The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... Cassel had until Friday to opt out of the second year of the two-year deal he signed in Minnesota last year. He opted not to push his decision to the deadline. Per a league source, Cassel already has exercised his right to extinguish the final season of the contract.

Diehards Line:And so, instead of making $3.7 million in Minnesota next year, the former Chiefs starter will become a free agent on March 11. As PFT's x suggests, it remains to be seen whether another team will give him a chance to compete for the starting job, or whether he’ll join a new franchise as the backup. Cassel appeared in nine games last year, with six starts. He won three and lost three, but Cassel had key roles in the team’s only two other victories of the season, coming off the bench to engineer wins over Washington and Chicago. Meanwhile, at his introductory news conference Thursday, new OC Norv Turner said nice things about the only quarterback on the Vikings roster (Christian Ponder) and left the door open to Cassel's return. But he believes everyone in the Vikings franchise is in agreement on the next step. "We are trying to add a young quarterback to the organization," said Turner. "We just have to make sure it's a good one wherever we get him."