Second round pick too little for Cassel
Posted by Sport.co.uk on: 09 March 2009 - 10:43
Author: Chris O'Leary
It is tough to figure out last week’s trade that landed New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Patriots were compensated with a ‘premium’ National Football League Draft pick in a second round selection, and are now able to clear up over $19m in salary cap space that gives the three-time Super Bowl winners a variety of spending options.
We also now know that the Patriots have good reason to believe that Tom Brady and his injured knee will be ready to make another championship run next season.
These all are excellent things for the Patriots, and yet something about this trade is disconcerting since the Patriots could have accomplished all of the above and still receive a first-round selection.
Broncos Jay Cutler trade rumors
Reports indicate that a multi-team trade was in the works. The victory-deprived Detroit Lions wanted to trade for Cassel and to deal him to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the Jay Cutler.
It is not entirely certain that the Broncos really wanted to trade their young Pro-Bowler Cutler for Cassel – it is likely the Lions were unable to go through with the trade because the Broncos ultimately opted out. Yet former Patriots offensive coordinator and now Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels must have at least flirted with the idea of reuniting with Cassel, not only because of their success together last year, but also Cutler caught wind of trade rumors.
While it is now clear that Cutler will not be traded, just the fact that the Broncos were considering it has made the quarterback feel betrayed. Whether McDaniels likes it or not, he has some serious work to do if he is to mend his relationship with Cutler.
I'm upset. I mean, I'm really shocked at this point,” said Cutler. “I could see why they want Cassel. I don't know if they think I can't run the system or I don't have the skills for it. I just don't get it. Or if they don't think they can sign me with my next contract. I just don't know what it is. I've heard I'm still on the trading block.”
McDaniels responded: “We don't want to trade Jay. We never did. He's our quarterback. We're excited about this season. And excited about what we're doing here in free agency to improve our team.”
Why not a first round pick?
If the fiasco in Denver tells us anything is that NFL executives, coaches, and scouts largely believe that a trade involving the Pro Bowl Cutler and Mr. $14.65m Matt Cassel is a fair one – one franchise caliber quarterback for another. The NFL Draft equivalent of such a quality player can only be a first round pick, especially when you throw in veteran defensive leader Mike Vrabel.
The Lions inability to trade for Cassel is the latest in a series of incompetent moves suffered by this hopeless team throughout the past decade. While it appears that they preferred Cutler to Cassel, per the expression ‘beggars can’t be choosers, they still would have taken Cassel as he would have been a dramatic improvement at quarterback. Also it would be far wiser for the Lions to pay a high tender to the more-or-less proven Cassel than to draft a top rookie prospect who, if history repeats itself, will be a bust.
What many NFL fans do not realize is that if a trade did go down between the Lions and the Patriots, the coveted first overall pick would have never been on the trading block – not because the Lions wouldn’t have given it up, but because the Patriots would have never wanted it. Any top ten pick, but especially the first overall, demands a salary on par with the highest in the league. Last year’s pick Jake Long received a five-year $57.75m. This is a lot of money when considering that veteran Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ Alan Faneca, also an offensive lineman, received only a 5-year $40m deal.
Since the Patriots quite rightly did not want to overpay for rookie talent, any team’s attempt trying to court Cassel with a top ten pick would have been a lost effort. But the thing is Detroit also has the much more appealing the 20th overall selection. Such a pick is a goldmine because you get first round talent at a greatly reduced price, something that should have been very appealing to the Patriots. What’s more is that is that the Patriots have the 23rd overall selection, so could get their hands on the 20th pick in exchange for Cassel the Patriots would be the 2009 Draft envy of the entire NFL.
Sadly for both teams, this didn’t happen. The Lions are will be terrible yet again next season, and the Patriots gave up Cassel for way too little.
Kansas City will be an excellent home for Cassel
Any yet, even though I am a die-hard Patriots supporter, I cannot help but smile at the trade. Perhaps the Patriots organization –who seems to prize loyalty to its quality players – didn’t trade Cassel to the Lions because they knew it would be the end of the young quarterback’s career if he had to play for this pitiful franchise. Despite last season’s success, Cassel is still young and inexperienced. We saw his potential last year but any coach knows that it will be imperative to surround Cassel with a decent receiving corps and offensive line for him to continue in the right direction. It may seem impossible that Patriot head coach Bill Belichick decided to hand Cassel a gift at his own team’s expense, but you never know…
It may take a few seasons for Cassel to turn the Chiefs around in a way that will make Kansas City proud. Cassel’s success, though, does seem inevitable since he will be able to pass the ball to one of the NFL most reliable targets in tight end Tony Gonzalez and to young receiver Dwayne Bowe who has a lot of potential. True, this will be a significant downgrade from Randy Moss and Wes Welker, but what wouldn’t be?
Cassel is the reason the Patriots were fun to watch last year, so I am glad that – regardless of the reality the Patriots were under-compensated, he will begin next years as the Chiefs’ franchise quarterback.