The reported compensation package for the highest paid player in Kansas City Chiefs franchise history is in.  $10.5 million per year if he plays out the life of the deal or about $13.5 million in the first three years.

Not bad for a nine year backup, is it?

While we likely won't know the exact dollar amounts until the numbers are filed with the NFLPA, we do know that the Cassel contract situation has been a hot topic around Arrowhead Pride.

It all started when Scott Pioli pulled the trigger on the trade with the New England Patriots that brought Cassel to town.  Is a long-term deal in place?  Will we make him play out his franchise tender in a 'prove it' year?  If we don't sign him, does that mean he's just trade bait?  

The questions were aplenty and, as it's been with this regime, there were no answers in sight.  

That is until Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post reported just hours before the NFL Draft that the two sides had agreed to a six year contract that included $36 million guaranteed.  The denials came pouring in ranging from Pioli himself to Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star to Peter King of Sports Illustrated.  'No deal', they all said.

We spoke with Lombardi and he reiterated the strength of his source and said, in the spirit of their denial, that he expects an announcement to come in June.  Well, June passed and still no announcement.

Wouldn't you have it that the day before a deadline supposedly imposing a restriction on signing franchised players to long-term contracts the Chiefs and Cassel reportedly agree to a deal.  There are reports out there that this deadline didn't apply to the Chiefs but up until yesterday it was assumed by many in the media that it did.  I spoke with some folks over at the NFL offices the other day and they didn't have an immediate answer so this makes me think it wasn't a cut and dry answer.

After the jump, I've included the results of our last poll on when everyone thought the deal would be signed (if at all) and a timeline of all the Matt Cassel contract stories we've had.

When will Matt Cassel and the Chiefs agree to a long-term contract?

13% By training camp

20% By the season opener

31% Sometime during the season

24% After the season

10% Never

Matt Cassel Contract Timeline

July 11th: Cassel one of the Chiefs under the most pressure in 2009

July 9th: Chiefs might lose a little leverage in contract negotiations when Haley says, "If I could have 53 Matt Cassels, I'd be excited."  That is, assuming a deal wasn't already in place by that point.

July 6th: 129 days later...still no contract between Chiefs, Cassel

July 1st: No links coming from the Chiefs in contract negotiations

June 24th: Great interview with Cassel on the Jim Rome Show where he says he wants to be in Kansas City for a long time.

May 6th: GM Scott Pioli: 'With big contracts come unrealistic expectations'

April 26th: Setting the story straight on the Matt Cassel contract after reports came out a day prior that he had agreed to a deal with the Chiefs

April 25th: The original report that Cassel and the Chiefs had agreed to a six year deal with $36 million guaranteed

March 5th: For the first time....Will the Chiefs sign Matt Cassel to a long-term contract?  I'd have to say some of the scenarios I laid out in this post were fairly accurate.