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- Sep 13, 2004
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1) Is there a restriction with regard to what years the picks must come. Is it restricted to 2009 and 2010?
2) The open question is the value of Cassel. I don't see any team forking over two firsts, although I guess it depends on the contract that Cassel is willing to sign. The teams that need him most have very high draft choices.
3) A poster again indicated that Kraft has all the cards. I don't see it that way.
A) First any team willing to pay two firsts and can negotiate a deal with Cassel holds the cards.
B) If no team is willing to come up with two firsts, then Cassel can wait until just before the deadline at which time he can sign the tag and play 2009 for the patriots for a guaranteed salary of $14M. The patriots are then free to trade him to whoever wants him for 1 year for $14M. The patriots will have the power but will not likely get much if Cassel doesn't want to sign a contract with the new team. They can have him for $14M and $17M next year if they want to tag him. If you all think this is patriot power, so be it.
C) The third alternative is for the patriots (at some point) to give Cassel permission to discuss terms with other teams, before or after the tag is placed. The patriots can then not put the tag on or remove it subject to agreed-upon compensation from some team. This is useless to that team UNLESS A DEAL HAS ALREADY BEEN STRUCK WITH CASSEL. This is a win-win and maximizes both Cassel's opportunity to find a situation he wants, and for the patriots to get solid compensation. Of course, the longer the patriots wait to allow discussions and to approve a deal the longer they carry the albatross of $14M of cap money that has much better uses.
D) The fourth alternative is for the patriots to wait and see with regard to Brady's health, intending to trade Cassel if Brady is OK. Cassel would simply sign the tag in late April and collect $14M guaranteed from whoever the patriots sucker-punched into compensation for a one year deal with Cassel, or if Brady isn't ready, Cassel will play a few games for $14M.
BOTTOM LINE
D) There is no question that the patriots will get much less without Cassel's cooperation that with it.
E) I expect Cassel to have a press conference with another team in the first week in March.
F) Cassel will be very rich. The patriots can help decide how rich. In some sense the best for Cassel is for him to collect bonus money twice or three times. $14M for one year is a fine place to start.
G) And just BTW, don't plan on any Super Bowls in 2009 or 2010 if the team plans to spend $29M on the quarterback position in 2009. The team has 2009 and 2010 needs.
2) The open question is the value of Cassel. I don't see any team forking over two firsts, although I guess it depends on the contract that Cassel is willing to sign. The teams that need him most have very high draft choices.
3) A poster again indicated that Kraft has all the cards. I don't see it that way.
A) First any team willing to pay two firsts and can negotiate a deal with Cassel holds the cards.
B) If no team is willing to come up with two firsts, then Cassel can wait until just before the deadline at which time he can sign the tag and play 2009 for the patriots for a guaranteed salary of $14M. The patriots are then free to trade him to whoever wants him for 1 year for $14M. The patriots will have the power but will not likely get much if Cassel doesn't want to sign a contract with the new team. They can have him for $14M and $17M next year if they want to tag him. If you all think this is patriot power, so be it.
C) The third alternative is for the patriots (at some point) to give Cassel permission to discuss terms with other teams, before or after the tag is placed. The patriots can then not put the tag on or remove it subject to agreed-upon compensation from some team. This is useless to that team UNLESS A DEAL HAS ALREADY BEEN STRUCK WITH CASSEL. This is a win-win and maximizes both Cassel's opportunity to find a situation he wants, and for the patriots to get solid compensation. Of course, the longer the patriots wait to allow discussions and to approve a deal the longer they carry the albatross of $14M of cap money that has much better uses.
D) The fourth alternative is for the patriots to wait and see with regard to Brady's health, intending to trade Cassel if Brady is OK. Cassel would simply sign the tag in late April and collect $14M guaranteed from whoever the patriots sucker-punched into compensation for a one year deal with Cassel, or if Brady isn't ready, Cassel will play a few games for $14M.
BOTTOM LINE
D) There is no question that the patriots will get much less without Cassel's cooperation that with it.
E) I expect Cassel to have a press conference with another team in the first week in March.
F) Cassel will be very rich. The patriots can help decide how rich. In some sense the best for Cassel is for him to collect bonus money twice or three times. $14M for one year is a fine place to start.
G) And just BTW, don't plan on any Super Bowls in 2009 or 2010 if the team plans to spend $29M on the quarterback position in 2009. The team has 2009 and 2010 needs.