Does anyone else feel a need to sign a veteran QB?

[brady199]

With expectations so high this year, i can't help but think what would happen if Brady went down for the season. I like Cassel, I'm just not sure I would honestly feel comftable with him leading us in the Playoffs. A couple of games in the regular season and i think were fine, no need to worry.

Joe Gibbs once said The most important position on the field is QB, and the 2nd most important position is Backup QB.

With that said does anyone know of anyone who is decent and available at this time?

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Not Drew Bledsoe.

How about Tim Rattay as I think he will be released. thoase who read alot will know that the late **** Rehbein was having a toss up between drafting Brady and him...

 

[mgteich]

I feel this way every year. bb and pioli seem to disagree.

 

[sieglo]

With expectations so high this year, i can't help but think what would happen if Brady went down for the season. I like Cassel, I'm just not sure I would honestly feel comftable with him leading us in the Playoffs. A couple of games in the regular season and i think were fine, no need to worry.

Joe Gibbs once said The most important position on the field is QB, and the 2nd most important position is Backup QB.

With that said does anyone know of anyone who is decent and available at this time?

Cassel is really good. The Pats will be just fine.

 

[patsox23]

I feel the need to NOT have a Testaverde until late in the season. I want the roster spot since we're almost sure to have 6 RBs and 6 WRs, which is pushing it on offense. And if Brady goes down, it's Cassell at the wheel and I'm fine with that. It would be interesting to see what he has.

 

[BelichickFan]

We had just Cassel for most of last year, I see no reason to change. And if Vinny wants to come along for the ride as a safety net heading into the playoffs, great.

 

[Patjew]

I am not a roster expert, but I feel like 2 is good for now, and if Brady (God forbid!) goes down, we could pick up a veteran to back up Cassell. For now I'd rather use that roster spot on another position.

 

[patsfan-1982]

will let us hope brady dose not get hert even do i think Cassel is a good QB and can get us to the playoffs but if brady gets hert for a long time if the QB ant payton manning i dont care who you sign we wont win the super bowl but cassel is a good QB and some one will give us a 2th rounder or a frist for him soon

 

[zoostation]

I am not a roster expert, but I feel like 2 is good for now, and if Brady (God forbid!) goes down, we could pick up a veteran to back up Cassell. For now I'd rather use that roster spot on another position.

Like Patjew says. Just like last year. You start the season with one backup. Wait to see where the injuries fall (in the non QB positions)...and then grab a 3rd vet 1/2 through the season. It's BB new way of getting a look at an extra position player in the first half of the season (when u know odds are you only need two QB's). Got it?

 

[spacecrime]

If we signed one of the vets avaialble (which do you have in mind), and Brady got hurt, who would BB put in the game?

I think he would put in Cassel. If that is true, then what purpose would the vet QB serve?

Having a vet QB would be useful only if he were the one going in should Brady get hurt.

 

[zarakotas5]

I'm thinking that, with the recent WR acquisitions, Cassel is capable of sustaining an offense. Last years crew, prolly no. Mediocrity + mediocrity = Rex Grossman & the Bears. Maybe the defense holds it together.

Don't take this the wrong way. I have faith that Cassel is better than Grossman. BUT..to expect more than average from him is misguided. Perhaps he is, perhaps he's not. We simply don't know.

With the offense we now have, the loss of Brady is now not an instant death, whereas last year we would have been the Bears.

EDIT: If this assessment resonates with anybody, it is a testament to the strength of this team going into 2007.

 

[rookBoston]

It's interesting to see how well Damon Huard is doing at KC, after riding the pine for so long in Foxboro. That's the best way I have to triangulate on what the FO think of Cassell as a #2.

We dont see everything that the coaches do. We dont see Cassell in practice and in the lockerroom. Its interesting to me that Huard was a pleasant surprise to the Chiefs. I actually dont think the Pats FO was all that surprised at his level of success.

In comparison to Huard, who BB seemed ready to demote and release as soon as other talent presented itself, BB has shown a lot of faith in Cassell. I dont think the braintrust would have decided to carry 2 QBs for so long simply out of laziness. They know what they have better than anyone else.

 

[zarakotas5]

It's interesting to see how well Damon Huard is doing at KC, after riding the pine for so long in Foxboro. That's the best way I have to triangulate on what the FO think of Cassell as a #2.

We dont see everything that the coaches do. We dont see Cassell in practice and in the lockerroom. Its interesting to me that Huard was a pleasant surprise to the Chiefs. I actually dont think the Pats FO was all that surprised at his level of success.

In comparison to Huard, who BB seemed ready to demote and release as soon as other talent presented itself, BB has shown a lot of faith in Cassell. I dont think the braintrust would have decided to carry 2 QBs for so long simply out of laziness. They know what they have better than anyone else.

I was definately thinking of Huard. We've actually had a reasonable history of having very solid back-ups at QB. The reliance on Cassel tells tales, if all this speculation gets us anywhere.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I was definately thinking of Huard. We've actually had a reasonable history of having very solid back-ups at QB. The reliance on Cassel tells tales, if all this speculation gets us anywhere.

I don't think we'd have any difficulty picking up Rohan Davey if things got tough ...

 

[taltos]

Somehow this reminds me of the conversation that was had when Bledsoe went down. Seems that our backup performed ok then.

 

[zarakotas5]

I don't think we'd have any difficulty picking up Rohan Davey if things got tough ...

We'd really have to win the arm-wrestling contest, though. Wherever Rohan is, Aaron Brooks is sure to follow. Rohan/Aaron..it really is a conundrum. Agile, quick, strong armed. You can only have one. What do you do?

 

[zarakotas5]

I don't think we'd have any difficulty picking up Rohan Davey if things got tough ...

In all seriousness, though, we've had Huard, who seems like a solid enough back-up. We had Friesczsszsseszz (sp?), who, at the time was compared to (Can he be the next Steve Young ?!?!), etc.

People are silly. what can you do. But I'm guessing Cassel is at least capable now.

 

[smg93]

I think he would put in Cassel. If that is true, then what purpose would the vet QB serve?

Having a vet QB would be useful only if he were the one going in should Brady get hurt.

What if Cassel got hurt?

It's not as if a backup QB has never gotten hurt in the NFL.

 

[Mike the Brit]

In all seriousness, though, we've had Huard, who seems like a solid enough back-up. We had Friesczsszsseszz (sp?), who, at the time was compared to (Can he be the next Steve Young ?!?!), etc.

People are silly. what can you do. But I'm guessing Cassel is at least capable now.

Well, I'm not being TOTALLY non-serious. The Patriots obviously saw something in Rohan that we didn't, since they were prepared to have him as their number 2 QB -- a position that, as you rightly say, they don't take lightly.

If (God forbid) Brady goes down, there are a number of options for a back-up QB (including "un-retiring" Vinny Testaverde, Doug Flutie, Joe Theisman ... )

 

[brady199]

Somehow this reminds me of the conversation that was had when Bledsoe went down. Seems that our backup performed ok then.

Back then we were headed for disaster with Bledsoe.
We had no expectations of a superbowl, and nothing to loose with Brady.
Now were superbowl bound so the risk is completley different.