ESPN: Lombardi on Pats "starting price" for Cassel

[Miguel]

I'd say "two years, $20M+" is more money than "three years, $24M," especially if it's unlikely Anderson actually sees about half that sum.

Anderson got a $7 million signing bonus. Cassel is supposed to agree to a two-year $20 million deal with only his salary guaranteed with no signing bonus. $0 signing bonus is less than $7 million.

 

[lamafist]

Fair enough. I just do not see why Cassel would agree to a lesser deal than most top free agents get. They get their money upfront. They do not agree to put their destiny dependent on another player's injury situation.

Jared Allen got $15 million upfront and a $7 million salary. How is it in Cassel's best interests to agree to much less???

I don't know how it would be. I'm just curious if there's any situation in which, assuming Cassel considers his first priority "best interest" to be a starter in '08 for a team he's signed to by minicamps, is there a type of 2-year deal that would help facilitate this more readily than just sticking with the franchise tender?

 

[patsfaninpa]

Minny paper speculating it would cost them 1st and 2nd. Just to mention that it's not all pie in the sky pats fan suggesting it. I doubt if picks would be in the same year. But,
it works for me. 1 this year. And, a 2 nxt year.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_11410932

 

[IcyPatriot]

A uniform salary contract or one with a bonus ... doesn't the bonus accelerate (as to the cap) when a trade is made anyways?

 

[Metaphors]

Minny paper speculating it would cost them 1st and 2nd. Just to mention that it's not all pie in the sky pats fan suggesting it. I doubt if picks would be in the same year. But,
it works for me. 1 this year. And, a 2 nxt year.

Been thinking about this a little and it seems like Minnesota is the Pats best chance to get a #1 for Cassel. To give up a #1 and gobs of bonus money for Cassel, you better believe:
a) Your team is only solid and smart (not spectacular) QB play away from making the Super Bowl.
b) Watching your other QB options sink your season once again will cause you to tear out your eyeballs and flush them down the toilet.

The Vikings are the only team that qualifies on both counts (the Titans are close but they haven't purged the memory of the 2006 Rose Bowl from their system). Betcha Belichick has Rick Spielman on speed dial...

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Been thinking about this a little and it seems like Minnesota is the Pats best chance to get a #1 for Cassel. To give up a #1 and gobs of bonus money for Cassel, you better believe:
a) Your team is only solid and smart (not spectacular) QB play away from making the Super Bowl.
b) Watching your other QB options sink your season once again will cause you to tear out your eyeballs and flush them down the toilet.

The Vikings are the only team that qualifies on both counts (the Titans are close but they haven't purged the memory of the 2006 Rose Bowl from their system). Betcha Belichick has Rick Spielman on speed dial...

Jake Delhomme is doing his best to get the Panthers on this list.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

A uniform salary contract or one with a bonus ... doesn't the bonus accelerate (as to the cap) when a trade is made anyways?

It does. The issue, though, is that, unlike most years, when you could split the hit across two years (i.e., 2009-2010), with the cap going away, the entire hit has to be taken in 2009.

 

[Metaphors]

Jake Delhomme is doing his best to get the Panthers on this list.

Actually considered that but the Panthers 2009 1st round pick is starting at RT.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

actually considered that but the panthers 2009 1st round pick is starting at rt.

2009 2 + 2009 4 + 2010 1

 

[Metaphors]

2009 2 + 2009 4 + 2010 1

Think Belichick should be calling the Panthers about now?

Geez...losing to the Cardinals at home in the playoffs is bad enough. Getting crushed and throwing 4 picks (and counting) is just a kick to the nether regions.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Think Belichick should be calling the Panthers about now?

Geez...losing to the Cardinals at home in the playoffs is bad enough. Getting crushed and throwing 4 picks (and counting) is just a kick to the nether regions.

5 picks . . . to a defense that only had 13 all year.

 

[patsox23]

5 picks . . . to a defense that only had 13 all year.

Wow. That really puts it in perspective. Yikes.

 

[patsox23]

To give up a #1 and gobs of bonus money for Cassel...

"Gobs of bonus money" = LESS than you'd give up the likeliest other way, that being...draft a 1st round QB.

 

[patchick]

"Gobs of bonus money" = LESS than you'd give up the likeliest other way, that being...draft a 1st round QB.

True enough, at the top of the draft. Tom Dimitroff is going to be executive of the year, in large part for his genius in picking Matt Ryan and signing him to a contract with $34.75M in guarantees. Granted, Ryan is a prototype strong-armed, 6'4" QB who in his first season led his team to a sparkling 11-5 record, while Cassel...oh, yeah, hmm. But Ryan was Rookie of the Year with some impressive stats:

Comp Att Pct Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TD Int 1st 1st% Lng 20+ 40+ Sck Rate
265 434 61.1 27.1 3,440 7.9 215.0 16 11 157 36.2 70T 45 9 17 87.7

as opposed to Cassel:
327 516 63.4 32.2 3,693 7.2 230.8 21 11 182 35.3 76T 37 6 47 89.4

Huh. Well.

So we've beaten the Derek Anderson analogy to death, how about the Matt Ryan analogy? If Ryan were the one available via trade, what do you think he would command in return -- after "just one good season"?

 

[Metaphors]

"Gobs of bonus money" = LESS than you'd give up the likeliest other way, that being...draft a 1st round QB.

Agree and the situation is also aided by the fact that the 1st round QBs this year are Stafford (pro arm and high school brain) and Bradford (pro brain and high school arm). If you want a QB ready to play in 2009, not sure that this draft will help you.

 

[BelichickFan]

The $$$ is a moot point - if you want a good QB you have to pay for him. If you don't initially, if he has a good season he's getting a new deal. The only question is how to get a good QB and right now the choices seem to be Cassel, Vince Young, draftees or an old guy to get you a year or two.

 

[BelichickFan]

My gut feeling on all of this is there's enough uncertainty about Brady that they'll Franchise Cassel with the plan to keep him indefinitely until more is known about Brady; I don't envision a quick trade. However I expect the non exclusive Franchise so that Cassel can talk to other teams - I don't think they'll trade him for a #1 or a little more than that. I think they'll just plan to keep him and if Minnesota or the Jets or whoever wants him they'll have to just sign him and pay the two #1 price; and if no-one will do that then I think they'll just keep him until the draft and beyond - quite possibly for the 2009 season.

 

[JoeShmoe]

IMO we arent getting a first for Cassel. We'll get a 2009 2nd / 2010 3rd, something like that. Either that or someone like KC trades a player like Gonzales

That would still give us 3 2nds and in a deep draft that should allow us to rebuild the D. Could even package and move up to go after someone like a Selvie or a top notch CB

 

[Miguel]

I'd say "two years, $20M+" is more money than "three years, $24M," especially if it's unlikely Anderson actually sees about half that sum.

ProFootballTalk.com - BROWNS WON’T AVOID $5 MILLION BY CUTTING ANDERSON

 

[Miguel]

Miguel -- a question: if the Patriots franchise Cassel, and Cassel signs the tender, would any team interested in MC have to clear out the ~$14 million in cap '08 cap space in order to trade for him, or could they work out a multi-year deal in advance of signing him, and thus avoid ever having the ~$14 million in '08 salary on the books?

I think so but every time a franchised player has been traded recently he has signed a new deal with his new team

If the former is true, then couldn't Cassel be willing to sign a slightly disadvantageous 2-year deal if it would increase the number of teams that could be interested in him?

The Lions, Vikings, Chiefs, Bucs, Bears, and Cardinals all have been recently reported to have a ton of cap space for the 2009 season. How many teams have to be interested in Cassel??