Cassel Traded to Chiefs

[SShorefan 4.0]

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.

Cassel wont cost KC 14mm.

By the time a new contract is hammered out, his cap hit will be more like 8mm a year.  For a Top 10 rated QB that is a steal.

[the_Bird]

Wonder whether Tony Gonzales will still be pushing as hard for a trade now that he's got a better QB getting him the ball. 

It's kind of disappointing that there wasn't a way for Gonzales to have come back our way.  You know Belichick is alway trying to improve the tight end spot, and Gonzales - which getting a little old in the tooth - is still one of the best in the game.  Could you imagine having he and Welker working the middle of the field? 

[yall hate]

Looks like BB screwed up.

a little more patience and they could have gotten a MUCH better deal.

Mort and I have exchanged a few e-mails on the subject. Here is how he broke down the proposed three-way deal:

    This one defies logic, but a source I really trust tells me it's true: The Broncos were willing to offer their own first-round pick (12th overall) to the Patriots for Cassel. Obviously, it was conditional upon Cutler being traded and Tampa Bay was the most likely destination, the Bucs willing to part with their first- and third-round picks.

    But Belichick never embraced a trade with the Broncos, even though it was a head-scratcher on the value part (second-rounder versus a first-rounder). It suggests two or three speculative thoughts:

       1. Belichick has always valued second-round picks (he now has three) and didn't want to be stuck at No. 12 financially for whatever reason;
       2. Belichick had an agreement with Pioli all along and wouldn't break his word;
       3. Belichick isn't about to help another former assistant.

    The Broncos sensed resistance all along, which is why they held the Bucs, Lions, Vikings, etc., at arm's length and allows McDaniels his plausible deniability on trading Cutler (and logic supports his denial).

    However, despite intense efforts to keep this run at Cassel under wraps, enough damage has been done that Cutler may now be on the block.

    The Broncos/Cutler aspect of the trade was reported by the Boston Globe. A Patriots' leak? Why? To mess with McDaniels?

Mort is correct. The information is astounding.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-6-0/Why-would-Pats-turn-down-12th-pick-for-Cassel-.html

http://blogs.nbcsports.com/home/archives/2009/03/on-cassel-pats-werent-waiting.html

[SShorefan 4.0]

Looks like BB screwed up.

a little more patience and they could have gotten a MUCH better deal.

Mort and I have exchanged a few e-mails on the subject. Here is how he broke down the proposed three-way deal:

    This one defies logic, but a source I really trust tells me it's true: The Broncos were willing to offer their own first-round pick (12th overall) to the Patriots for Cassel. Obviously, it was conditional upon Cutler being traded and Tampa Bay was the most likely destination, the Bucs willing to part with their first- and third-round picks.

    But Belichick never embraced a trade with the Broncos, even though it was a head-scratcher on the value part (second-rounder versus a first-rounder). It suggests two or three speculative thoughts:

       1. Belichick has always valued second-round picks (he now has three) and didn't want to be stuck at No. 12 financially for whatever reason;
       2. Belichick had an agreement with Pioli all along and wouldn't break his word;
       3. Belichick isn't about to help another former assistant.

    The Broncos sensed resistance all along, which is why they held the Bucs, Lions, Vikings, etc., at arm's length and allows McDaniels his plausible deniability on trading Cutler (and logic supports his denial).

    However, despite intense efforts to keep this run at Cassel under wraps, enough damage has been done that Cutler may now be on the block.

    The Broncos/Cutler aspect of the trade was reported by the Boston Globe. A Patriots' leak? Why? To mess with McDaniels?

Mort is correct. The information is astounding.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-6-0/Why-would-Pats-turn-down-12th-pick-for-Cassel-.html

http://blogs.nbcsports.com/home/archives/2009/03/on-cassel-pats-werent-waiting.html

I find this baffling

I also find baffling, the report that if KC hadn't taken Vrabel he was going to be released

[yall hate]

I find this baffling

I also find baffling, the report that if KC hadn't taken Vrabel he was going to be released

I hadn't heard that...do you have a link?

I wonder if the Pats asked him to reduce his cap charge and he resisted.  I also have to assume BB thought last season was closer to what we would get from Vrable instead of two years ago (although he still played the second most plays on defense over the course of the year behind only Mayo).

[SShorefan 4.0]

I find this baffling

I also find baffling, the report that if KC hadn't taken Vrabel he was going to be released

I hadn't heard that...do you have a link?

I wonder if the Pats asked him to reduce his cap charge and he resisted.  I also have to assume BB thought last season was closer to what we would get from Vrable instead of two years ago (although he still played the second most plays on defense over the course of the year behind only Mayo).

Both EEI and ESPN Radio mentioned it this morning. 

[Cman]

Looks like BB screwed up.

a little more patience and they could have gotten a MUCH better deal.

Mort and I have exchanged a few e-mails on the subject. Here is how he broke down the proposed three-way deal:

    This one defies logic, but a source I really trust tells me it's true: The Broncos were willing to offer their own first-round pick (12th overall) to the Patriots for Cassel. Obviously, it was conditional upon Cutler being traded and Tampa Bay was the most likely destination, the Bucs willing to part with their first- and third-round picks.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-6-0/Why-would-Pats-turn-down-12th-pick-for-Cassel-.html

http://blogs.nbcsports.com/home/archives/2009/03/on-cassel-pats-werent-waiting.html

Dan Wetzel has a nice rejoinder to the above ESPN article:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AgAthS4_aWie0901D.EMRyE5nYcB?slug=dw-cassel030109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

The “Belichick-got-conned” debate centers on the interest of those other teams, most notably Denver.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen cited an unnamed source who said that the Broncos were willing to give up the 12th pick overall for Cassel. Turning it down, according to Mortensen, “defies logic” and suggests Belichick got played.

Anything’s possible, but it probably defies logic because the report isn’t logical. You don’t need any sources to know that if that was a serious offer, then Belichick, perhaps the most competitive person in the NFL, would’ve taken it.

He’s not turning down a pick 22 spots higher in the draft and the chance to keep Vrabel. Even if he didn’t want to spend the money a high pick commands, he could’ve traded it for two picks worth more than just the 34th.

Belichick has plenty of critics, but no one thinks he’s a fool.

[Andy Jick]

he must have pulled the string from his hoodie too tight...

[Big Ticket]

Chiefs are in for a rude awakening when they realize that Randy Moss doesn't come with Cassel.  They're getting a backup, but I guess they didn't have to give up much and at least it's an upgrade over the revolving QB door they had going last year.

[Eja117]

Chiefs are in for a rude awakening when they realize that Randy Moss doesn't come with Cassel.  They're getting a backup, but I guess they didn't have to give up much and at least it's an upgrade over the revolving QB door they had going last year.

But as of the moment he has Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson. At least that's something. Plus they kept their 1rst rounder

[yall hate]

Chiefs are in for a rude awakening when they realize that Randy Moss doesn't come with Cassel.  They're getting a backup, but I guess they didn't have to give up much and at least it's an upgrade over the revolving QB door they had going last year.

I don't think Cassel is that bad, but I think there will likely be a regression from what we saw last year.  The chiefs have a better running game then the pats.  better TE play.  And while I am not going to compare the KC receivers to Moss and company, Dwayne Bowe is no slouch.

Given what teams trade for Qb's, a 2nd rounder for Cassel, a 26 year old QB isnt a bad deal (from their perspective, I still hate that Vrable was involved).  Obviously the contract that he signs will ultimately determine how good or bad this deal was...

[Jon]

I think we really need to wait and see on this.  The idea that Belichick passed on a better deal that this one is absurd.  BB doesn't do things like that.  Furthermore, let's see what he does with all of this cap room and the 6 picks he'll have in the first three rounds. 

Also, while there will occasionally be the Tom Bradys and Kurt Warners who come out of obscurity, more often than not when backups have great seasons after the first stringer goes down, they go on to disappoint the next season.  While Cassell could buck that trend, probability states that he will likely look worse next season than he did this year. 

[earl]

We can't just forget about the alleged failure to complete the paperwork thing here either. If Denver was willing to give up a 1 for Cassel, provided they also trade Cutler, that means if they couldn't trade Cutler, they aren't trading for Cassel.

BB probably had a short list of offers, this fell through for whatever reason (paperwork or just cold feet in Tampa), and they moved on to the next best deal. I'd be more interested in the facts than the media narrative, and the way the Pats run things we probably won't see much for details.

I agree though that it's highly unlikely this deal is passed on if it truly were on the table. We know the Pats don't favor round 1 picks, but they'd take the best value and trade it for multiple/future picks.

[yall hate]

I think we really need to wait and see on this.  The idea that Belichick passed on a better deal that this one is absurd.  BB doesn't do things like that.  Furthermore, let's see what he does with all of this cap room and the 6 picks he'll have in the first three rounds. 

Likely 7.  They are most likely going to get a 3rd round compensatory pick (will be very end of the round) for the loss of Asante.

[Cman]

I think we really need to wait and see on this.  The idea that Belichick passed on a better deal that this one is absurd.  BB doesn't do things like that.  Furthermore, let's see what he does with all of this cap room and the 6 picks he'll have in the first three rounds. 

Likely 7.  They are most likely going to get a 3rd round compensatory pick (will be very end of the round) for the loss of Asante.

I think that is how the OP got 6:
1 1st round
3 2nd round
1 3rd round
1 3rd round compensatory pick