If Cassel leads the Pats to the playoffs...

[MoLewisrocks]

Ok, the thing is, if Cassel somehow catches fire and goes to the SB...

Yikes. Well, by then it would be off to free agency.

However, if we resigned him say, during the week off and he won the SB, I believe starting QB would be an open competition and if he beats Brady, Tom gets traded. Super unlikely, but stranger things have happened. If a QB who's 5 years younger can beat him, he's gone. It's just business, not sentimentality.

That said, I'd be shocked. I think Matt could do well here and go to a GOOD team needing a starter. So... not the Jets.

That was bad enough before you somehow double posted it. Yeesh...

 

[Miguel]

what they can do is either transition tag him (1st and a 3rd rounder) or franchise tag him (2 1st rounders)

A transition tag gives a team the right of first refusal. That's it. A 1st and a 3rd is the highest level for a RFA. As it stands right now, Cassel will be an UFA after this season.

 

[spacecrime]

lol...

Brady has like id imagine 6-8 years left...u want to hold cassel that long?

No, but I would like to lock him up through next year in case Brady's knee or foot does not fully recover. We have plenty of cap room, and paying him $6 mil for this year and next is cheap insurance for not looking like the Vikings.

 

[JSn]

That was bad enough before you somehow double posted it. Yeesh...

Sorry about the double post, but not about posting it once.

The forum is BRUTAL on my end tonight. Almost Brady's Knee slow.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Sorry about the double post, but not about posting it once.

The forum is BRUTAL on my end tonight. Almost Brady's Knee slow.

Well if you want to look foolish just remember as the board tonight underscores all the idiotic crap that gets posted here is here for eternity...

 

[jbb9s]

I would suggest that they sign him now, like within the next few weeks, if they think he will be good. At this point, it would be a modest offer and since he is making the minimum from his rookie contract, which was probably the smallest rookie contract you can offer, he might take the bait. Then you have him under contract for a reasonable amount for next season then you can shop him (ONLY after Brady is confirmed for an August 09 go). Plus he would be worth a lot under a modest contract as opposed to having to pay Shaub what he got so this would mean in turn the Pats get even better return. Basically its a sign (early/cheap) & trade.

 

[spacecrime]

I believe starting QB would be an open competition and if he beats Brady, Tom gets traded.

I hereby abdicate my self-assumed position as King of the Casselites. I cannot possibly match this level confidence even in my wildiest dreams. Not that my wildest dreams include any football players ....

 

[JSn]

Well if you want to look foolish just remember as the board tonight underscores all the idiotic crap that gets posted here is here for eternity...

Ok, what's your particular issue with what I said? What would happen IF Cassel had an awesome season?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Ok, what's your particular issue with what I said? What would happen IF Cassel had an awesome season?

They would tag and trade him for a Fort Knox worth of draft picks. Then somebody else could sign him to a bigger contract than Brady took with 3 rings on his resume...or the one he will get to extend his career here into retirement.

I think this kid can start in this league. I've said so for a long time now. That's also not saying much given what constitutes a starter in this league beyond a couple of truly elite players, a handful of highly functional but flawed players like the two hooked up tonight, a lot of inconsistent JAGS and some absolute clunkers... Matt has a shot at cracking the middle of the pack. Which depending on who he plays for could be a pretty good deal for all concerned.

But this team is what it is today in large part because Belichick found and recognized a unique and exceptional talent who enabled him to build and expand on a system here that provides a solid level of foundation for a player like Matt to succeed. That fans of this team still cannot recognize that for what it is and end up careening around on polarized extremes like the one you suggest so cavalierly borders on pathetic.

 

[condon84]

If Cassel gets franchised, he will be paid the average of the top 5 QB salaries in the NFL. That's a steep price to pay for a backup and I doubt the Pats will take that chance just in case he can't be traded. We have key guys that are going to be free agents soon (Wilfork should be priority) and giving another player a "top 5 QB salary" wouldn't go with the Patriots way of thinking.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Not that my wildest dreams include any football players ....

Truly? I'd heard you had an autographed sports bra from the entire O-line of the Maine Freeze.

Home

 

[MoLewisrocks]

If Cassel gets franchised, he will be paid the average of the top 5 QB salaries in the NFL. That's a steep price to pay for a backup and I doubt the Pats will take that chance just in case he can't be traded. We have key guys that are going to be free agents soon (Wilfork should be priority) and giving another player a "top 5 QB salary" wouldn't go with the Patriots way of thinking.

They won't tag him to keep him as a backup, they would tag him to trade him. And they would likely only do that if we make deep into the playoffs and he's playing very well and they know there is a sub substantial market for his services. The 2009 draft is projected to be weak at the position. That's another reason we took O'Connell in 2008. It's all about supply and demand. And value.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

If Cassel gets franchised, he will be paid the average of the top 5 QB salaries in the NFL. That's a steep price to pay for a backup and I doubt the Pats will take that chance just in case he can't be traded. We have key guys that are going to be free agents soon (Wilfork should be priority) and giving another player a "top 5 QB salary" wouldn't go with the Patriots way of thinking.

Wise you are young Jedi.

 

[Keegs]

you don't think cassel can at least give the pats a wildcard?

u jerk. i beg to differ.

 

[Cannon Arm]

I don't think they would franchise him. I think it would be tough to work that. Teams would know we don't intend on keeping him at that price. Its possible, but I think it would be tough to work it. If they could, then it would great.

That's a valid point, but the NFL doesn't work like that. If you have someone that is valuable, there will be teams who want that valuable player, period. If we kept Cassel and offered to trade Brady, you don't think there would be takers? There would be non-stop phone calls to Belichick. Same thing with trading Cassel after franchising him, should he lead us to the SB. The Vikes would have given up plenty to get Favre. The Packers refused to listen to them. The Jets would fall over backwards to take "the next Tom Brady" off our hands.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

The Pats tag Cassel? Uh, yeah, while they have a something like a $17million dollar hit for Brady coming up next year- ain't gonna happen. the only way Cassel gets traded from this team is if he does well into mid-season then takes a solid $2/3million per year offer from the Pats for an extension instead of risking waiting until FA starts. He may take the certain money offer. It's more feasible than him getting tagged that's for sure. If he signs an extension and then continues to do well into the post season then he could have some trade value, especially if he's signed for cheap money for a starter. After watching Jackson play for the Vikes this week, I'd have to think the Purple People Eaters would bite down hard on a chance to get a real QB behind their lines. Jackson either really stinks or is really being misused.

And Keegs, if you're going to put her picture on your signature then I don't think Mrs. Parks would have been too cool with you calling someone a jerk because they disagree with you over a measley football discussion.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Few people thought the Patriots would tag Asante let alone to play him...

The JETS did not have enough cap space to pay the tag they placed on John Abraham in Mangini's rookie season. Yet they were able to trade him to Atlanta for a first.

Cassel isn't going to sign a contract extension here that pays him backup money. He might sign one that pays him something approaching base starter salary. But to make that kind of an extension work for both parties it would have to compensate him as a starter in the interim while allowing for a trade without prohibitive dead cap consequences.

If he won the superbowl or took us well into the playoffs he would likely be an ideal candidate for a tag and trade. Demand would be high.

 

[neuronet]

Well, one good thing is he will be super motivated to play well. Not that he wouldn't anyway, but if he is gonna be a free agent at year's end, he knows he needs to kick some butt to get the big money deal.

Awesome.

 

[checkedout]

What is he pulling down now? I would think that his contract would have a provision in it to get paid more if he takes over as the starter no?

 

[JSn]

What is he pulling down now? I would think that his contract would have a provision in it to get paid more if he takes over as the starter no?

Hasn't Favre already made - in two games - what the entire Pat's QB staff (Brady excluded) will make all year? I sure hope there are incentives for him if he keeps playing well. Although given how long he's backed up, I'm guessing PT and W's is a pretty solid incentive even w/o an immediate payday.