Chiefs and their Cassel

Rio Grande Sports Writer:
Gerald Salinas

Kansas City Chiefs have had better times in the past,... way in the past, back to the days of Joe Montana, ever since then, okay but not great. They made the post season before, but lets face it we all knew they barely made it to the post season, thanks to their RB Larry Johnson and all-pro all-star TE Tony Gonzalez.

Herman Edwards, former Chiefs head coach, did his best with what he had. Once a promising year with then QB Trent Green who unfortunately was done for the season, but still life after death, with 2nd string QB Damon Huard picking up were Trent Green left off. But yet again unfortunate for them just come this close before being knock out the playoff by the Colts.

And after that things just got even worst for the Chiefs. After a disappointing 2-14 season last year, and QB let down after let down, Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson both publicly asking for a trade to a team with championship material. The Chiefs were bound to drastically shake up and change things. New GM Scott Pioli, made sure of that. With his first major act as Chiefs GM Pioli pull off a convincing and promising trade. Landing QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel from the New England Patriots, in exchange for a second round draft pick. Mike Vrabel is good, but Matt Cassel is great.

Matt Cassel at 6-4, 230 pounds, an undrafted QB out of USC, who I may also add up to last year has not started a football game since high school. He sat on the bench in USC behind QB Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, and sat on the bench in the NFL behind the almighty QB Tom Brady. Cassel got his opportunity in the very first game of the 08-09 season, when Tom Brady went down and down for the season with a knee injury. Cassel an unproven QB step up to the plate after the fall of Brady and lead the Patriots to an 11-5 season but fail to make the post-season. Cassel opportunity with the Patriots build up experience, starting experience, confidence, and even after new head coach Todd Haley said "the starting position is not automatic for Cassel" (we all know he's just being nice), possibly and more than likely a starting position with the Chiefs.

Scott Pioli is determine for improvement. Getting Matt Cassel a rising QB and a vetern LB Mike Vrabel. Here is something the Redskins fail in, in wasting all that money on one player, on one side of the field, the Chiefs got so much for so little on both sides of the field. Tony Gonzalez now has a QB he can look forward to playing with and Larry Johnson has a QB to run for, while on the other end the defense is getting stronger and faster. With a deal like this I don't expect the Chiefs to go far next season but will help them for the future.

I like this move for the city, for the team, for Pioli, for Haley and for Cassel. The Chiefs will play with energy and a goal next season, something that hasn't been there for awhile now. Chiefs are a team on the watch and already an much better improve team.