Re: How many #1 picks for Cassel?
Dopes.
Cassel is a free agent at the end of the season.
Is no one here paying any attention at all to what's going on this season?
If Cassel plays great, he is gone.
Cleo Lemon got a $10mm contract this off-season, as did a bunch of other similarly "skilled" QB's. If Cassel plays great and leads the team to 10-12 wins, he will earn a big pay-day and be gone. The market for crappy back-ups like Lemon is 3 years, $3mm+. No way the Pats pay $5mm or more a year for a back-up, even at QB. That's why they have O'Connell, to be the next cheap developmental back-up QB.
If Cassel stinks, he's gone.
If Cassel starts out hot, beating KC, NYJ, and Miami, but then crumbles against Denver, Indy, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and stumbles to a 7-9 record or worse, he's probably gone as well. The Pats will focus on developing O'Connell and other options.
If Cassel is mediocre, there's a chance the Pats re-sign him as a back-up for reasonable money, in the $2-4mm range.
However, there is no scenario in which the Patriots trade him.
They would have to sign him, including a big signing bonus, and then trade him, eating the signing bonus. The corresponding cap hit would then kill their plans to re-sign Wilfork, Mankins, Hobbs, etc.
The only hopes of draft picks would be if he has an incredible season, takes the Pats to the Super Bowl, and some team signs him for $10mm. Then the Pats would get a third round compensatory pick in 2010.