Mortenson: Broncos and Buccaneers both offered 1st round picks

[Disco Volante]

ProFootballTalk.com - DID BUCS’ OFFER COME TOO LATE?

DID BUCS’ OFFER COME TOO LATE?
Posted by Mike Florio on March 1, 2009, 1:17 p.m. EST

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen has reported, with excellent elaboration via ESPN.com’s Tim Graham, that the Buccaneers offered a first-round and a third-round pick for quarterback Matt Cassel as part of the menage-a-trade that would have sent quarterback Matt Cassel to the Broncos and quarterback Jay Cutler to Tampa.

So why did the Pats pass?

A reader has shared with us this nugget from Michael Felger of WEEI. Put simply, the Bucs arrived at the party too late (and possibly with a cinnamon bobka).

If that’s the case, then it all makes sense.

But Mort says (via Graham) that the Broncos were willing to give up their own first-round pick — No. 12 overall in the draft — for Cassel. Under those circumstances, why didn’t Belichick bite?

We agree with Mortensen’s suggestion that Belichick would be less willing to help a former assistant coach than to help the front-office guy who helped set the table for those three Super Bowl victories in four year.

Mort also suggests that the Pats leaked word of the Broncos’ effort to trade Cutler to the Boston Globe as a way to mess with the Broncos.

Um, wow.

We only wish that the Broncos and Pats played each other twice per year. As a consolation, the Broncos and Chiefs still do.

UPDATE: Tom Curran also reports that the Bucs and Broncos showed up after Pats coach Bill Belichick had decided to pull the trigger on the trade with the Chiefs. Credit Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli for: (1) knowing that the Patriots were ready to do something right away with Cassel; and (2) getting a number and placing his order while the other teams were still loitering in the lobby of Schnitzer’s.

Considering the horrible source (Mortenson) take that as you will.

 

[carolinatony]

Its over; can't we move on.

 

[dtbrks]

Its over; can't we move on.

Yep.. would be nice to move on.
It would have been nice for the pats to leak the info then hold for a day or two before making the deal but that's not BB style, evidently.

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

eh its b.s. it makes no logical sense that BB would pass up two higher picks

 

[Patriot Missile]

Broncos would of made out ok. They could of traded their 12 to NE and had Cassel. And then turned around and traded Cutler and a pick for Detroits 1. They would of been sitting pretty.

 

[SNL]

eh its b.s. it makes no logical sense that BB would pass up two higher picks

Lets hope so, othwise it will be hard to move on...

 

[DaBruinz]

eh its b.s. it makes no logical sense that BB would pass up two higher picks

It would make perfect sense if the offer came in after BB/Caserio had faxed the paperwork regarding the trade with KC into the league office.

 

[dtbrks]

eh its b.s. it makes no logical sense that BB would pass up two higher picks

well, unless he already agreed to trade cassel to KC and then Tampa came in after the deal was "done".

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I have a hard time believing this. BB turning down #12? He traded Bledsoe to the Bills.

I don't believe this whatsoever. Just because he doesn't want to send him to an ex asst?

 

[upstater1]

I have to say, if this is true, then I were Belichick, I would have reneged on the deal with Pioli.

#12 versus #34?

 

[Michigan Dave]

I have to say, if this is true, then I were Belichick, I would have reneged on the deal with Pioli.

#12 versus #34?

Well, if he saw the Broncos with Cassel as a team that could present a challenge to us, then perhaps it makes sense.

 

[JoePats]

I thought franchising Cassel in early February was to avoid this exact thing?

It makes little sense though, why would BB turn down a 1 to take just a 2?

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Doubtful. Something about this story reeks.

 

[yopats]

Doubtful. Something about this story reeks.

Agreed 100% in BB we trust..

 

[VJCPatriot]

Let's just move on. The story may or may not be true. And right now it sounds more like speculation than anything else.

 

[AllabouttheVinces]

No matter how you slice it, BB got his pocket picked. OK, we move on. But do you think we got the most value available? Me neither.

 

[BSR]

No matter how you slice it, BB got his pocket picked. OK, we move on. But do you think we got the most value available? Me neither.

Yup. This is correct. I only hope that Pioli realizes how much he ripped us off for and makes it up to us another day.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I'll be moving on. Crap, we have no choice. But we got robbed and I'm pissed about it. With the 12th pick in the draft we had a shot at drafting DT Bj Raji. We could of then franchised Wilfork next yr with less of a fallout of losing him and aquired 2 1st round draft picks for him in the process. Thus using the money to sign Mankins.

I know it's done and spilt milk but the possibilities were endless had he decided to be patient for 1 more day instead of taking the first crappy offer that came his way.

 

[Brettlax3434]

Espn is just trying to cause contraversy. its like when they said Moss wasn't playing hard agianst the eagles in 07, he clearly was.

 

[fair catch fryar]

I'll be moving on. Crap, we have no choice. But we got robbed and I'm pissed about it. With the 12th pick in the draft we had a shot at drafting DT Bj Raji. We could of then franchised Wilfork next yr with less of a fallout of losing him and aquired 2 1st round draft picks for him in the process. Thus using the money to sign Mankins.

I know it's done and spilt milk but the possibilities were endless had he decided to be patient for 1 more day instead of taking the first crappy offer that came his way.

Well, since you put it that way, we most certainly got snookered. That is a pipe dream at best. Everyone just needs to wait and see how this all ultimately plays out. We won't really know who got the best of whom until after we see how Cassel and Vrabel perform for their new team and how well the Pats do in the rest of free agency and the draft. If BB ends up being on the short end then it only proves that he is human and can make a mistake here and there. For now, I'll let his track record speak for him until then.