He's a smart guy who got better as the year progressed.

Hey, I'm not saying he is going to pan out. Who ****ing knows? I saw him make some sensational throws down the stretch and I saw him make some amazingly awful throws...especially some deep balls to Randy Moss.

That said, the kid seemed pretty resilient last year...filling in for Tom Brady is no easy feat...even when the Boston media was calling for Garcia or any veteran...he stood in there and improved ESPECIALLY when it counted.

Pioli isn't stupid. No friggin' way...the only way he makes this move is because he thinks he has a gem in Cassel...and I think he has a much more qualified opinion on the guy than ANYONE on this board...even the drafturbators.

it always seems like belichek trys to help out HIS guys that go on in their first year. and he obviously LOVES pioli so maybe that got us a good deal

We should use the full MLE on Marion.

1) Cassell has a year of NFL experience under his belt; he played well in that season (you cannot deny it, nor can you deny that he had a but load of WR talent to help in that capacity)

2) Pioli knows Cassell's stregths/weaknesses; he also knows what system we will be using and how Cassell fits into that system

3) Stafford never impressed me as a college QB. He was good, but not spectacular. I have friends who went to Georgia/are huge Bulldog fans and they agree: Stafford is the #1QB in this year's draft by default; he is the only one besides Nate Davis who started several seasons and put up decent numbers. Stafford gets the nod over Davis because of the conference.

I trust that Pioli is a good judge of talent and would not have traded for Cassel if he didn't feel very confident about his ability.

The truth is, as he became much more comfortable, he took a lot less sack--most of those sacks happened in the first few games starting. As for the crappy deep ball, I don't understand this obsession with the deep ball. Brady didn't throw a good deep ball when he first started. Arguably, Brady, Pennington, and Brees all throw good but not great deep balls. What they do best is know the game, and I think Cassel has the upside to be a very intelligent QB.

I agree 2nd was to much, lot of value in 2nd hopeful we can find a trade partner for 3rd overall and get more picks.

THIS!!

If we drafted Monroe...wouldn't the smarter move be moving Albert to LG, and Waters to C or RG? Is Albert even built to be a RT? Just curious...

Because of the fact that Cassel has in the NFL for 4 years. Learning an NFL offense, practicing, through training camps, been with a team through the NFL playoffs, worked directly under the greatest QB of all time.

For all we know, Stafford could be Joey Harrington. He might be Tom Brady, but we don't know how he will handle himself in the NFL

With Cassel you get a guy who as already played a year, been primed for the NFL, has plenty of experience in the league and in an NFL offense, who got better as the year went on last year, won 6 out of his last 8 games.

Sure the knocks are going to be there that he played on a great team, but he's got at least as much upside as a guy who's never played a down and is coming out of college early.

Well, if it is for a 3rd then I'd be pretty pissed as a Pats fan...it's like the Patriots didn't even try to shop Cassel or leverage him off of anyone...they just sort of gift wrapped him for Pioli

This is hilarious! All the threads about ****ing Sanchez over the past few months for nothing.

Goddammit. How many times does this have to be explained? You don't move guys who can play LT at a pro bowl level to left ****ing guard.

Jesus Christ.

Is that a joke? what's the point

lulz

Does anyone have a link to nfl network online? I am stuck in the hospital