Lamanai

I was thinking about the Pats upcoming (March) decision on whether to apply the Franchise tag to Matt Cassel. One of the arguments against applying the tag has been that the Pats would likely gain a 3rd round compensatory pick in 2010. However, wouldn't this be based on the teams net losses this spring? If so, who besides Cassel should we assume will both leave and result in a contract worthy of compensation? Probably nobody fits both criterion (see below). If so, wouldn't the signing of even one or two decent Free Agent negate any compensatory pick? Sorry if I do not know the intricacies of compensatory picks - i'm not AdamTJ13. Just something to consider...


UFA
Matt Cassel, QB - OK, he's one
Heath Evans, FB - probably retained, wouldn't qualify anyway
Jabar Gaffney, WR - might go elsewhere, but not for big bucks
Chris Hanson, P - nope
Rodney Harrison, SS - resigns here or retires
Russ Hochstein, G - JAG resigning
Larry Izzo, LB - veteran minimum
Lamont Jordan, RB - old, coming off injury plagued season, probably not
Deltha O'Neal, CB - doubtful
Lonie Paxton, LS - resigned
James Sanders, S - possibly, but probably resigned
Lewis Sanders, CB - JAG
Kenny Smith, DE - JAG
Jason Webster, CB - JAG
Tank Williams, S - JAG
Mike Wright, DT - possibly resigned

FreeTedWilliams

You also have to take into account, what kind of free Agents the Pats sign in the off-season. If they do not franchise Cassel, I assume that he will get a deal large enough to qualify for a 3rd round comp pick (in the 2010 draft). But you can not forecast any of those picks because the formula for awarding comp picks also takes into account the amount of, and contracts of the free agents that a teams signs verus the amount of and contracts of free agents that left your team.

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ctpatsfan77

As a minor point, it only takes a contract slightly above the vet minimum to qualify. So if Gaffney just got two years, $2M, that'd be enough to potentially earn a comp pick. Conversely, signing any big ticket FA would probably cancel out the comp pick for Cassel.

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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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Ochmed Jones

If that big ticket FA is Asomugha of Oakland, then I am all for it.

Jimke

Will he sign a one year contract for the veteran minimum?

Ochmed Jones

No chance! We need to break the bank for this guy. We need a play maker in the secondary and this guy was a play maker in OAKLAND!!!!!