Patriots say they will franchise Matt Cassel
 

Source Says Patriots Will Franchise QB Matt Cassel

Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel will have the franchise tag placed upon hims according to Michael Lombardi, a host of Inside the NFL on Showtime, according to The Providence Journal. "The Patriots are way too smart, and I've talked to people in the organization," said Lombardi. "They are going to franchise Matt Cassel. He's an asset and they can control their ability to trade him if they franchise him." The Pats would have to give Cassel a 1-year deal at the average salary of the league's five highest paid quarterbacks, so in an odd twist he would actually receive a larger salary in 2009 than Tom Brady. If true, this news likely means that the club is far from certain that Brady will be back at full health in 2009.

Source: RotoTimes.com

Probably smart considering Brady's injury as well, at worst they get 1 year longer with him or get a team to sign him and get picks.

Of course they will. They are not going to let him walk without compensation. Only the Chargers are stupid/arrogant enough to do something like that.

I thought the Pats where smart and let players go
Cassel will be able to retire on that 1 year's pay

Hell, yes. What choice do they have at this point?

They let that stiff Bledsoe go because they had Brady. This is a completely different situation.

They traded Bledsoe for a first round pick, just like they will trade Cassel.

That and who else would they use that tag on anyway?

Junior Seau?

Hopefully this rules out his coming to KC. The Lions might be dumb enough.

It's going to cost over 12 mil to franchise Cassel, so it's not exactly costless. I think that's just further proof that they will trade Cassel.

Cassel doesn't go for a first round. No way.

(Yeah. Bookmark it. Some team may be that freaking stupid.)

Cassel owes Pollard an Escalade

I didn't mean to imply it would be for a first rounder, just that they intend to trade him.

Gotcha. Makes more sense that way.

But who's going to play behind Brady then? New draft that might have to start week 1? I'm not seeing it.

Cassel is a good insurance policy even at that price. He could be gone to another team by the deadline if Brady comes back and they can identify his next backup by then.

IF Brady comes back and is the same.. Two years is a long time IF they are still on that timeline..

Cassel gives them the advantage of being a known commodity.. I do not see him being traded this off-season unless some team does something monumentally stupid.. I also see him being franchised next year depending on Brady's condition.. Either as trade bait, or sign him to a long term deal if they think Brady is done..

I do not see the Pats looking for Brady's backup but Cassel's backup this year..

I am surprised there arent any Tom Brady to KC rumors starting yet....the king of the spread!

Cassell=Grbac you heard it here first

Brady for our first rounder to NE once we aquire Pioli and they are keeping Grbac....I mean Cassell

There's no point in looking for anything except a short-term backup (early-season next year, if necessary) for Cassel during Brady's absence. Cassel is nothing but a backup for the rest of his career. No one will give more than backup value for the guy.

Unfortunately, the Pats have little choice at this time. In any event, Cassel isn't Brady's replacement. He's an interim replacement QB.

I think you are wrong on this. There are definitely teams in this league that will look at Cassel as a starter and someone will give up decent value for him.

If Kerry Collins can start on a successful team in this league, maybe you're right.

The Patriots just used a 3rd round pick on a QB they liked...it's not like they are totally unprepared at that position.

Which round was Brodie Croyle drafted in?

Hey this guy didn't blow out any knees and it seems the Pats know how to deal with QB's.

I could have sworn I asked you about Brodie Croyle.

He was chosen in which round?

Meanwhile, I understand your point. The Pats can make personnel play above their anticipated level, while teams like the Chiefs can't.

Which round did the Patriots take Tom Brady in? I think it was after the 3rd round but I can't remember. Can you help me out?

6th.

This is a wild-ass guess, but I think he was a fifth.

I hope you're not thinking that Cassel is worth a first because he's started for the Pats.

It'll be interesting to see what you're getting at.

They can use the tag as leverage to get compensation. They don't have to pay the money, or have it counted against the cap UNLESS Cassel signs the tender.

Franchising Cassel is just another brilliant move by an organization that focuses on the big picture.

If I am Cassel I force their hand by trying to sign the tag immediately. That would force them to withdraw the tender and leave Cassel free to go anywhere he wants.

Brady was a sixth.

IMO the pats are actually going to KEEP cassell, reports that brady's knee might have to have MORE sugery are looking more and more true. so it would make sense to keep cassell on a franchise tag for one year and see how the Brady situation plays out. remember guys the patriots usually do the SMART thing

Some of us have been saying this for weeks.

The franchise tag for a QB will be 14 million.

The Pats are projected to be 19 million under the cap from what I have read, not including their free agents.

14 million is a big chunk of money out of that and they would still have to sign their draft picks, and any free agents they want to get OR keep.

All in all, I don't see them keeping Cassell unless they really feel like Brady is done for this upcoming season as well. If they have a better than 50/50 chance in their mind, then Cassell is a goner....IMO.

A twist would be the Pats trading Brady, which sounds ridiculous, but is 'possible'. The Pats just went 11-5 with Cassel. It was his first year, and Brady is supposedly having some issues with the surgery. Belichick is not afraid to cut ties with good players. And, he is arrogant enough to think it is more about him than it is about the players.

Don't think it will happen, but I can see it as a possibility.

Petro tried to start it two weeks ago.

It is more about him than it is about the players.

qft

Lions got the Cowboys first round pick. That could be dealt for Cassel.

i hope no team pays them


it will be funny to see them pay two quarterbacks 10+ a year

That would be awesome, but only happen if it were the Chiefs..

If I were Cassel though and there might be interest out there for me being a starter and getting a 3-5 year contract, I would be signing that shit as soon as the claim got put on me..

I'm wondering if Cassel is worth paying the average of the top 5 QBs in the NFL.

I would think one of the lesser tags could protect their investment without costing so much.


But then again, if the Pats want to tie up that much $ into a guy they hope will be their backup again next season, it won't bother me any.

Doubt it, the transition tag is how we lost Tait I believe.. At least I thought it was Tait..

yep ... we used the transition tag to try and save 2 million in cap space.

it ended up costing us big

transition tag didn't give us nearly as much leverage and no draft picks in compensation.



pats management > chiefs management

LOL

http://www.gbnreport.com/letters.htm

GBN:
What I'm finding very hard to believe is the fact that every site, including yours, is not jumping on the top story of this draft (or related story); and that is the fact that the Patriots will franchise and trade Matt Cassel and grab more picks. Of course I'm a big Patriots fan, but I still think this is relevant to all teams and every draftnik out there, especially the ones in need of a solid #1 QB, and that is approximately 75% of the league...no joke there.

QB is the most important position in all of sports and the draft has proven to be a crap-shoot. So, with a QB available with game film showing 400 yard passing days, 2 minute drills run with perfection (better than any other QB in the League beside Manning and Brady, and a pretty important fact), not to mention he's young, intelligent, can run when necessary, and has trained under the one of the top coaches and top QB's. What more could another team want? And, I've heard the "system QB argument" but that doesn't fly. All good NFL teams have systems that put players in the position to succeed; look at Steve Young going from Tampa Bay to San Francisco, or Jim Plunkett going from a sad-sack old-time Pats' bunch to the Raiders. The list is endless. One needs to be in a winning system to succeed, so you don't exclude a player because they come from a winning system. Cassel can make all the throws and still has more to show.

In fact, I would be tempted to take Patriots' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has interviewed for at least one of the league's vacant head coaching positions, and Cassel together to help make the transition smoother.

I hear people say that they would take any of these college QB's and I can't believe my ears. The guaranteed money alone makes this such a gamble. The league is full of countless top 10 flops, especially at QB including Alex Smith, David Carr, and Joey Harrington etc. There contracts are crippling and you have to give the kids a shot if you take them that high, so your entire organization has to sit back and HOPE this kid becomes a winner. Well, in New England, they 2 quality QBs one of which will be going and it will be Cassel, in my opinion, and he should go ahead of any college QB if anyone has a brain out there.

Here's more of twist for you. How about Detroit over-paying for Cassel by using a trade with New England to get out from under the #1 pick this, but still having a #1 in 2009 the pick they get from Dallas. In fact, I could hear Bill Belichick demanding the 20th pick instead of the #1 pick !

Dan L.