Dallas Cowboys Trade Rumors: Matt Cassel Acquired From Buffalo Bills

The Dallas Cowboys have traded for Buffalo Bills backup QB Matt Cassel as part of an effort to prevent a complete disaster at quarterback now that Brandon Weeden is coming in to relieve an injured Tony Romo.

The Cowboys can only hope at this point that Weeden plays well enough that Tuesday’s trade for Cassel ends up being an insurance policy they never have to utilize.

Brandon Weeden will start for the Cowboys and Cassel will be a backup, reports ESPN. The Cowboys will reportedly get a 2017 seventh-round draft pick with Cassel, while giving up a 2017 fifth-round pick, according to NFL Media’s Albert Breer. The first official start for Weeden and game where Matt Cassel will serve as the backup is on Sunday, September 27, against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Cowboys traded for the 33-year-old Cassel a few hours after putting Romo on the injured list with a designation to return.

The move would seemingly clear a path for EJ Manuel, inactive for the Bills’ first two games, to become the No. 2 quarterback. Romo will be out about eight weeks with the injury and now he will be out for the next seven games at the minimum. The Bills released Cassel during final cuts in early September but re-signed him three days later after Cassel agreed to take more than a 50 percent pay cut. Weeden likely has the job after last week’s performance, but bringing in an 11-year veteran like Cassel seems like a smart insurance move.

Cassel has made 72 career starts during his time in the National Football League , where he has played for the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings before joining the Bills this year.