The Matt Cassel carousel has spun again and this time the journeyman quarterback has landed in Minnesota.
Cassel, who began his career in New England as Tom Brady’s backup and spent the last four seasons with the Chiefs, Thursday agreed to terms with the Vikings, joining incumbent starter Christian Ponder.
Cassel, who turns 31 in May, has a 29-33 career record as a starter with 82 touchdown passes, 57 interceptions and a passer rating of 80.4. His four-year run in Kansas City ended when the Chiefs traded for former 49ers starter Alex Smith, leading to his release.
The Vikings’ lack of quarterback depth was exposed in the NFC wild-card round when backup Joe Webb struggled in place of the injured Ponder in a loss to the Packers.
Cassel clearly chose the Vikings over the Bucs because he believed he had a better chance of winning the starting job from Ponder in Minnesota than Josh Freeman at Tampa Bay.
Cassel had ample chance to be a successful starter in Kansas City, where he started 47 of the 48 games he played for the Chiefs, throwing for 9,549 yards with 59 touchdowns and 44 interceptions, but he led the Chiefs to the postseason only once — in 2010, when he had his best season in Kansas City, throwing for 3,116 yards and 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
The Chiefs tried to trade Cassel, who was scheduled to make a $7.5 million base salary in 2013, for a late-round draft pick but found no takers so they released him.
* After ending the Michael Turner era at running back, the Falcons agreed to terms with Steven Jackson, the former Ram, on a three-year deal.
Before the start of free agency, the Falcons, who released Turner, the team’s starter last season, immediately targeted the 29-year-old Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowler.
Jackson, one of the most consistent backs in the league, has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons.
* The Patriots’ plan to replace wide receiver Wes Welker began with the signing of Danny Amendola, but it also included signing former Jets running back Leon Washington.
Washington, who was released by the Seahawks, is a strong punt returner, which is something Welker did for the Patriots.
* The Ravens lost yet another key contributor to their Super Bowl season when cornerback Cary Williams was signed by the Eagles to a three-year, $17 million contract. Including the retirements of linebacker Ray Lewis and center Matt Birk and free agent defections, Williams is the seventh notable departure from the Super Bowl champions so far this offseason.
Safety Ed Reed, an unrestricted free agent the Ravens seemingly don’t want to pay, is one of them and he may sign with the Texans.
There appears to be a mutual interest between Reed and the Texans, who sent team CEO Bob McNair’s private jet to pick him up.
“Both of us want to get a championship, going to see if we can work some things out,” Reed said.
Reed, 34, is the Ravens’ franchise leader in interceptions with 61, and his 1,541 return yards with those pickoffs is an NFL career record. He’s a nine-time Pro Bowler.
The Ravens already have lost safety Bernard Pollard and guard Bobbie Williams (both released), receiver Anquan Boldin (traded), as well as linebackers Dannell Ellerbe (Dolphins) and Paul Kruger (Browns) in free agency.