 season
— KSTP Breaking News (@KSTPbrk) February 5, 2014
Cassel had until Friday to void his contract, or he could have waited for the Vikings to make a decision themselves later this offseason: cut Cassel or pay him a $500,000 roster bonus. If Cassel would have opted to stay in his contract with the Vikings, he would have made $3.7 million – the same salary as last season, according to ESPN.
Darren “Doogie” Wolfson filed the report for KSTP, but he’s not convinced Cassel won’t be back next season.
Email this a.m. from someone directly in the know on the Matt Cassel Fri. deadline: "He will void." I still think he's back though. #vikings
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) February 5, 2014
Vikings radio play-by-play voice Paul Allen predicted on Tuesday that Cassel would return to the Vikings next season.
It’s not like Matt is a God-send but it would be nice to have him to start the season while the new guy simmers a bit behind the scenes. Plus, I cannot see another team offering him nearly $4 million to leave. Matt made a ton of cash when he left New England to play for Kansas City, so money probably isn’t the underlying issue here. Matt has a right to be a martyr given the way the QB situation played out here last year and may have soured on the scene.
The 31-year-old started six games and played in nine last season. He finished with 1,807 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions a passer rating of 81.7.
If Cassel is indeed on his way out, that leaves Christian Ponder as the only quarterback on the roster. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio believes Cassel could still end up back in Minnesota, but it pressure on the Vikings to sign on a quarterback in free-agency next month.
