SunnyDenmark
Third String But Playing on Special Teams
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2006
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Cassels’ value to Pats (Best use of Matt Cassel)
I , like many on this forum would love for some team (Lions, SF, etc) to fork over a 1st rounder plus another high (2 or 3rd round ) pick for Cassel. Nothing would please me more. HOWEVER, I am also considering what maybe the best possible use for Cassel (if I were PATS GM) -as follows:
Following is my main criteria for my rational
1) Job #1 for Pats is THIS year and is about WINS. As we saw in ’08, one more game won would have put them in the playoffs. This is not baseball - NFL has only 16 games so each and every one counts greatly. Pats are a team built to win NOW. Pats need to field the best team from week 1 -without screwing up long term TB’s health (see point 2 below).
2) No sense rushing Tom back from his SEVERE injury. He is still young enough (32 in Aug) to be playing on a high level for next 4-6 years. 2 ligaments damaged in TBs’ knee is severe. Carson Palmer and Dante Culpepper were not the same their first year back following knee surgery. Screw it up again while not completely healed and it might kiss Toms career goodbye (I remember all to well Bobby Orr). PUP for TB seems like a good compromise and ease him back into 2009 season keeping him fresh for 2nd half of season and playoffs. Personal note: Having had ACL surgery myself – I was not the same even playing Frisbee or skiing the first year following surgery; let alone playing a competitive sport at NFL level.
3) Cassels’ trade value should remain high EVEN after the ’09 draft. He is not a piece of rotting fruit with a self-life and franchaise QB’s don’t grow on trees every day (or at every draft). Ryan and Flacco are the vast exception – not the rule and it is not even worth debating.
4) Fair to good chance O’Connell by week 1 (2009 season) not able to play at Cassels level of this past season. Cassel had 3 years to practice, study playbook and learn with Pats. O’Connel has had only 1.
5) Pats can afford to keep Cassel 14 mill within their salary cap structure without wacking lots of veterans. Yes, that does mean little FA action this offseason. But that downside is negated by the upside of fielding the best QB available week 1 of 2009 season for priority #1 (point 1= WINS).
6) This point is – granted, somewhat lacking in objectivity and only a ‘best guess’ observation: While this draft ’09 looks fairly deep first day at positions of need (CB, OLB , ILB, OT) – Pats do already have 3 first day picks and with Samuels compensatory likely a 3rd rounder –that would be 5 picks in first 3 rounds. How many rookies can realistically make the team ? Might be better to get more first day picks in 2010 draft where there could be a flood of juniors who want to avoid a rookie pay scale possibly instituted (earliest) in 2011.
To spell out my idea according to the points above, I believe the Pats should keep Cassel for start of 2009 season, PUP Brady and activate him likely as late as possible (depending upon Pats game schedule). Trade Cassel just before the trade deadline in 2009 season which means would have to start O’Connell (or another FA Veteran pickup) for 1-2 games before Brady off of PUP list. Cassel would be traded to any number of DESPERATE teams who lost their starting QB to injury (or unhappy with current starter – see Derek Anderson ‘08) and don’t want to see their season go down in flames so early on. They would happily trade away high draft picks to keep playoff hopes alive and as it would be relatively early on in the season –that increases the potential pool of suitors (ie. Teams that had not already gone 3-4 games under .500).
Finally, after Cassel is traded just before trade deadline ( early/midway through season), the salary cap is suddenly freed up and allows contract extension possibilities for Wilfork, Gostkowski, Mankins, etc. Meanwhile these potential FA players (Wilfork, etc) are already playing their butts off that season trying to look good as a potential FA. (unless uncapped year were they would have to acrew 6 years tenure). And to top it all off, as Cassel will only have played alittle less than half a season – he is only owed about half of the 14 mill franchaise tag with no signing bonuses to screw up future years cap numbers.
Summary:
Pros’: Get best starting QB week 1 (health wise); keep Brady from rushing back too quickly risking long term health of knee; still get good trade value for Cassel (for 2010 draft); pay only about ½ of franchaise tag salary (players’ salary is pro-rated for each week of season); Brady available for late season push and playoffs.
Cons: contract extensions would have to be done during the 2009 season after Cassel trade; would have to start O’Connel or FA veteran 1-2 games as2009 in-season trade deadline is a couple of weeks before players can come back from PUP list.
Thoughts, comments and constructive criticisms are welcome. Flames will not be replied to.
Cheers from snowy Denmark – land of Lego and Hans Christian Andersen.
I , like many on this forum would love for some team (Lions, SF, etc) to fork over a 1st rounder plus another high (2 or 3rd round ) pick for Cassel. Nothing would please me more. HOWEVER, I am also considering what maybe the best possible use for Cassel (if I were PATS GM) -as follows:
Following is my main criteria for my rational
1) Job #1 for Pats is THIS year and is about WINS. As we saw in ’08, one more game won would have put them in the playoffs. This is not baseball - NFL has only 16 games so each and every one counts greatly. Pats are a team built to win NOW. Pats need to field the best team from week 1 -without screwing up long term TB’s health (see point 2 below).
2) No sense rushing Tom back from his SEVERE injury. He is still young enough (32 in Aug) to be playing on a high level for next 4-6 years. 2 ligaments damaged in TBs’ knee is severe. Carson Palmer and Dante Culpepper were not the same their first year back following knee surgery. Screw it up again while not completely healed and it might kiss Toms career goodbye (I remember all to well Bobby Orr). PUP for TB seems like a good compromise and ease him back into 2009 season keeping him fresh for 2nd half of season and playoffs. Personal note: Having had ACL surgery myself – I was not the same even playing Frisbee or skiing the first year following surgery; let alone playing a competitive sport at NFL level.
3) Cassels’ trade value should remain high EVEN after the ’09 draft. He is not a piece of rotting fruit with a self-life and franchaise QB’s don’t grow on trees every day (or at every draft). Ryan and Flacco are the vast exception – not the rule and it is not even worth debating.
4) Fair to good chance O’Connell by week 1 (2009 season) not able to play at Cassels level of this past season. Cassel had 3 years to practice, study playbook and learn with Pats. O’Connel has had only 1.
5) Pats can afford to keep Cassel 14 mill within their salary cap structure without wacking lots of veterans. Yes, that does mean little FA action this offseason. But that downside is negated by the upside of fielding the best QB available week 1 of 2009 season for priority #1 (point 1= WINS).
6) This point is – granted, somewhat lacking in objectivity and only a ‘best guess’ observation: While this draft ’09 looks fairly deep first day at positions of need (CB, OLB , ILB, OT) – Pats do already have 3 first day picks and with Samuels compensatory likely a 3rd rounder –that would be 5 picks in first 3 rounds. How many rookies can realistically make the team ? Might be better to get more first day picks in 2010 draft where there could be a flood of juniors who want to avoid a rookie pay scale possibly instituted (earliest) in 2011.
To spell out my idea according to the points above, I believe the Pats should keep Cassel for start of 2009 season, PUP Brady and activate him likely as late as possible (depending upon Pats game schedule). Trade Cassel just before the trade deadline in 2009 season which means would have to start O’Connell (or another FA Veteran pickup) for 1-2 games before Brady off of PUP list. Cassel would be traded to any number of DESPERATE teams who lost their starting QB to injury (or unhappy with current starter – see Derek Anderson ‘08) and don’t want to see their season go down in flames so early on. They would happily trade away high draft picks to keep playoff hopes alive and as it would be relatively early on in the season –that increases the potential pool of suitors (ie. Teams that had not already gone 3-4 games under .500).
Finally, after Cassel is traded just before trade deadline ( early/midway through season), the salary cap is suddenly freed up and allows contract extension possibilities for Wilfork, Gostkowski, Mankins, etc. Meanwhile these potential FA players (Wilfork, etc) are already playing their butts off that season trying to look good as a potential FA. (unless uncapped year were they would have to acrew 6 years tenure). And to top it all off, as Cassel will only have played alittle less than half a season – he is only owed about half of the 14 mill franchaise tag with no signing bonuses to screw up future years cap numbers.
Summary:
Pros’: Get best starting QB week 1 (health wise); keep Brady from rushing back too quickly risking long term health of knee; still get good trade value for Cassel (for 2010 draft); pay only about ½ of franchaise tag salary (players’ salary is pro-rated for each week of season); Brady available for late season push and playoffs.
Cons: contract extensions would have to be done during the 2009 season after Cassel trade; would have to start O’Connel or FA veteran 1-2 games as2009 in-season trade deadline is a couple of weeks before players can come back from PUP list.
Thoughts, comments and constructive criticisms are welcome. Flames will not be replied to.
Cheers from snowy Denmark – land of Lego and Hans Christian Andersen.
I don't have any insight to what Brady's status is and will be, so I'll trust in Bill thank you very much.
