Cassell next year?

[Chi_archie]

what is his contract situation...

what happens when Brady comes back??


dude is starting to turn it on. How many teams does he start for next sunday if he were instantly traded hypothetically...

or is his success just a function of the Pats talent, and system?

Best backup next year, or starter elsewhere?

[SBR Lou]

Bill Romanowski made mention that he thinks the Pats will trade Brady as his contract is slated to expire in a year or so. While I do not think it will happen, it's not as ridiculous as one might think.

Brady will be 31 next year, and while he still has winning years ahead of him and will still dominate if healthy going forward, the Pats could get an arm and a leg for a healthy Brady and can further rebuild the Pats team with high draft choices and maybe another explosive defensive player to help Cassel.

The far more likely scenario is (assuming a healthy Brady), The Pats first try to keep Cassel inked to a back-up deal, but most likely if he's an unrestricted free agent if he couldn't be sweet-talked he'd want to go elsewhere and be a starter.

[jjgold]

He stays

Brady might never play again

[InTheHole]

Agree Cassel stays but I'm not sure what will happen with Brady...he'll play again. It would be criminal to keep this guy as a backup

[SBR Lou]

It would be criminal to keep this guy as a backup

I agree "to an extent". I don't think we have seen enough yet.

How many quarterbacks wouldn't throw 400yd games with Randy Moss and Wes Welker spread out?

How would Matt Cassel look on the majority of average NFL teams?

[InTheHole]

CrazyL...point well taken...I guess I give too much credit to someone who came in to fill a position which many thought was unfillable...he took a lot of shit for his performance the first few games yet persevered. As a Jets/Giants (it's possible!) fan I am more concerned about the Romo/TO connection

[Illusion]

Cassell is an unrestricted free agent. The only way I see New England keeping him is if they throw the franchise tag on him.

[cweh]

I think Cassell is good, but he is a victem of the system. I do not think he will be a "elite" QB on any other team. I see him as a "serviceable" starting QB. There is a reason, why he was back to two QBs @ USC.

I think he will stay and back up Brady!

[The Seer]

Belichik keeps older guys. If he keeps older defenders, he'll keep Brady. Cassel will get a nice free agent deal and be on his way. They know what Brady can do over the long haul. He'll be there til his mid to late 30s like other good QBs. Bill is married to Brady.

[SBR Lou]

Belichik keeps older guys. If he keeps older defenders, he'll keep Brady. Cassel will get a nice free agent deal and be on his way. They know what Brady can do over the long haul. He'll be there til his mid to late 30s like other good QBs. Bill is married to Brady.

Agreed.

Cassel is just some young kid with talent. He can't take this team to the Super Bowl, by the time he could Moss and Welker will be winding down and he'd actually have to make the team better with the emphasis on his play: something Brady was able to do before the offense became a juggernaut. Then again, the defense was far better in the past but Brady still was clutch, consistent, and stepped up to the plate every time when asked. I highly doubt Cassel will come close, if ever even in the same zipcode, as Brady has to greatness.

[w9ii9]

Brady is being traded to Oakland for ten first round draft picks.

[SBR Lou]

Brady is being traded to Oakland for ten first round draft picks.

[bostonbruins]

Cassel will be starting for the Loins next year!

[SBR Lou]

Cassell is an unrestricted free agent. The only way I see New England keeping him is if they throw the franchise tag on him.

My understanding of franchise tag is, they must pay him par for the course of what the competitive price is for backup QB's for one more season? Which would be somewhat of a slap in the face since he'll feel he's worth more than that. If they want to make things right by him, they'll sign him to a new deal but they need to first figure out the Brady situation.

[bushy]

My understanding of franchise tag is, they must pay him par for the course of what the competitive price is for backup QB's for one more season? Which would be somewhat of a slap in the face since he'll feel he's worth more than that. If they want to make things right by him, they'll sign him to a new deal but they need to first figure out the Brady situation.

My understanding is that they'd have to pay him the average salary based on the top 5 salaries at his position, QB. This would probably be too much if they keep Brady too. If they franchise him, they will probably have to trade him, as about 25% of the salary cap next year would be taken up by their 2 QBs.

[SBR Lou]

My understanding is that they'd have to pay him the average salary based on the top 5 salaries at his position, QB. This would probably be too much if they keep Brady too. If they franchise him, they will probably have to trade him, as about 25% of the salary cap next year would be taken up by their 2 QBs.

OK, I thought if he wasn't named the starter it'd be the average of top 5 at a backup role, so I guess it'd be a realistic thing for him to accept being franchised without getting his feelings hurt then if he gets treated like a regular QB.

[The Seer]

He has seen the bigtime now, he won't settle for a back up roll. That is like letting a baby get a few sucks on a bottle and take it away or me on a tit. He won't be satisfied now as a backup.

[VegasDave]

Huge payday coming for Cassell!

He will not be in a Pats jersey next year.

[Sforz]

Don't be surprised if Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is hired as a head coach next year for the same team that gets Cassell. You know, "heres a new team McDaniels, but the QB you have been working with."

[mtneer1212]

Cassell is an unrestricted free agent. The only way I see New England keeping him is if they throw the franchise tag on him.

This is almost a certainty, since it will buy the Pats a year to see how Brady comes back,and how Cassel develops.

[SBR Lou]

He has seen the bigtime now, he won't settle for a back up roll. That is like letting a baby get a few sucks on a bottle and take it away or me on a tit. He won't be satisfied now as a backup.

Luckily for him, there's no shortage of teams that have awful QB's in the NFL. He'll get a starting gig somewhere, but may not land the 'blockbuster' deal he (wrongly) feels he deserves.

[Irish Lumberjack]

Cassell is an unrestricted free agent. The only way I see New England keeping him is if they throw the franchise tag on him.

The Franchise tag for a qb next year will be just over 14M. I doubt the pats put it on him, It would make him higher paid then Brady.

[unit1884]

No way the Pats dump Brady... Thats just crazy...

[SportsLockPicks]

live in boston...here a lot about this situation...one of two things will happen...either he goes to the bench and backs brady up again...or, and this is most likely, he is traded for draft pick(s)

[y2kls1a4]

^ I'm in Boston too. You listen to WEEI a lot? Anyways, Cassel will NOT be in New England next year. Although the pats would like to keep him, they will not be able to afford him next year. He will get a big contract somewhere else. They also can't trade him because is a free agent next year, he can go where he wants. The only thing they could do is put the franchise tag on him, which is unlikely because to put the franchise tag on you have to show reasonable interest in a player, which the pats do not have due to the money he is looking to make next year. I am not sure of the exact rules, but the pats may get a draft pick for him depending on how long he plays somewhere else (see asante samuel).

[frostno98]

Injured knee or not Brady still has another good 5 years left. I don't see Brady playing past 35 though, this guy already has everything and probably not in love with the game as much as Brett Farve to stay longer.

[InTheHole]

CrazyL...point well taken...I guess I give too much credit to someone who came in to fill a position which many thought was unfillable...he took a lot of shit for his performance the first few games yet persevered. As a Jets/Giants (it's possible!) fan I am more concerned about the Romo/TO connection

Remember that boys...whole different team!

[Vikings2]

Cassell would look good in purple next season.

[slacker00]

^ I'm in Boston too. You listen to WEEI a lot? Anyways, Cassel will NOT be in New England next year. Although the pats would like to keep him, they will not be able to afford him next year. He will get a big contract somewhere else. They also can't trade him because is a free agent next year, he can go where he wants. The only thing they could do is put the franchise tag on him, which is unlikely because to put the franchise tag on you have to show reasonable interest in a player, which the pats do not have due to the money he is looking to make next year. I am not sure of the exact rules, but the pats may get a draft pick for him depending on how long he plays somewhere else (see asante samuel).

Great post. I think this is all very accurate.

Sounds like Cassell is in a dream scenario, getting maximum exposure in an unrestricted contract year.

The only question is where will Cassell go. Who will be the highest bidder? If Cassell is for real, I'd love to see him go to Buffalo. Just imagine that rivalry. If he's a bum, but we just don't know it yet, send him to Detroit or San Francisco.

[fiveteamer]

duh, Washington.

[bostonsbetter]

Im in Boston and from what people around here are saying doesnt look to good for Tom. He is by far the best QB in the game but the infection in his leg is way bigger of a deal than they're making it.

I honestly would love to see Tom and Randy back in action, although Cassel has been great for us, Tom is on another level. I know Cassel has had 2 weeks in a row over 400 yards but I just cant see hime having the consistancy throught his career like brady did.

Bottom line.. Pats are screwed next year. Tom isn't going to be ready for week 1 and if they get rid of cassel its going to be a nightmare and unfortunately thats what looks like could happen.

[slacker00]

Im in Boston and from what people around here are saying doesnt look to good for Tom. He is by far the best QB in the game but the infection in his leg is way bigger of a deal than they're making it.

I honestly would love to see Tom and Randy back in action, although Cassel has been great for us, Tom is on another level. I know Cassel has had 2 weeks in a row over 400 yards but I just cant see hime having the consistancy throught his career like brady did.

Bottom line.. Pats are screwed next year. Tom isn't going to be ready for week 1 and if they get rid of cassel its going to be a nightmare and unfortunately thats what looks like could happen.

Wow, Brady won't be ready in 8 months. That's pretty messed up.

Maybe they'll have to franchise Cassell after all! I mean, 14 million for a one year insurance blanket suddenly seems worth it if there are these lingering doubts about Brady's ability to get back for week 1 next year. Maybe Cassell will ink a deal to stay in NE for something more "reasonable". It'll be interesting to see what kind of numbers get thrown around in the offseason. A lot will depend on what other QBs are out there as well as how Cassell finished out the year.

[cannonball]

cassell

cassell must have been a great high school QB. so what? a good back up yes maybe. a franchise Qb don't bet the farm.Bellicheck can bring out the best of anyone and I am a Colts fan but buyer beware, Cassell is not that good unless he has a system to support him. Tom Brady is the exception not the rule. Give me Manning,either one of them any day

[frostno98]

Derek Anderson anyone, he was marvelous last year. Got a new year contract, look what he's doing now!

[purecarnagge]

They can put another tag on him i forget what its called, but they would get draft picks...its the restricted free agent...thing..or w/e...