Cassel Traded to Chiefs

[boscel33]

I love this deal!  The market was falling fast, especially with the Vikings getting Sage.  There were not a whole lot of other teams that were going to be in the market.  As much as everyone kept saying the Lions, I believe they are going Stafford as well as bringing Kitna back for a year of tutoring.

The 34th pick is like getting a first rounder without having to pay like it.  The Pats are sure going to be reloading in this draft, and what I have read, the pundits think it's deep, especially in their need areas.

Way to go Bill!

[Cman]

I love this deal!  The market was falling fast, especially with the Vikings getting Sage.  There were not a whole lot of other teams that were going to be in the market.  As much as everyone kept saying the Lions, I believe they are going Stafford as well as bringing Kitna back for a year of tutoring.

The 34th pick is like getting a first rounder without having to pay like it.  The Pats are sure going to be reloading in this draft, and what I have read, the pundits think it's deep, especially in their need areas.

Way to go Bill!

First off -- boscel33: long time no see!  I remember you from years ago on the yahoo sports board (when I went by rcs34red, or 'red).

Second -- I second your (emotional) feeling that the Pats got a good deal for Cassel.  Maybe they could have gotten more -- the pundits seem to think so, especially since they convinced themselves a couple weeks ago that Cassel was worth a 1st round pick.  But this year's market is very different from prior years', and Cassel is a very different starter than was Culpepper (notable pundits compare the trade of Culpepper to Miami to the trade of Cassel to KC).  Culpepper had 5 years starting experience; he was a known commodity; and the economic outlook in 2006 was very different than in 2009....

Anyway, TP to you, sir.

[Brickowski]

I love this deal!  The market was falling fast, especially with the Vikings getting Sage.  There were not a whole lot of other teams that were going to be in the market.  As much as everyone kept saying the Lions, I believe they are going Stafford as well as bringing Kitna back for a year of tutoring.

The 34th pick is like getting a first rounder without having to pay like it.  The Pats are sure going to be reloading in this draft, and what I have read, the pundits think it's deep, especially in their need areas.

Way to go Bill!

Oh please.  The 34th pick was for Cassell.  Vrabel was just a salary dump.  They will miss Vrabel.  Now if it was Bruschi instead of Vrabel, I wouild have been fine with that.

[Neurotic Guy]

A few pieces of information would help me to understand the deal better.
1) What is the overall cap #?
2) How much does this put the Pats under?
3) Is Ray Lewis (or another defensive difference maker) a real possibility now for the Pats?

Inconsequential at this point, but I'd also like to know if the deal puts KC over the cap and out of the FA market.

 

[Andy Jick]

I love this deal!  The market was falling fast, especially with the Vikings getting Sage.  There were not a whole lot of other teams that were going to be in the market.  As much as everyone kept saying the Lions, I believe they are going Stafford as well as bringing Kitna back for a year of tutoring.

The 34th pick is like getting a first rounder without having to pay like it.  The Pats are sure going to be reloading in this draft, and what I have read, the pundits think it's deep, especially in their need areas.

Way to go Bill!

Oh please.  The 34th pick was for Cassell.  Vrabel was just a salary dump.  They will miss Vrabel.  Now if it was Bruschi instead of Vrabel, I wouild have been fine with that.

as a steeler fan, i am still haven't gotten over losing him to the patriots years ago...

[Cman]

A few pieces of information would help me to understand the deal better.
1) What is the overall cap #?
2) How much does this put the Pats under?
3) Is Ray Lewis (or another defensive difference maker) a real possibility now for the Pats?

Inconsequential at this point, but I'd also like to know if the deal puts KC over the cap and out of the FA market.

 

I think the Cs were between $4-8M under the cap at the start of the FA season.  Trading Cassel and Vrabel adds about $18M to that number.  So the Pats are about $22-$26M under the cap.  This is before factoring in the Fred Taylor signing, and other FA signings (eg: Tully Banta Cain).  I think Fred was around $4M per year, Tully about $1M, and there were one or two others.  My best guess is that the Pats now have $16-20M in cap space.  Keep in mind they have a first round draft pick, 3 2nd rounders, 2(depends on compensatory pick from A. Samuel?) 3rd rounders, all who will need to be paid.  So I don't know how much the Pats have to work with. 

Kansas City had around $57M in cap space prior to Cassel+Vrabel: http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/02/26/tampa-bay-working-with-most-salary-cap-space/
Now they probably have $40M (ie: a lot).

[CoachBo]

As a Chiefs fan, this is exciting news.  Cassel will need all of the mobility he showed last season and then some.  But he's got a great cast of skill players and if he can stay upright, should be a big upgrade for the Chiefs.

As a Patriots fan also, I'm confused.

Considering the Chiefs' sorry QB situation, this deal is an absolute heist. You get your QB of the future, and a leadership guy who can set the tone as you shift to the 3-4.

I'm guessing Bill wanted to help Pioli out while saving some serious bank. No other way to explain it.

[Andy Jick]

As a Chiefs fan, this is exciting news.  Cassel will need all of the mobility he showed last season and then some.  But he's got a great cast of skill players and if he can stay upright, should be a big upgrade for the Chiefs.

As a Patriots fan also, I'm confused.

Considering the Chiefs' sorry QB situation, this deal is an absolute heist. You get your QB of the future, and a leadership guy who can set the tone as you shift to the 3-4.

I'm guessing Bill wanted to help Pioli out while saving some serious bank. No other way to explain it.

sounds like an Ainge / McHale thing...

[Brickowski]

As a Chiefs fan, this is exciting news.  Cassel will need all of the mobility he showed last season and then some.  But he's got a great cast of skill players and if he can stay upright, should be a big upgrade for the Chiefs.

As a Patriots fan also, I'm confused.

Considering the Chiefs' sorry QB situation, this deal is an absolute heist. You get your QB of the future, and a leadership guy who can set the tone as you shift to the 3-4.

I'm guessing Bill wanted to help Pioli out while saving some serious bank. No other way to explain it.

sounds like an Ainge / McHale thing...

Yeah, except that Belichick was McHale.

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

This really sucks now. Chris Mortensen reported and Felger confirmed that the Patriots had a deal in place with Denver and Tampa Bay that would have sent Cassel to Denver, Cutler to Tampa, and Tampa's FIRST AND THIRD ROUND PICKS to New England, while keeping Vrabel to include in another deal. They agreed on it, but the paperwork was submitted to the league offices by the time everyone came around.

Terrible deal. Congratulations Kansas City, hopefully the 34th pick isn't Heathcliff Slocumb.

[Jeff]

This really sucks now. Chris Mortensen reported and Felger confirmed that the Patriots had a deal in place with Denver and Tampa Bay that would have sent Cassel to Denver, Cutler to Tampa, and Tampa's FIRST AND THIRD ROUND PICKS to New England, while keeping Vrabel to include in another deal. They agreed on it, but the paperwork was submitted to the league offices by the time everyone came around.

Terrible deal. Congratulations Kansas City, hopefully the 34th pick isn't Heathcliff Slocumb.

why did that deal fall apart?  who blew it up?

if they were that close then it can't just be that BB is mad at Josh

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

This really sucks now. Chris Mortensen reported and Felger confirmed that the Patriots had a deal in place with Denver and Tampa Bay that would have sent Cassel to Denver, Cutler to Tampa, and Tampa's FIRST AND THIRD ROUND PICKS to New England, while keeping Vrabel to include in another deal. They agreed on it, but the paperwork was submitted to the league offices by the time everyone came around.

Terrible deal. Congratulations Kansas City, hopefully the 34th pick isn't Heathcliff Slocumb.

why did that deal fall apart?  who blew it up?

if they were that close then it can't just be that BB is mad at Josh

No one blew it up, it materialized too late... Either Denver or (I think it was)Tampa needed convincing and came around, but by the time they did the deal was done. With Vrabel. For a 2nd. That's it.

[SShorefan 4.0]

This really sucks now. Chris Mortensen reported and Felger confirmed that the Patriots had a deal in place with Denver and Tampa Bay that would have sent Cassel to Denver, Cutler to Tampa, and Tampa's FIRST AND THIRD ROUND PICKS to New England, while keeping Vrabel to include in another deal. They agreed on it, but the paperwork was submitted to the league offices by the time everyone came around.

Terrible deal. Congratulations Kansas City, hopefully the 34th pick isn't Heathcliff Slocumb.

So who submitted the paperwork if this was still fluid?  That doesn't make sense.

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

This really sucks now. Chris Mortensen reported and Felger confirmed that the Patriots had a deal in place with Denver and Tampa Bay that would have sent Cassel to Denver, Cutler to Tampa, and Tampa's FIRST AND THIRD ROUND PICKS to New England, while keeping Vrabel to include in another deal. They agreed on it, but the paperwork was submitted to the league offices by the time everyone came around.

Terrible deal. Congratulations Kansas City, hopefully the 34th pick isn't Heathcliff Slocumb.

So who submitted the paperwork if this was still fluid?  That doesn't make sense.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/02/28/cutler-upset-over-potential-deals-to-detroit-tampa-bay/

The Pats just went ahead with the KC trade while there were other deals in the works according to Schefter, Mortensen, and Felger. However, Schefter has the compensation as only a 1st round pick from TB, while Mort and Felger had it as a 1st and 3rd round pick. Either way, a better deal and they still had Vrabel. Apparently, the Pats just went ahead and did it while there were other things on the table that could have materialized for far better value then what they got.

[libermaniac]

Wow, KC is just horrible.  Cassel for $14MM ... NE should have sent them a 2nd rounder to take on that albatross of a contract.  Cassel will be a bust.  He performed adequately for one of the best teams in football with great WRs.  Don't know much about Vrabel, but if NE was looking to dump his salary, that's even worse for KC.  No wonder why that franchise is always pitiful.