You can add a backup quarterback to the list of the Vikings' offseason needs.
On his way to meet with Adrian Peterson at the running back's Houston home, Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman showed Wednesday morning that he could multitask by agreeing to trade veteran quarterback Matt Cassel to the Buffalo Bills.
The Vikings will receive draft picks and create more salary cap space before the start of free agency. Cassel, meanwhile, will get another opportunity to start in the NFL.
The trade will not be official until the new league year opens Tuesday, but the Bills will send two undisclosed draft picks to the Vikings in the deal. Fox Sports reported that Minnesota will receive a 2015 fifth-round pick and a 2016 seventh-round pick from Buffalo. The Vikings will send Cassel and a 2015 sixth-rounder to the Bills.
This time a year ago, the Vikings re-signed Cassel to a two-year contract three days before the start of free agency so the veteran could be the "bridge" to their quarterback of the future. That quarterback ended up being first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater.
Cassel held off Bridgewater in training camp and the preseason to open the season as coach Mike Zimmer's starting quarterback. But Cassel fractured his left foot in Week 3 and was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Forced into the lineup a little earlier than planned, Bridgewater made Cassel expendable with a promising rookie season.
Spielman had positive things to say about Cassel when asked about the quarterback at the scouting combine two weeks ago. But while acknowledging that finances could play into whether Cassel would be back in 2015, Spielman was noncommittal about Cassel's status.
"Matt's done a great job," Spielman said. "He came in and won some games when he had to play and he's a great locker room guy and Matt adds a lot of value to us."
