Matt Cassel was brought to the Minnesota Vikings to back up Christian Ponder and give the Vikings a stronger quarterback room.
Asked Wednesday what makes him the right man for the job, Cassel -- saying nothing about his four uneven seasons as a starter for the Kansas City Chiefs -- pointed to his days as a clipboard-holder with the New England Patriots.
"I taught Tom (Brady) everything. I thought he really started to flourish after I got there," Cassel joked to the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Wednesday. "A lot of people don't understand how much time we spend together. It's important to be together and be good teammates. And when you have a good (quarterback) room, it makes everybody better in the room. That's what it's all about."
The Chiefs had no luck finding a trade partner for Cassel earlier this offseason, so they released him. The Vikings didn't waste time signing the eight-year veteran off the street.
It's good to see that Cassel hasn't lost his sense of humor, but if the Vikings have their way, he won't play much of an on-field role in 2013. This year is all about finding out if Ponder has the tools to succeed as a franchise passer. If he fails that review, look for the Vikings to start over under center.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
