[OnTheWarpath15]

Looks like trading Bledsoe was no more of a cap hit for the Patriots than if he was actually on the roster in 2002.

http://www.cbssports.com/b/page/pres...585362,00.html

Pats' sticky, but wonderful QB controversy

The New England Patriots have a wonderful quarterback controversy on their hands. While other teams such as the Lions, Ravens, Seahawks and Chargers have suffered such controversies because of poor quarterbacking this season, the Patriots are in a quandary because their starter has been too good.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has one quarterback in Drew Bledsoe, who was given a reported 10-year, $103 million deal this offseason, sitting behind a youngster in Tom Brady, who has brought the surging Pats back to respectability.

While the contract numbers on the surface would suggest that it would be impossible to trade the former All-Pro Bledsoe, a closer look at the deal tells a different story.

SportsLine.com sat down with two team executives in order to break down the deal and it turns out that trading Bledsoe would only cost the Patriots an additional $333,333 against their salary cap -- provided they can pull off such a deal.

Should Bledsoe be on the roster next year, the quarterback would count $6.333 million against their cap. But if he's traded or released he would count $6.666 million -- a small difference considering the overall value of the contract could be as much as $103 million.

According to his contract, Bledsoe's salary-cap number for next season is $6.333 million, $5 million in salary and $1.333 in previous bonus money. In three weeks Bledsoe is due a $4 million payment as the second half of an $8 million option bonus the team picked up on July 1.

Thus, should they trade him to a team such as the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions or Tampa Bay Buccaneers, $6.666 million of this bonus would accelerate to hit the Patriots salary cap next year, a $333,333 difference.

Many believe both Brady and Bledsoe can't be on the Patriots roster next year.

Bledsoe, previously considered the franchise, this week was said be furious over not being given enough repetitions in practice to compete for the starting job. He went as far as holding a meeting with team owner Robert Kraft.

After strongly insinuating that Brady would be his starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, head coach Bill Belichick this week retracted such sentiments and uncharacteristically tried his hand at the public relations game.

"In no way, shape or form is this a situation where Drew has lost his job," said Belichick. "There's a certain sense out there that Tom Brady has been picked to be the quarterback of the New England Patriots over Drew Bledsoe. Tom Brady has been the quarterback for the last eight weeks. And I just think Tom is ready to be the quarterback for this ninth week as well.

"I'm not saying it's been an equal competition and that Tom has beaten Drew out and taken his job. I've never said anything like that. I've told that to Tom and I've told that to Drew. I'm on record as telling everybody that." Bledsoe was clearly angered earlier in the week over the coach's refusal to open up the quarterback competition. However, as the week progressed the normally classy passer calmed quite a bit.

"Drew and I have talked a little bit," said Belichick. "But I think this is a situation that is going to work itself out. I don't think the way it's necessarily been portrayed is really the way it is. ... I'm not going to sit here and try to convince anybody that what I did was right. All I'm saying is that I have to make a decision based on the best interest of the football team, and I have to do it every week and that's all I'll try to do."

The Patriots need to ask themselves how much is it worth to them to eat $6.666 million of their cap for a player who is no longer on their roster?

Two general managers said that such a figure would require at least a first-round pick in return. Anything less may not be worth it.

"Remember, that's nearly 10 percent of your cap on a guy who isn't on your roster," said one AFC general manager. "That's a lot of dead money for one guy. Look what dead money did to the 49ers and the Cowboys.

"But at the same time, it's not so overwhelming where you don't do it if you truly believe in Brady and you can get something decent in return. If they truly believe in Brady, it would be worth it to trade Drew for a first-rounder. You also have to take into account the impact that such a controversy will have going into next season. There's no way they can go into camp next year with Drew as the backup. That won't work. It won't be good for anyone there."

The contract also states that on Feb. 15, 2002 the Patriots must decide on another option bonus of $7.2 million. If they pick up this bonus on or before this date, Bledsoe's contract will automatically be extended from 2005 to 2010. This route calls for the team to pay him $4.2 million on April 15 of next year and $3 million on the same date in 2003. Currently, it would be very unlikely they would exercise this option.

One thing in Belichick's favor is that veterans who would normally come to the rescue of their franchise quarterback are not. Most of the players on the roster are Belichick's guys (brought in by the coach) and those who weren't are happy to finally be a winning team again after a few years of losing. Thus, the vets like Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy and others are not raising a storm over the position.

Interestingly enough, they got a 1st rounder for Bledsoe from Buffalo.