SECOND-ROUND PICK FOR CASSEL

Schefter was just on NFL Net saying there was a 3rd team involved in the trade, and nothing was set on compensation yet.

So, umm, yeah, that sucks. Are Cassel and Vrabel parting gifts for Pioli>

That seems nuts to me. Are the Pats are just really anxious to help Pioli out in his new job or what?

This isn't the end, just like the Vrabel deal, something is up.

With all due respect to Peter King, he got frozen out of One Patriot Place over a year ago. His connections with the Patriots are non-existent.

Pardon me if I don't quite buy his premature reporting.

Peter King has no idea. I'll wait to see what Shefter says about it, he seems to be on top of things this offseason. I want to see them get the 3rd pick and swing it for Julius Peppers.

Hey Fliorio -- you were wrong. Go Chiefs. Get a new job, bozo.

It's not 2nd rd pick, this article is wrong....sorry. The details have yet to be released.

There's still more info to be released on this deal, so don't call it "one sided" just yet......I'm willing to bet a third team is involved and another pick is heading to the Patriots from that third team. Also, a conditional pick is also involved from KC....plus whatever pick the Patriots got from the Vrabel part of the deal. So basically...the Patriots will get at least THREE picks (maybe a 4th) for a linebacker who is in decline and really dropped off alot last season (Though he is well liked in New England) and a guy who almost got CUT in preseason last season (Cassel)

And we all know how the Patriots can turn those extra draft picks into gold (either by acquiring established veterans or picking players like Mayo last year. Again..hold off on the quick judgment on who got the better of this deal until all the details are released.

Looks like they gave Pioli that Friends and Fanily discount for Cassel. Either that or Belichick and Co know something that they are not telling Pioli!?!?!

Wow, Cassel and Vrabel for a total of one measly second round pick (at least that's what King is reporting)? How did Pioli pull that off? Does he have incriminating pictures of Belichick?

The difference is that neither Rick Spielman nor the Nicktator had nothing to do with this trade.

I feel like the real team that got snookered was the Vikings! We got Sage Rosenfels for a fourth rounder. WE COULD HAVE HAD CASSEL FOR A MERE SECOND ROUNDER?!!?? Geez I was thinkin they'd want the next two years worth of first rounders or something equivalent. What crap! Now they BETTER friggin get Housh.

Pioli 1, Pats 0, Lions 0

Lions wasted the #20 pick.

The Patriots aren't idiots. They are freeing this cap space for someone..Lewis?

Remember this is the same Bill Belichick who got Randy Moss for a 4th rounder. He knows what he's doing.

Looks like we know who wore the pants in NE...

Chiefs on the way up, pats back to the cellar with the jets where you belong. Hey Bellitool, how about Randy Moss and Wes Welker for a 6th?

If the trade does not involve the 3rd pick it is outstanding for the Chiefs and very good for the Pats. Chiefs get there quarterback and then can address their D with the 3rd pick.

The Pats do not see "value" at the 3rd pick considering the price they would have to pay. The Pats will have 3 2nd round picks plue their own in the first round. They will not have to pay an outrageous salary and bonus to a 3rd overall pick. They can then use their savings to address Wilfork and others who have contracts expiring.

This works for both teams.

Remember that the Pats had in fact very little leverage here, and leverage is more important than talent in NFL trades (what did the Pats get Randy Moss for?).

Cassel had signed the tender, Brady was coming back, and there's no way the Pats could afford to pay Cassel 15 million to be a backup. And no one would know their personnel plans and cap situation better than Pioli.

Tagging Cassel at all was a risk, and NE had to turn him into a cheap asset, and fast.

The 14m was not for his play in 2008, it's a mandated salary because he was franchised. Do you really follow the NFL or just have a passing interest?

Florio has very little in the way of NFL connections people. The guy is simply a lawyer turned blogger...Florio is a step down from a used car salesman.

Even if it is just a second rounder, it is better than what they would have got had they not franchised Cassel, which is next to nothing. From that perspective, it does not look so bad.

The Cassel trade is being rumored for a 2nd rounder and a conditional 2010 pick (probably a 3rd with potential to be a 1st).

I have to believe the Chiefs gave up a lot more than just 1 pick for Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel...

That'd be stupid. That'd be monster stupid. There is either a player involved or a ton of picks involved. 3-4+ picks, probably 2+ 2009 picks and 2+ 2010 picks.

The Pats pulled of a great move. They had the choice of signing Cassel or letting him go for nothing. So, the sign him, then get a high second round pick in return.

So instead of letting Cassel go in free agency for nothing, the get a second round pick and don't even have to pay the salary.

Remember, Cassel has only played one year, and the Pats have Brady.

Once again, the Pats know what they are doing.

"Remember this is the same Bill Belichick who got Randy Moss for a 4th rounder. He knows what he's doing"

Belichick is'nt the only one that makes decisions in that building. If I remember correctly, one Scott Pioli was in the front office at the time of that Moss trade. Maybe he's the one that knows what he's doing....

The Pats can't afford to keep Cassel at $14.5M.

They could have let him go into free agency, in which case they probably would have received a supplemental draft choice, at the BOTTOM of the THIRD ROUND, in the 2010 draft.

Instead, they get a pick at the TOP of the SECOND ROUND, in the 2009 draft.

It sounds like a pretty solid move to me.

Then why are you here Bill? You could be eating something.

Florio - you need to keep in mind that Cassel can block any trade... so you can pretty much write off the chances of trading him to a Turd Team no matter how many first round selections they might be offering.

Cassel wants to start, and he wants to win - that means a good team with lots of cap space - i.e. the Chiefs.

people, chill out on matt cassel, he could end up being another one-year wonder like rob johnson, people were ripping him last august screaming for him to get cut, and now people want to compare him to the second coming of montana. chill out AMERICA!

I think alot of you are underestimating the value of 20 million in cap space also......the Patriots now have at least 3 second round picks in thsi year's draft.....and they can draft very good players in a DEEP draft and pay them second round prices...rather than first round prices. Was it a great deal for the Chiefs? hell yeah........but it's a good deal for the Patriots as well...and anyone who doubts that...just hasn't been paying attention for the past 10 years. (Corey Dillon for a second round pick....wes welker for a second round pick....Randy Moss for a 4th round pick)........and with cap space and an arsenal of draft picks......watch out for some more great moves by the Patriots.

the chiefs just need to get a speed burner at wide receiver and they'll be set.

QB- matt cassel
RB-jamal charles, kolby smith
WR-Bowe
TE-Gonzalez
all they need is a deep threat and they're set.

they should also trade larry johnson to arizona since they dont need edge.

Cassel had a good year, but didn't "merit" $14.65 million. The Pats had to pay that to franchise him, which was the only way they could get a return on their investment in him. Pioli knows Cassel's strengths AND weaknesses. He did poorly in the red zone, and the long pass to Moss was no longer much of a treat with Cassel. He relied much more on shorter passes than Brady, and had the largest yards after catch figure in the league.

Don't get me wrong - Cassel's a good young quarterback. At the same time, the Pats designed their offense to highlight his strengths and hide his weaknesses. I think he'll get better. But he comes at a huge price tag, literally, and the Pats will now have a great second round pick (if reports are true), giving them 3 second rounders, and will have plenty of cap space.

I hated to see Vrabel go, but as much as I love him as a player, he did seem to slip a bit last year. He'll be missed.

You're wrong, Florio, that is not a great deal.

It isn't a heck of deal to get Cassel for a 2nd... because he's probably not even worth his contract... Matt Cassel will be getting paid $14 mil this season, that is his worth, teams will happily ship off a bench player making that much money for far less.

FOr those that are not following here's the deal:

If a free agent, let's say Haynesworth, signs a deal for 7 years and $100 mil, then that is his value... he has no trade value because his value has been set by the $$$ paid for him. Considering the Redskins were the highest bidder and 31 other teams passed on paying that amount then technically his trade would be a negative one. Meaning if the Redskins decided to turn around and trade him tomorrow, then as far as draftpicks are concerned the Redskins would be the ones giving up the picks, not the other team (because no other team was willing to take Haynesworth and his contract so they would have to be compensated for doing so)... now if Haynesworth would to be traded for another high priced player, then that makes more sense.

That being said, Cassel's worth is his contract and in reality, if Cassel were to hit te free agency market he would have likely earned far less per season than $14 mil... so in reality, the Pats should have been giving Cassel to the Chiefs and a pick to compensate them for taking on his huge contract. Still not following, try looking at the NBA where the teams routinely trade overpaid veterans and a number 1 pick for a 2nd rounder... it's called being compensated for a player's inflated contract.

More ignorance by you, Florio.

You call the Pats getting a 2nd round pick AND NOT having to pay their backup QB $14 mil a loss? Please reread what you wrote, that it utter stupidity. Cassel could have escaped as a free agent and the Pats would have had received ZERO compensation and instead they get a #2 AND don't have to pay the guy's contract to sit on the bench.

Brandon's spot on! This drat is loaded with impact defensive plyrs. Cassel's an average quarterback! To get a second rounder, a high 2nd rounder at that is a steal! The Vrabel move was that should of been made LAST YEAR! Now get Bruschi's ARSE outta there!

BTW why would the Pats pick up the 1st rounder(3rd pick overall)? The money the 3rd pick is gonna get is going to be equal or greater than the Matt Ryan contract!!! UnPATRIOT-like to say the least! Now, with that 34 pick you can get a quality starter on defense, they so badly need.

Pioli just let the Patriots free up money to sign Ray Lewis. I am a Jet fan, trust me, this is what they are doing.

There were two things going against the Patriots here. The first was the franchise tender that Cassel signed. It drove his value down. It isn't much of an asset if the player you are trading for has one year to free agency and has a monster 1-year deal in place which is in excess of his value. The second is timing. Cassel's cap charge constrained the Patriots and they needed to move fast. So, what did the Patriots accomplish? They kept Cassel away from the Jets. If they let Cassel just walk, that may have been the case and there was NO WAY Vrabel would have been worth a second round pick. Vince Wilfork is now going to get paid.

It is hilarious listening to Pats fans trying to justify to themselves that this was a good deal for the Patsies. Pioli pulled one over on them.

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