The Dallas Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. In this series, we determine why a player should or should not return in 2016 and beyond.
Position: Quarterback
Age: 33
NFL experience: 11 years
2015 salary: $2 million
2015 statistics: He joined the Cowboys via a trade from the Buffalo Bills and started eight games, finishing with a 1-7 record. He completed 119 of 204 passes for 1,276 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was sacked 14 times and had a passer rating of 70.6.
Why he will be back: The Cowboys will look for a quarterback in free agency, provided the price is right. Numerous times during the season, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he wished Cassel had the benefit of an offseason and training camp with the Cowboys so he could be more familiar with the scheme and the coaches. The free-agent market is not filled with veterans with the starting experience Cassel possesses. If you look at the backups the Cowboys have had for most of Tony Romo's tenure – Brad Johnson, Jon Kitna, Kyle Orton – Cassel fits into the same mold.
Why he will not be back: He wasn’t the player the Cowboys expected when they acquired him in the trade from Buffalo. He appeared to have a difficult time cutting it loose, which was something was a knock of Brandon Weeden as well, which could say something about the message they were receiving from the coaches. The Cowboys scored more than two offensive touchdowns in just one of his starts. He failed to throw for more than 200 yards in three of his full games. There was plenty of evidence that he just did not fit with the offense or the coaches had a difficult time trusting he could be the guy.
Chance to return: Extremely Low. Early on as a starter he showed some promise of being able to be Romo’s backup in 2016, but the offense just floundered with him for too long to see him returning.
The series:
Robert Turbin provided relief
Charles Brown filled role but is not needed in 2016
Hard to see Josh Thomas in plans