Over the weekend, the New England Patriots traded both LB Mike Vrabel and QB Matt Cassel to the Kansas City Chiefs for the Chiefs’ second round draft pick in this year’s draft, the 34th overall pick. This instantly sent shockwaves through the NFL community as Cassel was being shopped heavily as bait for the Carolina Panthers’ DE Julius Peppers, and very quietly as part of a 3-way package to Denver via Tampa Bay (or Detroit), in exchange for Jay Cutler, draft picks, and other assorted picture postcards.
So, here’s where it gets weird.
Denver apparently coveted Matt Cassel, which was news to both their fanbase and to their current quarterback, Jay Cutler. He is, quite rightfully, extremely upset about the situation. And depending on who you talk to may have demanded a trade out of the Burros’ backfield. New head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Brian Xanders are being criticized for keeping Cutler in the dark about his future with the franchise, and both now have some serious PR work to do with not only the fans, but with their disgruntled QB.
A very interesting development has come up also in the trade that was made. See, the Patriots had quite a few offers from other teams for Matt Cassel. Including the Denver Broncos’ 1st round pick, the 12th selection overall and that was JUST for Cassel. So why would noted-hardass Bill Belichick and the Patriots not only not take the deal that would’ve netted them a MUCH better pick, but then also throw in Mike Vrabel for essentially nothing? Collusion is a word that’s starting to get thrown around and it’s very hard to argue against.
Kansas City’s new GM is Scott Pioli, Belichick’s right hand man for the Pats’ championship run. So the current theory is Pioli and Belichick did a deal behind everyone’s back and Bill sent Pioli a farewell present with Vrabel and Cassel for a bag of magic beans. Now there’s nothing wrong, per se, about the Pats’ choice of trade partners, but something doesn’t smell right about this trade.
All I have to say though, is Tom Brady’s knee better be a-ok by July when training camp opens.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 1:34 PM
I’ve talked to a couple Pats fans who are thrilled with this trade (myself included). It seems the Patriots haters are the ones upset about this. Bill Belichick drives a hard bargain and seems like a hardass: He’s an asshole. Bill Belichick doesn’t drive a hard bargain and does something that benefits all parties involved: He’s an asshole.
I think Cassel will be a middle-of-the-pack QB. But, what if he’s really good? Do you really want to take that risk by sending him to a decent team like Denver? Or do you want to take that risk by shipping him off to a bad team like Kansas City? To me, it’s worth 20 slots in the draft to not have to worry about the kid for a couple seasons, rather than having him QB the one team in the League (Denver) you just haven’t been able to beat over the years.
I’m thrilled with the trade: The Pats have four picks in the first two rounds and got something for virtually nothing. But, I know the haters will enjoy spewing nonsense about video tapes, so have at it . . .
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 4:12 PM
Bronco: a range pony or mustang of the western U.S., esp. one that is not broken or is imperfectly broken
Burro: a small donkey
Jackass: Someone who cant tell the difference.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Cassel to Kansas City = Collusion
If they were worried about Denver being a “good” team which I don’t get since they haven’t made the playoffs in half a decade, they might have thought better about sending Cassel anywhere in the AFC. Panthers anyone? For Peppers to help that horrendous Patriots D? Come on!
And everyone who critiques the Patriots are not haters. Cyd, you sound like liberal gay people who yell homophobia anytime someone who is homosexual gets bad press for making a bad decision. Sometimes wrong is just wrong…
LMAO
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 5:56 PM
It has been reported that the Pats would have gotten a first-rounder from another team had they waited, but Belichick had already made a verbal agreement with Pioli. They needed to free up the $12 mil. Cassell would have cost them, which was more important than waiting.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Tom wanted a year off to screw Giselle and then get married. He got it. He was always returning.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 6:39 PM
Jim can you clarify the timeline on when Cassel’s contract would have cost them? Didn’t they trade him on the first day of free agency? The draft hasn’t happened yet, so I am confused about the rush in regard to payroll. As for verbal commitments tell that to my ex-fiance…
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 7:16 PM
From Peter King:
“They [the Patriots] didn’t get taken in the trade of Cassel and Mike Vrabel. Belichick did underplay his hand, but there were extenuating circumstances, some of which were intelligently reported over the weekend by Adam Schefter, Tom Curran, Chris Mortensen and Tim Graham. ”
And he talked about how the Broncos-Bucs threeway deal was timed badly by the Broncos and Bucs:
“I believe if Denver offered Belichick its first-round pick last Thursday instead of, apparently, on Saturday, that Cassel would be a Bronco today and current Denver QB Jay Cutler a Buc or Lion. ”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/03/01/freeagency/index.html?eref=T1
Jim Rome had two reporters talking about it today, and they all agreed it was a fair trade and that the Patriots were up against it.
Also, understand their salary cap position. If they have the No. 12 pick, they have to pay him a No. 12 pick salary. For a team up against the salary cap wall, that’s not fun. One of the guys Rome had on (don’t know his name) said that, in the Patriots case, the No. 34 pick was more valuable than the No. 12 pick because of what they’d have had to pay another first-round pick. King does a great job of showing how the Patriots will pay their FOUR picks in the first 58 picks what they would have had to pay their one pick at No. 12.
The anti-Patriots fans who are screaming conspiracy are just haters, because they formed an uninformed opinion about the trade based on headlines. Do the homework and you’ll see why and how it happened.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 11:07 PM
Cyd the first quotation you used even states that BB “did underplay his hand”.
Further my namesake Jay Mariotti offers, “Still, all of that is overwhelmed by the fact his deal was with Pioli. It looks like an orchestration, and if the Chiefs recover from a lengthy futility streak that has bottomed out with 23 losses in their last 25 games, you’ll be hearing plenty next season about Belichick’s grand assist.”
They could have gotten another low pick from several other teams besides Kansas City. I still need clarification on the timing issue and why this whole process was rushed like the Patriots had no other choice. What deadline am I missing? I know I’ve been drinking a lot of Chai lately and staying up late. But what clock was forcing the Patriots hand? Trades take place on draft day, don’t they, or am I just confused about all of this? This is a sincere question.
on Mar 3rd, 2009 at 12:01 AM
How are the Pats up against the salary cap? They’ve raised it so much in recent years that from what I’ve heard most teams are well under it. I mean, the skinflint Eagles are over $40 million under.
Wait ’til next year, when there’s likely to be no cap at all. Will that lead to a year without the NFL, like the NHL had? Hmmmmmmmmmmm….
on Mar 3rd, 2009 at 12:59 AM
The main issue here is that cute Josh McDaniel now will not be working with his dreamboat cute QB creation, Cassel. What beautiful plays they could have made together, huddling on the sidelines.
on Mar 4th, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Everyone is a “hater” if they don’t like someone Cyd likes.
on Mar 6th, 2009 at 4:26 PM
If anything you can smell the collusion, that first round pick 12th overall could have been flipped over to a few second round draft picks if they really wanted too. But to me, this is just one of those cases of the Old boys club, making back door deals for assets. It makes alot of sense to take the 34th pick, and 5 million in cash all in 5 dollar bills in a brown bag behind close doors between the owners, because thats the nature of the business.
It wasn’t long ago that the Owners traded players and money for assets. To me, it seems like this is the only likely theory as to why take less value seemingly for Cassell at the end of the day, when there was more offered. The old boys club is pretty exclusive, and its likely that the owners collude in the back room over these types of deals. Because it all comes down to jersey sales at the end of the day.