NFL - Are You Ready For Some Football?! - The Offseason

[-Jrabbit]

Color me skeptical on Cassel moving. Certainly won't happen before mini-camps.

Well, I certainly nailed that one!

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Pats did well... a 2nd and conditional pick next year for a backup.

I wouldn't call that doing well...combined with the Vrabel trade, I almost think Pioli is getting a discount from the Pats, though I can't imagine that's the case.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Nevermind what I said earlier:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/02/28/chiefs.trade.for.cassel/index.html

The New England Patriots have traded quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel to Kansas City for the Chiefs' second-round pick in the 2009 draft, SI.com has learned.

Vrabel in the mix and only a 2nd rounder (and no conditional) makes this a very nice move for the Chiefs as well.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I wouldn't call that doing well...combined with the Vrabel trade, I almost think Pioli is getting a discount from the Pats, though I can't imagine that's the case.

Well if it was just Cassel for a 2nd and a 2nd, that would have been really awesome for the Pats (no one trades 1st rounders anymore).

[Zopperoni]

At least it's a high second round pick... but yea, I certainly hope that Vrabel was a separate deal and not part of the Cassel package (even though Vrabel is quite old now).

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Nope. Vrabel + Cassel for #34. Even given that the Pats value draft picks differently (if they did end up getting #3 I assumed they'd be trading it away) that seems odd.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I'm guessing they just needed Cassel out the door as soon as possible in order to get his cap space back, and they threw in Vrabel as a sweetener since he was expected to be a cap casualty later anyway.

[Berzerker]

oh geez, I was hoping to see Thiggie next year. But Cassel is a nice pick up for KC

[Zopperoni]

In the end, I guess it's better than being stuck with a huge salary hit

Now, the Patriots can have some fun on the market

[Zopperoni]

The gold rush toward the (AFC) West continues. Broncos bolster their defense with Brian Dawkins with a huge deal, five years and 17M USD (7M USD guaranteed).

[-Jrabbit]

Just read a report saying the Pats didn't want the first-rounder due to the high salary associated with it, and the difficulty in trading it. They feel (and I agree) that late 1st and early 2nd rounders offer much greater value (lower salary cap hit, less pain if the guy's a bust).

Pats now have 3 second-rounders this year, plus cap space. Should be fun to watch them fill out their team.

[Zopperoni]

Still, I would have preferred if the package included a conditional 2nd-to-4th round pick in 2010 draft.

[Zopperoni]

The Lions have made some moves. Lions have traded Jon Kitna to the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions also signed RB Maurice Morris and CB Eric King.

[Zopperoni]

To add some spice to the Cassel trade, Detroit and Tampa Bay were apparently interested in trading to get Cutler on their teams with Cassel going to Denver

Denver obviously declined both offers, but Cutler didn't seem amused

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Just read a report saying the Pats didn't want the first-rounder due to the high salary associated with it, and the difficulty in trading it. They feel (and I agree) that late 1st and early 2nd rounders offer much greater value (lower salary cap hit, less pain if the guy's a bust).

Pats now have 3 second-rounders this year, plus cap space. Should be fun to watch them fill out their team.

Yeah, I mean, $20M in cap space and 4 picks in the sweet spot of the first two rounds is a pretty good position for a team that was 11-5 without Brady to be in. And really, if you had told me a year ago that Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel were going to turn into the #34 pick in the draft I'd have thought you flipped your wig. It's only in comparison to what a lot of writers have said (yeah, I know...) that it's a disappointing trade. Even then I don't think it's that horrible, but I suspect they could have gotten better value if their hand hadn't been forced by being up against the cap. I wonder if we'll see Bodden sign shortly...he was supposedly close to signing yesterday but they couldn't agree on a contract that would fit the cap situation.

I'm still holding out for Peppers, even if it's a pipe dream now that Cassel didn't net a 1st rounder.