BradyFTW!

Lots of QBs can win 11 games in the Pats' offense. How many can win 16?...

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ctpatsfan77

One thing here--as Pioli said, "Quite honestly, there is no other Matt Cassel."

That's not to say Kevin O'Connell won't/can't be just as good, merely that he won't be Matt Cassel (after all, Cassel's lack of game time was offset by years of outstanding teaching; O'Connell has outstanding measurables, but was also routinely running for his life).

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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

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mgcolby

You do realize that his woes have nothing to do with his knee...right???

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Hey, Bill you're wasting Brady's prime years......oh wait....
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billdog3484

if you don think he will be franchised you dont understand business and sports

BelichickFan

Palmer's injury was worse; he had cartilage damage too. And he played well the next two years, the team just disintegrated around him.

fgssand

Good grief Lifer.......trade Brady? NEVER in a million years, never happen, never should, anyone that says to do so is an idiot in my opinion.

That said, Cassel came along very well this year and if I am a GM in Minnesota, Carolina, Detroit, KC, Jests, Tampa, etc etc - I want Mat cassel on my team - a proven, experienced, winning QB in the NFL.

Some of us said he would not be cut and would be a decent back up. Some of us said to not bring in a vet while he was learning.
Some of us said to give him a few games to figure things out and develop.

Maybe you might want to listen to some of those someones about this as well - like me, Deus I and others.

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Season ticket holder since 1971, first in section 209 and now in 134.

LOVE New England sports....10 years SEVEN championships!!!

ctpatsfan77

Actually, there is a legitimate reason not to franchise Cassel, namely the question of whether the Patriots can afford to tie up so much cap space in Cassel's franchise tender. They might decide that the cost of so doing outweighs the benefit.

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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

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billdog3484

this is the Quarterback position, NOT any other position. you can afford to live without an OLineman or other positions, but you cannot mess around with QB. Brady is coming off major major knee problems. if you are not sure of Brady, which is going to be the case, you HAVE to franchise cassel even if it means losing 2 other starters

billdog3484

i think what a lot of people have done with Palmer's knee injury is tie it in with the problems he is currently having with his elbow. they are totally unrelated. people think palmer has been unable to play because of the knee, when in reality, he needs Tommy John elbow surgery.

MassPats38

It's good to hear we have your understanding to guide the masses.

First, and this may come as a surprise, unlike fans and the media Belichick and the Patriots actually know how Brady's rehab is going. If his rehab is going poorly and Brady will not be available at the beginning of next season, I have no doubt the Pats franchise him.

Second, if the organization has no doubt Brady will be ready for next season, there are plenty of business reasons not to franchise him. It is a gamble played on the expected response of other teams (you might call it a bluff), and the loser in that hand craps away 10% of the salary cap on a bench warmer. Is this team a gambling organization (Moss and Dillon were not true gambles as they had met extensively with and researched both well before signing them)? How does one research whether a team would part with the trade value you are seeking? How do you know Cassel would agree to that trade rather than taking the one-year tender and sitting on the bench (teams will not want to pay the franchise contract price - they will exect multi-year restructuring)? None of these questions would be answered prior to placing the franchise tag on him.

Teams do need QBs, but the good ones (unfortunately Millen no longer runs Detroit) are a little reluctant to mortgage their future by giving up several draft picks. The questions will come up: Who was Matt Cassel throwing to this year? Is he a system QB, or can he function as well on a different team? How much data do we really have on this guy that will establish expected levels of performance in the future? Do the answers to the previous questions justify paying him the hefty contract he will expect along with several draft picks that may stand for players of equal or higher value in the future?

I don't claim to have the answer to this debate, other than I cannot see the Pats not doing it if Brady will not be ready for the season. Other than that, as a pure business decision based on potential value the organization is presented with the opportunity to look really smart if it gets a return in trade or really stupid if it surrenders $14.6 million of its salary cap for a player sitting on the bench for a season.