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Matt Hasselbeck reportedly draws plenty of interest

Matt Hasselbeck is no longer an NFL-caliber starting quarterback, but he is one of the better backups in the league. The Tennessee Titans released Hasselbeck after he declined to reduce the $5.5 million owed on the final year of his contract.

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ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Monday that the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all have shown early interest in Hasselbeck. The Cardinals and Bills are the only two without a named starting quarterback.

USA Today later reported that Hasselbeck already is in discussions with the Colts and soon could agree to a contract that would make him Andrew Luck's backup.

Hasselbeck, 37, played in eight games and started five last season as Jake Locker dealt with shoulder injuries. Hasselbeck completed 62.4 percent of his passes and threw seven touchdown passes against five interceptions.

Hasselbeck won't get a major payday, but he will have plenty of options to pick a situation that best suits him. He's more than capable of holding things down while an injured starter recovers and has the smarts to mentor a young quarterback.

UPDATE: It didn't take long for Hasselbeck to find a new home. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Monday night, citing a source close to the player, that Hasselbeck is close to a two-year contract with the Colts.

Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.