ESPN: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender [merged]

[cstjohn17]

Not sure if this is news, or how it impacts the Pats ability to trade him but according to ESPN he has accepted the tender.

Sources: Matt Cassel accepts Pats franchise tender - ESPN

$14.6 M, good work if you can get it....

 

[mayoclinic]

Cassel to accept franchise tag

This on ESPN:

Sources: Matt Cassel accepts Pats franchise tender - ESPN

So unless we trade Cassel or sign him to a long term contract before the deadine, we have around $29M tied up in the QB position.

Cassel is now a very rich man.

 

[slash83]

Re: Cassel to accept franchise tag

BB needs to do whats best for the team and trade Cassel too much money for a bacup player, the Pats have far bigger players to worry about and resign.

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: Cassel to accept franchise tag

I imagine this was expected, they couldn't just let him stroll down to New Jersey for nothing. Hopefully a trade can be worked out but I'd prefer to keep him for a year at that cost than solve The Jest's QB problem for them.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: Cassel to accept franchise tag

I agree the Pats had to put the tag on him. But it's a little bit different with him actually signing the tender - now we will officially have $14M less in cap space to work with until we trade him or sign him to a long term deal. So it's a bit different than having placed the tag but Cassel not having accepted it (which happens frequently; players often don't accept the tag right away until other options have been explored, as was the case with Asante Samuel).

On the other hand, it sends a clear message to other teams looking for a QB: we believe in this guy to the extent that we have actually tied up $14M in him, and a 3rd round compensatory pick is not adequate. Let the bidding begin!

Whatever else, it's clear that the Pats have great respect for Cassel's ability. This would be too big a gamble to take on if they had any thought that he was a 1 year wonder.

 

[patchick]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I'm a little surprised. Why wouldn't Cassel choose to talk to other teams first, at least to get a sense of the market for his services? Interesting.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

Not sure if this is news, or how it impacts the Pats ability to trade him but according to ESPN he has accepted the tender.

Sources: Matt Cassel accepts Pats franchise tender - ESPN

$14.6 M, good work if you can get it....

Cstjohn17, we both posted this independently within a minute of each other. Didn't see your post until mine had already been submitted.

 

[brdmaverick]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I think he would be crazy not to accept it, starter or not

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I'm a little surprised. Why wouldn't Cassel choose to talk to other teams first, at least to get a sense of the market for his services? Interesting.

I agree with you about being surprised, which is why I posted it so quickly. Unless Cassel was worried that the Pats would withdraw the offer, which is unlikely, I would have thought that he would have explored other options. Samuel didn't sign the franchise tender until negotiating terms with the Pats, including not re-franchising him if he met certain conditions, which allowed him to become a FA after 2007.

I think it's clear that the Pats and Cassel have a lot of respect for each other, and a lot of faith in Cassel's abilities. Cassel does not seem to be worried about not getting a lucrative long term contract. It also sends a pretty clear message to teams looking for a QB that they need to ante up a strong offer. This is not just a bluff - it's the real deal. Any thoughts that the Pats might withdraw the offer if no one jumpted to trade for him in order to free up cap room for FA are out the window.

 

[patchick]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I think he would be crazy not to accept it, starter or not

But why accept it immediately, unless you think it's likely to be rescinded? If you take your time you have the luxury of talking to other teams, which could pay off in one way or another.

 

[Jackson 2]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I'm a little surprised. Why wouldn't Cassel choose to talk to other teams first, at least to get a sense of the market for his services? Interesting.

Probably because a preliminary deal which is agreeable to all parties has been reached in principle. It may take some time to be formalized, but not too long, for sure.

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

But why accept it immediately, unless you think it's likely to be rescinded? If you take your time you have the luxury of talking to other teams, which could pay off in one way or another.

Is he no longer allowed to talk to other teams ? I'm sure he can, maybe with permission from the Patriots.

 

[dhamz]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

Not a suprise at all.

When you have a guy who has made what Cassel has in his career and he can lock in nearly 15m for 1 year, he's going to do it and do it quickly.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I'm a little surprised. Why wouldn't Cassel choose to talk to other teams first, at least to get a sense of the market for his services? Interesting.

Because by signing the tender, he is guaranteed $14.5 million, a $14 million raise over this year.....2800% raise...If he were to suffer some freak accident before signing, the Pats could have revoked the offer. Now he has the financial security AND the opportunity to earn more if (WHEN) he is traded in the form of a new long term contract.

 

[SVN]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

is it also true that pats cant trade cassel if he doesnt come to agreement on a long term deal with his prospective new team?
so what stops him now from not wanting to go to detriot even if the pats agree to a trade with them ?

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

is it also true that pats cant trade cassel if he doesnt come to agreement on a long term deal with his prospective new team?
so what stops him now from not wanting to go to detriot even if the pats agree to a trade with them ?

They could trade him without permission in the unlikely event a team was willing to trade for someone who doesn't want to go there. It's always generally been the case that all three sides would need to agree to a deal.

 

[upstater1]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I'm a little surprised. Why wouldn't Cassel choose to talk to other teams first, at least to get a sense of the market for his services? Interesting.

It sends a message: I'm not accepting anything less than $7 million a year over an extended contract, AND the signing bonus has to be at least $10-15 million. You don't want to pay me that? Fine.

 

[patchick]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

Because by signing the tender, he is guaranteed $14.5 million, a $14 million raise over this year.....2800% raise...If he were to suffer some freak accident before signing, the Pats could have revoked the offer. Now he has the financial security AND the opportunity to earn more if (WHEN) he is traded in the form of a new long term contract.

Fair enough, that's a good answer. But what he gains in security he loses in flexibility and autonomy. Unless, as others have speculated, a deal has already been worked out in principle.

 

[dhamz]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

is it also true that pats cant trade cassel if he doesnt come to agreement on a long term deal with his prospective new team?
so what stops him now from not wanting to go to detriot even if the pats agree to a trade with them ?

I'm pretty sure that now that he is under contract, they don't need any consent from him to trade him. Prior to signing the tender they would have needed his cooperation.

All that really is though is a technicality. Cassel has always held the leverage of having to be willing to sign with any trade partner long term. If he isn't willing to sign with the team they are trading him to long term he has virtually no trade value. That was always the case.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Re: Report: Cassel has accepted the franchise tender (merged)

I'm a little surprised. Why wouldn't Cassel choose to talk to other teams first, at least to get a sense of the market for his services? Interesting.

I just think it's better he signed it now than on the first day of free agency. There is plenty of time for the Pats to work out a trade. Let the negotiations begin.