One day before a deadline that possibly didn’t apply to him, Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel has signed a long-term deal with the team he joined in late February.
Per the Kansas City Star, the multi-year deal is expected to be announced today.
Terms are not yet available.
Cassel, whose performance during the 2008 preseason prompted calls in some circles for him to be cut, was thrust into the spotlight when Tom Brady’s ACL exploded during the regular-season opener against, coincidentally, the Chiefs. After the season, the Pats slapped the franchise tag on Cassel in lieu of signing him to a new deal or allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
By signing the tender, Cassel was guaranteed to receive a base salary of $14.65 million this year.
On the second day of the 2009 league year, the Pats shipped Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel to Kansas City for a second-round pick. The move cleared more than $15 million in cap space for New England, and allowed the Pats to avoid a $1 million roster bonus due to be paid to Vrabel the next day.
In late April, Cassel reportedly agreed to a deal including $36 million in guaranteed money. But multiple sources vehemently denied that an agreement had been reached.