If you were Cassel (is it legal?)

[Gumby]

Would you sign a 1 year contract extension with the Patriots for a $1M SB and whatever in salary call it $4M with the following 2 proviisions

1 contract is voided or subject to renegotiation upon a trade to a new team.
2 Cassel gets veto rights over any trade.

That would save Patriots from having to book off all that cap room for a franchise tag but still give us ability to trade him for picks and give him flexibility to pick his destination.

Could also give flexibility to hold onto Cassell if TB needs more rehab time too; but I think that would be bad from Cassel's perspective as if he will be a starter - he will want to work with new team in camps.

Only bad side for the Pats is the dead money hit once he gets traded. But it essentially trades cash $$ now for time and cap room flexibility. (if is legal to have a voidable contract - which I think it is)

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Would you sign a 1 year contract extension with the Patriots for a $1M SB and whatever in salary call it $4M with the following 2 proviisions

1 contract is voided or subject to renegotiation upon a trade to a new team.
2 Cassell gets veto rights over any trade.

That would save Patriots from having to book off all that cap room for a franchise tag but still give us ability to trade him for picks and give him flexibility to pick his destination.

Could also give flexibility to hold onto Cassell if TB needs more rehab time too; but I think that would be bad from Cassell's perspective as if he will be a starter - he will want to work with new team in camps.

Only bad side for the Pats is the dead money hit once he gets traded. But it essentially trades cash $$ now for time and cap room flexibility. (if is legal to have a voidable contract - which I think it is)

You really seriously have to spell Matt's name right if you expect people to get through your post and respond to it. One L.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Would you sign a 1 year contract extension with the Patriots for a $1M SB and whatever in salary call it $4M with the following 2 proviisions

1 contract is voided or subject to renegotiation upon a trade to a new team.
2 Cassell gets veto rights over any trade.

That would save Patriots from having to book off all that cap room for a franchise tag but still give us ability to trade him for picks and give him flexibility to pick his destination.

Could also give flexibility to hold onto Cassell if TB needs more rehab time too; but I think that would be bad from Cassell's perspective as if he will be a starter - he will want to work with new team in camps.

Only bad side for the Pats is the dead money hit once he gets traded. But it essentially trades cash $$ now for time and cap room flexibility. (if is legal to have a voidable contract - which I think it is)

No way. Cassell is in for a big pay day, end of story. At the very very worst, Cassell gets the franchise tag, signs it and guarantees himself >10m salary for 2009. But the Patriots are not going to carry two big contracts for the QB position (though they may do it for a very short period, like a season, if the value and need to do it was high). It is counter to their philosophy of not tying too much cap money up for one position.
The Patriots will franchise Cassel then trade him for, hopefully, a very high draft pick. To me it seems this is a no brainer. You simply do not let a QB that played like MC to just walk away. I think we will get a first for MC. And if my memory is correct, the Patriots would then have 2 firsts, 2 seconds and 2 thirds. Should make for an interesting draft for us Patriot fans....

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Absolutely not. If I am Matt Cassel the only way I sign with the NEP is under one of the following conditions:

1) Brady has been traded.
2) Brady is declared on IR for the season
3) A provision in the contract that if Brady takes more snaps than me this season I get a $25 million dollar bonus (this would be if 1 or 2 had not occurred and the team was insisting I sign a contract before they trade Brady or was claiming they expect Brady out but it was too early in the season to put him on IR)

Bottom line: Matt Cassel is not only deserving of a pay day, but he wants to start not hold Tom's clipboard.

 

[Miguel]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Why has not he sign such a deal already???

I would answer that it was not in his best interest.

 

[tart]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Why in the world would Cassel do that? He is always 1 play away from being out of the NFL of seriously injured, he must capitalize on the opportunity and acquire as much guaranteed money as possible to provide himself long term stability. What if he pulls a Derek Anderson and sucks next year? Or he tears his ACL? His value plummets and he's left with only the $4M he'd get next year. Cassel is going to be getting his money, one way or another, be it with the Pats or another team.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

You might want to make clear to everyone what you think Cassel would prefer that over a $14 million franchise tag salary, or twice as much guranteed in a new contract.

Loyalty to the team that's paying him $500k right now?

 

[vyrago]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Cassell has the very real example of one T. Brady to remind him that life is very precarious in the NFL. I'm not saying that Brady's career is over. I don't think it is, but that one dumb Pollard play that looked like it happened in slow motion, put him out for the year and maybe more. Cassel runs a lot which puts him in even more jeopardy. He'd be smart to get his money while he can.

He's no Dustin Pedroia who took what looked like short money to stay with the team that drafted him and that seems to have a chance to win every year.
I think he's more like Kevin Youkilis (or Jonathan Papelbon) who will wait till he has maximum leverage for the big payday.

And I don't blame him.

 

[Gumby]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

You might want to make clear to everyone what you think Cassel would prefer that over a $14 million franchise tag salary, or twice as much guranteed in a new contract.

Loyalty to the team that's paying him $500k right now?

The $1M signing bonus would be cash in hand. non-refundable.

A Franchise Tag is 100% salary: i.e. he doesnt see it til the season starts and he gets it in game checks. If he gets hurt - he doesn t get a game check.

Either way at his new destination Cassel gets whatever contract & SB he negotiates but rest is a choice between:

A. Franchise tag for NO MONEY that he will ever see and NO CHOICE IN DESTINATION.

versus

B. $1M cash in hand, and a vote on destination. (again with a contract negotiated with the new team for the "big payday" same as in choice 1)

he gets 2 beenies for helping out the Pats who groomed him to be the player he is. Who else was going to draft let alone play a QB with exactly 0 starts in college. I know most would be mercenary about it; but could be he feels a little bit of loyalty due back.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

The $1M signing bonus would be cash in hand. non-refundable.

A Franchise Tag is 100% salary: i.e. he doesnt see it til the season starts and he gets it in game checks. If he gets hurt - he doesn t get a game check.

Wrong. Quoth the CBA:

(c) If a player subject to a Franchise Player designation accepts the Required Tender, the resulting Player Contract shall be fully guaranteed if the player’s contract is terminated because of lack of comparative skill; as a result of an injury sustained in the performance of his services under his Player Contract; and/or due to a Club’s determination to create Room for Salary Cap purposes.

If he signs the tender and gets hurt, the Pats are still on the hook for $14M.

As for whether your suggestion is technically legal, AFAIK it is, but I have to agree with those who think Cassel would have to be an absolute idiot to sign that contract.

 

[mgteich]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Let's see; tough choice. A guaranteed $14M or a guaranteed $1M with $4M of salary.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

the number would have to be higher, and there would have to be a 'no-franchise
/no RFA tender (I think if the CBA ends, RFA becomes a 6 year thing' clause in it............but it could be to his benefit to do so if it was relatively certain brady would not be available........following up this season with a 4000 yard/30+TD season next year could land him a substantially larger contract than he might get this year.......

 

[patchick]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

The $1M signing bonus would be cash in hand. non-refundable.

A Franchise Tag is 100% salary: i.e. he doesnt see it til the season starts and he gets it in game checks. If he gets hurt - he doesn t get a game check.

Ah, this explains the whole thread -- you simply didn't know that a franchise contract is guaranteed. No problem. But now that you know that, care to rethink?

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

The $1M signing bonus would be cash in hand. non-refundable.

A Franchise Tag is 100% salary: i.e. he doesnt see it til the season starts and he gets it in game checks. If he gets hurt - he doesn t get a game check.

Not entirely true. Once signed, the contract is guaranteed. Meaning that Cassel gets the money either way.

Either way at his new destination Cassel gets whatever contract & SB he negotiates but rest is a choice between:

A. Franchise tag for NO MONEY that he will ever see and NO CHOICE IN DESTINATION.

versus

B. $1M cash in hand, and a vote on destination. (again with a contract negotiated with the new team for the "big payday" same as in choice 1)

he gets 2 beenies for helping out the Pats who groomed him to be the player he is. Who else was going to draft let alone play a QB with exactly 0 starts in college. I know most would be mercenary about it; but could be he feels a little bit of loyalty due back.

The Pats are NOT going to shaft Cassel by NOT giving him a say in where he goes. Its bad business.

Matt does feel very loyal to the Patriots. Its why he said he'd rather be back next year, but that the cards probably won't be dealt that way. More likely than not, the Pats are going to franchise and trade Cassel to a team that Cassel has come to an agreement with. I wouldn't be surprised if its a team where McDaniels has become the HC, though with the recent failures of Mangini and Crennel, McDaniels may not be as high on the list as he was.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: If you were Cassell (is it legal?)

Let's see; tough choice. A guaranteed $14M or a guaranteed $1M with $4M of salary.

Sorry MG, but its not as easy as that.

Its more like:

1) Cassel gets franchised and signs the $14 million tender, screwing the Patriots over in the salary cap.

2) Cassel get franchised in an agreement where he gets traded to a team that he's comfortable playing on.

3) Cassel signs a deal that is not the franchise tender to stay with the Patriots.

Remember, Cassel is a guy who turned down full boat scholarships to 1AA teams to stay at USC behind Palmer and Leinhart. Matt has proven very selfless in that aspect.

I don't expect him to hold a gun to the Pats head nor do I expect the Pats to be stupid in how they treat Cassel. In the end, it will work out best for both sides. Its in the best interest for both sides for that to happen.

 

[TN Patriot]

I think if the do franchise it will be the non-exclusive tag, so he would be able to field offers from other teams. We would have first right of refusal of where he could possibly go.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I think if the do franchise it will be the non-exclusive tag, so he would be able to field offers from other teams. We would have first right of refusal of where he could possibly go.

No one in his or her right mind is suggesting otherwise.

 

[kencc]

No one in his or her right mind is suggesting otherwise.

How about signing him to a 2-3 year contract in the $8 million range per year with conditions that he has the right to veto any trade

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

How about signing him to a 2-3 year contract in the $8 million range per year with conditions that he has the right to veto any trade

Why would he sign here to be traded?

The *ONLY* reason for him to sign here would be if Tom isn't going to be playing for the Patriots 2009 (either because Tom got traded or because Tom's recovery is not going well.)

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Would you sign a 1 year contract extension with the Patriots for a $1M SB and whatever in salary call it $4M with the following 2 proviisions

1 contract is voided or subject to renegotiation upon a trade to a new team.
2 Cassel gets veto rights over any trade.

That would save Patriots from having to book off all that cap room for a franchise tag but still give us ability to trade him for picks and give him flexibility to pick his destination.

Could also give flexibility to hold onto Cassell if TB needs more rehab time too; but I think that would be bad from Cassel's perspective as if he will be a starter - he will want to work with new team in camps.

Only bad side for the Pats is the dead money hit once he gets traded. But it essentially trades cash $$ now for time and cap room flexibility. (if is legal to have a voidable contract - which I think it is)

Matt Cassel has a shot at a big (eight figures per annum for three to five years with beaucoup of upfront and guaranteed $$$) payday and he should take it. The only reason he would rationally stay with the Pats would be if they made him a market rate offer (see above) after he has tested the market or tagged him.

The guy plays a game where, as Tom Brady and Joe Theisman can attest, a career can be limited or terminated on any play any time he steps on the field. He should get the best deal he can get--and more power to him!

My only advice to Matt? Avoid the ski slopes, bball courts and motrocycles. Stick to tiddlywinks and chess until you've signed the big deal and even then don't twist your wrist moving those pieces. Better if you go with a team with a solid program and winning tradition, but if you can get a big five year deal with lots of guaranteed cash, take it anywhere.