MINNEAPOLIS -- Matt Cassel was one day away from hitting the free agent market and fielding offers from other suitors. Then the Minnesota Vikings swooped in at the last minute. The Vikings agreed to terms with Cassel on Friday on a deal that will keep him in Minnesota, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person requested anonymity because an official announcement had not been made. Terms of the deal, which was first reported by NFL Network, were not immediately available. The move helps solidify the Vikings shaky quarterback situation. The team used a musical chairs approach to the position last season, rotating Christian Ponder and Cassel, and even starting Josh Freeman for one game during a miserable 5-10-1 season. Cassel was by far the most effective of the three, going 3-3 in his six starts and being on the field at the end of all five of the teams victories. He completed 60.2 per cent of his passes for 1,807 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions after signing as a free agent from the Kansas City Chiefs. But he opted out of the final year of his two-year deal in February, and there was concern Cassel would choose to move to another team after he was forced to split time with the ineffective Ponder. New head coach Mike Zimmer said Thursday he "would love to have Matt Cassel back if Matt Cassel wants to be back." But the coach was also bracing for the likelihood Cassel would at least test free agency before giving the Vikings an answer. "Hes got a bunch of pretty girls looking at him right now," Zimmer said then. "And he wants to explore and see whats best for him. I dont blame any of these guys. In free agency, I think thats why they have the rules is that they get a chance to go see what their markets worth. Then if they find a better situation than what they think is here, then I think thats everywhere." It appears Cassel knew where he wanted to be all along. Cassels familiarity with the teams offensive players -- Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Rudolph among them -- and the way the team responded to Cassels leadership on the field were among the big reasons the Vikings wanted him back. The agreement would appear to make Cassel the front-runner to be the starter when the 2014 season opens with new offensive co-ordinator Norv Turner calling the plays. Ponder is still on the roster, but his performance over his first three seasons has inspired little confidence among his teammates. The Vikings have the eighth overall pick in the upcoming draft, and there remains a strong possibility they will select someone to be the teams quarterback of the future. But keeping Cassel in the fold will reduce the pressure on the team to start a rookie. "It all depends, but what I want to do is play the best guy," Zimmer said. "I dont care if hes a rookie, if hes a veteran, if hes a returner. It doesnt matter to me who the quarterback is if he can win games, and thats really what its about, winning football games and figuring out how to do that." Cincinnati Reds Gear .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. Cheap Reds Jerseys .C. -- Unable to get much lift off his sore right ankle, Bobcats centre Al Jefferson figured it was time to make an adjustment. https://www.cheapredsjerseys.us/. Tottenham claimed top spot in Group K by winning 2-0 at Tromso after defender Adnan Causevic scored an own goal before Mousa Dembele put the result beyond doubt. Valencia made sure it will finish first in Group A with a 1-0 win at Swansea thanks to an early goal from Dani Parejo. Cincinnati Reds Pro Shop . -- Desperate to stop Tom Bradys latest comeback bid, the Miami Dolphins sought help from a reserve safety making his NFL debut after being signed Tuesday off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. Custom Cincinnati Reds Jerseys . Calgarys Bo Levi Mitchell and Montreals Troy Smith will be the starting quarterbacks in a CFL season-opener for the first time in their careers. Both want to reinforce their No. 1 status. You can watch the game live in the first half of a doubleheader on TSN and TSN GO at 3:00pm et/Noon pt.TAMPA, Fla. - The struggling Ottawa Senators needed a boost Monday night, and their first-year captain provided it. Jason Spezza scored in regulation and had the only goal in a shootout, lifting the Senators to a 4-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Defenceman Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists, and goalie Robin Lehner made 35 saves to help the Senators halt a six-game losing streak. "Its been a frustrating stretch of games here and difficult emotionally for us to lose that many hockey games in a row at this time of year," Spezza said. "Hopefully we can string a few together and feel good about ourselves again and just move forward," Karlsson said. "I think weve improved our game a lot, even though it hasnt been enough lately." Karlsson, the top-scoring defenceman in the NHL with 68 points, opened the scoring 3:57 into the game with his career-high 20th goal. Seventy seconds later, Nikita Kucherov snapped a shot past Lehner to tie it at 1. Ottawa took a 3-1 lead midway through the second period, when Spezza and Kyle Turris scored 44 seconds apart against former Senators goalie Ben Bishop. "Hes one of the best players in the world," Bishop said of Spezza. "I had him last time, he got me this time. I think were even now." The Lightning rallied from a two-goal deficit with power-play goals by Victor Hedman at 13:26 of the second period and Steven Stamkos at 5:44 of the third.dddddddddddd Bishop finished with 29 stops for Tampa Bay, which has earned a point in nine consecutive games (5-0-4) for the first time since its 2003-04 championship season. The loss, however, dropped the Lightning into a third-place tie in the Eastern Conference with the Montreal Canadiens, who won a shootout at Boston. "We need to get every point that we can," Hedman said. "We want to be as high up in the standings as we can and get home ice." The Senators, meanwhile, are determined to finish strong. "We are fighting to the end and its nice for the guys to get this one," said Lehner, who won only once in his first seven career shootout appearances. Notes: Stamkos played in his 400th NHL game. ... Ottawa RW Bobby Ryan (lower body) sat out for the first time this season. He was replaced by Mark Stone, who was recalled from AHL affiliate Binghamton. ... Lightning C Valtteri Filppula has four goals and nine assists during a nine-game points streak. ... Tampa Bay has scored on the power play five games in a row. ... The Lightning have scored three or more goals in nine consecutive games. The Senators have allowed that many in 10 straight. ... The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were in attendance. ' ' '