While I feel happy for Cassel that he'll get his payday, I selfishly am pretty bummed that no matter what, he probably won't be a Patriot next year.
Sure, I'm going to be pretty pumped if we tag and flip him for some picks, but the bottom line is, he's a very likeable guy and player, he's played pretty well in some tough circumstances, and while he has his flaws as a QB, he has perhaps the most important one - mental toughness. If he were signed for 3 or 4 years, you'd have to feel comfortable about having him as a backup.