It might seem like the NFL season just ended, but this is a 12-month league. We are going straight from the combine into free agency faster than you can blink. Free agents can start signing in less than two weeks -- Tuesday, March 11 -- so any rumors floating around are taking on a little more urgency than they did earlier in the month.
To that end, here is a little tidbit from a Jason La Canfora piece at CBS Sports that is of interest on a number of fronts:
The Raiders are mulling several veteran quarterbacks, Vick included, and that looks like the best opportunity for Vick to start quickly. The Vikings, 49ers, Bucs and Texans are also exploring free agent options. If Matt Cassel does not return to Minnesota, Houston is seen as a likely landing spot for him.
So let's break this down:
First of all, it seems to confirm what Vikings officials have said: that they are definitely interested in having a veteran QB on the roster next year -- Cassel or otherwise.
Second, if Cassel doesn't wind up here and instead winds up in Houston, that would 99.9 percent guarantee that Matt Schaub would be cut by the Texans ... and could be a viable option as a veteran in Minnesota.
Third, it perhaps tips the hand of the Texans. If they want to bring in a veteran like Cassel -- a potential starter but someone with slightly less of a track record than Schaub -- that could mean they are leaning toward drafting a QB No. 1 overall and giving that guy a chance to start from Day 1. That said, it could also mean they are comfortable passing on a QB with that pick, taking Jadeveon Clowney and grabbing a QB of the future in round 2 or 3 if they feel like Cassel is enough of a bridge QB.
Fourth, it could mean absolutely nothing. But stay tuned!
