MoLewisrocks

The 2008 season is that evidence. Cassel exhibited the capacity to do something no other backup here has come close to doing (to date, Hoyer still has a shot). He could run this offense basically as is, as opposed to requiring an overhaul to suit his divergent skillset. It's something most fans didn't grasp during his tenure here. Bill did, which is why he had that tenure to begin with. Fans want to see Matt Schaub emerge from the shadow of tom Brady every pre season. That's not a backup, it's an alternate option. Bill isn't in the business of looking for or showcasing alternative approaches because the one he has works way more predictably than those based on the vagaries of a QB's athletic prowess. What he wants are bright, coachable, poised, disciplined, determined candidates willing to do whatever it takes to master a complex system at the next level. No more Rohan Davey packages. Within reason, given who and what Tom emerged to be, he wants relatively seemless transition. Cassel proved he could provide that. Hopefully he is the last guy to truly get a chance to for the forseeable future...

Cassel has proved to date he could not only survive backing up back to back Heisman winners by the margin of a coin flip, he could thrive backing up arguably the GOAT at the next level, survive being thrust into the spotlight under a microscope for 16 weeks with virtually nothing backing him up beyond his coaches faith and teamates stunned support, and not be broken the following year after getting both the franchise tag placed on him and the snot beat out of him in a less than popular or brilliantly managed rebuild. The ultimate common thread between Brady and Cassel is perseverance in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Bill would hypothetically take that guy back in a heartbeat, if he needed to and/or he could. Fortunately for all concerned neither is the case.

BradyManny

I knew Cassel was never the second coming of #12 like some people around here thought, but he is a good NFL QB, worthy of starting and playing well. He'll be fine once they give him some weapons and a line that doesn't suck. I expect a better season from him.

Mike the Brit

If you mean that Cassel played very well in 2008, so well that BB would have been prepared to continue with him as QB if (God forbid!) Brady hadn't been available, then that's reasonable.

To say that BB would like to have Cassel back (which is what the post I was responding to said) implies that he regrets the trade with KC, which is something different for which I see no evidence.

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ctpatsfan77

I agree that, if God forbid, Brady's injury had been career-ending/career-threatening, rather than season-ending, they would have moved heaven and earth to find a way to keep Cassel (starting with the franchise tag).

I will take the poster in question's comment that BB would like Cassel back to mean that if he could have kept Cassel on a reasonable contract as Brady's backup, he would have. Of course, such a thing wasn't realistic.

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MoLewisrocks

He didn't say Bill would like to have Cassel back, he said he thought he'd be happy to have him back (which to me read as in if he were in need of a QB Cassel would always be welcomed back here - kinda like the employee who moved on to a better job but left on good terms). I do not think he regrets the trade to KC. Matt achieved every goal Bill ever dreamed he might for him... Drafted in the 7th round and signed for peanuts for 4 years he backed up a HOF QB for 3 seasons and stepped in for him in the breach and led the team to double digit wins and then he netted them the 34th pick in a draft. It seldom gets any better than that, unless you have a premature dynasty death wish (Montana to Young...).

I think a lot of people still believe either Bill got snookered because he didn't get a package of 2nds for Cassel like Atlanta did for Schaub, the supposed gold standard for flippable starting caliber backups, or Cassel 2008 was an abherration. Atlanta spent a third for the opportunity to have Schaub go 0-2 in his time there, and also got to live through the aftermath of what led to that ill timed trade - fear of a crippling QB controversey on Vick's problematic $130M watch...Houston is still waiting for Schaub to make a real difference (as opposed to a statistical one) entering his 4th full season there....after he missed 10 starts in his first two seasons. If KC's a .500 team after the next two seasons, he will be on impact pace with the other Matt.

Mike the Brit

OK. It's hot and I maybe didn't pick up the semantic subtleties.

Indeed. Towards the end of the season, Cassel/McDaniels had the offense playing remarkably well (having a 3rd wide receiver was good too!) Had they got into the play-offs, I really do believe that they could have done some damage.

I don't think that Bill got a great deal. After all, he got pick 34 instead of pick 97 (if MC had left in free agency). But he also had to throw in Vrabel. My judgement is that Bill was not on the verge of cutting MV and that that loss hurt last season. But Pioli could negotiate from strength, given that McDaniel wasn't in the market.

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ctpatsfan77

Food for thought: let's say that, somehow, in fall 2007, the Patriots had been able to get Cassel to sign a two-year extension, so that he'd get, say, $4M over two years (2009 and 2010). Everything else happens as before—I think the Patriots would have had teams falling all over themselves for Cassel. In both cases, the teams' problems go well beyond the signal caller.

As it is, though, having to franchise Cassel pulled down his trade value.

To be fair, the Texans were a .250 team in the two seasons before getting Schaub; the Chiefs were a .187 team in the two seasons before getting Cassel.

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PatsWickedPissah

It is rather hot and humid in the colonies this time of year. Me, I blame the misunderstanding on the inherent ambiguities on the language the Brits foisted on us.

That said, Cassie was an excellent backup here and we were fortunate BB & co had the insight to keep and develop him. He is the gold standard for backup QBs with his steadily improving 16 game season performance. With the excellent coordinator staff in KC this year and further roster improvement I expect he'll perform far better than last season. I thnk he'll show again that he's better than most NFL starters.

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MoLewisrocks

Bill got pick 34 in 2009 instead of pick 97 in the following (2010) seasons draft (discounted value roughly equivalent to pick 129 in 2009). He didn't have to throw Vrabel in. He was going to be cut because he wasn't worth his salary any longer except perhaps to a team with a ton of cap space they had to eat up just to reach the floor and a dire need for system veterans seeing as RAC wasn't available yet and Haley never in his life coached a defense... It was reported at the time that Vrabel was given the choice and he preferred to play the 2009 season in a system he was comfortable with albeit at his contractual salary... And given his familiarity with the system it was in the best interest of the team to trade him out of the division to a rebuilding team rather than cut him and have him land in some blowhard's ample lap at less than half that price.

robertweathers

I agree. Like any QB, he needs a good offensive line, a running game decent enough to keep defenses honest and receivers that know how to run routes, make adjustments and most importantly, make plays.

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