Do you think Pats were just going to cut Vrabel?

[tombonneau]

Felger on EEI this morning saying that his 'sources' tell him that Vrabel was, in fact, going to be cut. By trading him he gets to keep his roster bonus, etc.. It's the only thing that makes any sense in all of this..

Good to know. The more I was thinking about it yesterday, it seemed like the only way Vrabel's inclusion would make sense, hence my post.

 

[Spiral]

They were going to cut him and Pioli probably knew it before he left here. Pioli says that if they throw in Vrabel, Cassel for #34 is a done deal and Bill willingly accepts.

Piloi wants Vrabel for a year in his locker room to help change the culture. He couldn't get him if he got cut because Vrabel would not go to a rebuilding team. It wasn't a favor to anyone - not Vrabel who would probably rather be a UFA and not to Pioli. It was a very smart man using some inside knowledge and leverage to get a player he wanted the only way he could. He knew the Patriots woud be willing to throw in Vrabel to get #34 for Cassel so he made sure they did.

He may or may not have been willing to go to a rebuilding team, but no team was going to pay him a $3M signing bonus. I strongly suspect Pioli knew Vrabel wasn't going to see that roster bonus. BB manages to keep the cash and Vrabel gets his roster bonus. A nice gesture by all concerned, in my opinion.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

I told my boss that I can be traded if I get a $3 million roster bonus.

I would not feel disrespected at all.

I wonder if Mike will use this as a catapult toward a career in coaching.

 

[jefmblrd]

Unless it's a lot of spin (which I don't think) it seems like his time with the Pats was up.

 

[ScottieC]

Unless it's a lot of spin (which I don't think) it seems like his time with the Pats was up.

Mike was the union guy on the team, Correct?

Who's the guy now?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Vrabel has value despite his age and I do not see him getting cut if he stays. I agree with the theory Cassel, with the franchise tag, was more than KC was willing to assume for the pick NE wanted and the Chiefs are a very young team in need of a defensive veteran who can command on the field.

I honestly do not see what all those in favor of cutting Vrabel see. The drop off from 2007, other than raw statistics, was not as evident as all these experts seem to think it was. When opposing teams are always having to play from behind, more sacks are inevitable. 2008 presented a very different picture for the defense.

KC read NE's position and offered a palatable alternative to NE eating a QB franchise figure. Vrabel was the casualty. If Vrabel was of no value, he would not have been traded as Pioli knows his capabilities at this point and would not have added him to the roster. I would rate the LB value on NE prior to this trade as Mayo, Thomas, Vrabel, in that order. Who is a better OLB currently on the roster comprising the top 4 LBs on the team other than Mayo (if moved outside) and Thomas?

Others beyond Felger have reported that Mike was given the option of being cut or being traded to KC. He knew he probably wouldn't get $3M+ in new money from anyone else as a FA and probably welcomed the opportunity to skip the late in life transition and finish out his career in a system he had flourished in. So he said he'd prefer the trade. It was a first class heads up gesture by Belichick as well as from Pioli who has lots of cap space and little veteran leadership on a defense transitioning to the 3-4. I also hear there are rumors RAC may be talking with KC about becoming their DC, and that would certainly appeal to Vrabes.

Today Mike gets a check from Clark Hunt for $1M and he gets to help install and play in a defense he's thoroughly comfortable in. Had he not gone to KC he'd have been cut yesterday unless he was willing to forego that bonus and possibly part of his $1.9M salary. For lots of reasons including probably his NFLPA rep status he was likely not willing to take a pay cut. Mangini might have wanted him in Cleveland but I think Mike was one of the defensive players who thought the little genius while bright was also a tad full of himself.

And players in the locker room would be a lot more pissed off than merely saddened. It's business, but in this instance the player didn't get disrespected... In fact now many opine he was really a necessary chip to seal the deal...

 

[BlitzFritz]

most believable post i've read thus far.....

They were going to cut him and Pioli probably knew it before he left here. Pioli says that if they throw in Vrabel, Cassel for #34 is a done deal and Bill willingly accepts.

Piloi wants Vrabel for a year in his locker room to help change the culture. He couldn't get him if he got cut because Vrabel would not go to a rebuilding team. It wasn't a favor to anyone - not Vrabel who would probably rather be a UFA and not to Pioli. It was a very smart man using some inside knowledge and leverage to get a player he wanted the only way he could. He knew the Patriots woud be willing to throw in Vrabel to get #34 for Cassel so he made sure they did.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

They were going to cut him and Pioli probably knew it before he left here. Pioli says that if they throw in Vrabel, Cassel for #34 is a done deal and Bill willingly accepts.

Piloi wants Vrabel for a year in his locker room to help change the culture. He couldn't get him if he got cut because Vrabel would not go to a rebuilding team. It wasn't a favor to anyone - not Vrabel who would probably rather be a UFA and not to Pioli. It was a very smart man using some inside knowledge and leverage to get a player he wanted the only way he could. He knew the Patriots woud be willing to throw in Vrabel to get #34 for Cassel so he made sure they did.

Pioli also knew why, not because he can't play at all and has no value but because he wasn't worth his cap hit or compensation on a team as veteran as this who need to get younger and faster. Belichick won't overpay for talent. Pioli won't either but on the other hand has a young team transitioning to a new 3-4 system. Vrabel has more value in KC and in trade a lower cap hit on a team that likely has more cap than they can find players to spend it on.

Still I also read somewhere that Belichick told Pioli taking on Vrabel was the deal clincher. Sure Bill could have cut Vrabel to achieve the same end but at the added expense of a really pissed off locker room. They're sad today, but not pissed because Vrabel got a good deal in the process. Today he's perceived as still valued and he's finishing out his full contract and possibly career in a system in which he's always played his best. As a cap cut he might have caught on elsewhere but not the 3-4 system he knows unless with Mangini (and I don't think he and Vrabel were best friends) or out in Denver where the installation will be a lot tougher sell.