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I don't think Curry is the only way you go. I think there are numerous directions (I actually wouldn't mind Crabtree). I know Pioli is unpredictable, but with the way he gushed over Cassel in his intro PC, and then giving up a 2nd rounder for him, I just can't believe he would take a QB.

You'll see on April 25th at around 1 how much of the "longshot" QB guys there were that are all bent out of shape that we don't have Stafford or Sanchez.

Good, so USC should be avoided too.

Nothing you posted here changes one goddamn thing about TEXAS.

I just don't get why there HAS to be any choice.

Some of the arguments being thrown around here, by BOTH sides, are just mind-boggling.

I feel just like you do - it's hard for me to believe that they'd take a QB considering that they acquired Cassel and particularly HOW they acquired Cassel.

But to sit here and say "they will not take a QB. Cassel is the man" after all the other smoke and mirrors we've been through this offseason, let alone the fact that the guy doesn't have a contract? Seems like pretty shallow reasoning to me.

What smoke and mirrors?

I'll be honest:

I'll be disappointed, but I sure as hell won't be bent out of shape.

Personally, Pioli could have killed all this speculation by doing one thing:

Signing Cassel to a long-term deal.

But he hasn't.

Don't think for a second that only a few message board posters here at CP have noticed.

Exactly.

I shouldn't say smoke and mirrors, so much as NO real information coming from the team.

It's all been rumor and innuendo and in the end, most of the moves have come completely out of left field.

Exactly.

If Cassel was still with the Patriots as we near the draft... as through history most franchised players would be at this time... and we would have aquired his services say a day or two before the draft, I might be more inclined to agree with you on the common sense thing.

However, 1 day into the Free Agency/Trading period is pretty unique for players moving teams for draft picks in this scenario.

Nothing is going to shock me... at leat I don't think it will... on draft day. That would include drafting a QB at #3 and keeping Cassel, drafting a QB at #3 and trading Cassel, or not drafting a QB at all and going with Cassel.

If it winds up being option 3, five years from now I will be much more disappointed if a Sanchez/Stafford selection would have been the route to go long term, and we missed out on either option 1 or 2.

There will be more draft picks and more drafts to fill out the roster. Super Bowl franchise QB types are very hard to find. LB's and O-linemen not so much.

Have any Franchise Players signed long-term deals yet?

They usually don't this early..

Most franchised players are still with the team that tagged them. That usually happens because they can't work out a deal, whereas you'd think since we traded for Cassel we want to lock him up. Maybe it's a long negotiation, a stubborn agent, who knows

The ones that were retained by their own teams, such as Gross for the Panthers. I think there were a couple of more, and if I am not mistaken, Cassel is the only one who has switched teams at this point.

I've only found one example so far, so bear with me.

John Abraham was trade from the Jets to the Falcons on March 21st. He signed a new deal with the Falcons on March 23rd.

Gross wasn't the Panthers franchise player...