Cassel to make $14.65M next season

[Forkboy]

Matt Cassel has accepted the New England Patriots' non-exclusive franchise tender, guaranteeing the quarterback at least $14.65 million next season, league sources told ESPN.

The next step is for the Patriots to send Cassel a contract. Cassel effectively will not be a free agent come Feb. 27 and will not be permitted to shop himself to other teams. The Patriots could still trade Cassel.

Cassel faxed his acceptance to the Patriots, the NFL and the NFLPA on Saturday. That means a $14.651 million salary for 2009 in guaranteed even though he has not signed a one-year contract yet. The franchise tag's value is the average of the top five salaries for NFL players at a particular position.

Cassel had a breakout season in 2008, starting 15 games after starting none the seven previous seasons -- four with Southern California as backup to Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, and three after New England drafted him in the seventh round in 2005.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3891669

[madinmaryland]

1. Apparently Belicheck has some good tapes of him.

:hide:

:hi:

[ReliantJ]

2. i

hope no one wants him ha, end the New England franchise so the Bills can take it

[Angleae]

3. Could this be the end of Brady?

Keep in mind this is how Brady got his starting job in the first place, in 2001 replacing an injured Drew Bledsoe and leading the Patriots to 11 wins. The only differences are Brady is 3 years older than Bledsoe and did not return in the season, and the team missed the playoffs (though they had the same record as the 2001 team).

[hughee99]

4. It might be...

Brady might not be ready for next season. He's got a ton of money, a wealthy supermodel girlfriend, 3 superbowl rings, an MVP award and an NFL record or two. Despite his relatively short career (9 years, only 7 where he really played), he'd probably done enough to get into the HOF. His knee may not every be "football ready" again, but it will be good enough for him to live a healthy life. He's pretty young, good looking and marketable. There's a good bit of incentive for him to retire unless he really wants to play again and can come back at 100%.

[joeybee12]

5. I think he really wants to play again...everything I hear or read is

that he's very intense...he wants at least one more ring...and if there's a God, he'll get it.

[MrPerson]

6. Brady would suck on another team. He needs Belichick.

...and tapes. Lots of tapes.

[hughee99]

7. I think you're probably right...

Were it not for the Belichick and the video tapes, he'd be just another Bubby Brister. :sarcasm:

[MrSlayer]

8. I'm surprised by this.

I thought they would transition him at best. The cap must be a lot bigger this year for the Pats to afford this. They also must not be sure if Tom Terrific will be ready to start the year.