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Buffalo Bills re-sign Matt Cassel, name him backup over EJ Manuel

As it turns out, the Buffalo Bills will have a veteran backup behind Tyrod Taylor this season, after all - and at a significantly reduced price, to boot.

Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Here is something that might be surprising to you: the Buffalo Bills have re-signed veteran quarterback Matt Cassel. (Rookie tight end Nick O'Leary was released in order to make room for Cassel on the 53-man roster.)

You may recall that Cassel was the biggest name among the Bills' releases over this past weekend, and that the team saved over $4 million against the salary cap by releasing him. Clearly, Buffalo wanted to keep him around, however, and though we don't know what his new contract looks like, he's presumably back in the fold at a reduced cost. This is a clear win-win for the Bills' front office, and Cassel still may end up with an opportunity to play in a talented offense during the 2015 season.

The Bills were reportedly not alone in chasing Cassel over the last few days, however.

Cassel's re-apparance on Buffalo's depth chart may have thrown into question the pecking order at quarterback behind starter Tyrod Taylor, but head coach Rex Ryan worked quickly to eliminate any doubt: Cassel is Taylor's backup, with EJ Manuel serving as the third-stringer.