Pats trade Cassel to Kansas City

[Cush]

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/02/28/patriots-trade-cassel-to-chiefs/

The Kansas City Chiefs have completed a trade for New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel. There is no new contract in place, but the teams have agreed on compensation — details of which were not immediately available.

But it is a done deal. Cassel is going to Kansas City.

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people are saying the deal is: Cassell and Vrabel for the 34th pick.

[Upton]

1. I understand they got a second round draft pick

in return...I would have thought Cassel was worth more than that.

[mduffy31]

4. Actually I think that is about right

A first rounder would have been too much for Cassel.

[Forkboy]

8. Not really.

One good year doesn't make him worth a 1st rounder.

The Pats had $28 million in salary just at the QB spot alone. Getting rid of Cassel and Vrabel frees up over $18 million in cap room so they can maneuver a bit, and we get a high 2nd round pick.

Bummer to see Vrabel go though. The guy plays his ass off week in and week out. Getting up there in age, and with Mayo already establishing himself the Pats aging D is ready to rebuild, hopefully without sucking.

[hughee99]

9. Vrabel was on his way out anyway...

Don't get me wrong, I really like Vrabel, but for the amount they were paying him, you know they weren't going to keep him. He had a down year last year (though not for lack of effort), and the Pats, looking to refresh their LB's, had 2 choices, waive him or trade him.

If they waive him, they take the rest of his signing bonus as a salary cap hit now and Vrabel has to resign somewhere (maybe even back here) for much less money. By trading him, the Pats didn't have to take the Cap hit that would result in paying off the remainder of his pro-rated signing bonus now, and they cleared his non-guaranteed money off the cap. They also sent him to a team that's not likely to be a challenge for them this year. Vrabel gets the benefit of playing under his old deal, which pays him more then he'd make on the free agent market. Vrabel was essentially a throw in to the Cassel deal, and Cassel is probably worth a 2nd round pick, especially considering what KC is going to have to pay him to find out if he was just a product of the Patriots system or a one year wonder.

That said, I hope they both do well in KC.

[nickgutierrez]

2. Really?!

Wow.

Two players, including a starting quarterback, for an early second-round pick. Sounds like a farewell and good luck gift to Mr. Pioli more than an actual trade.

[joeybee12]

3. I bet they got more than just a second round pick...I don't know how it works...

but by franchising someone, doesn't KC have to pay $ also to get Cassell. I wish him well, but wish he were staying.

[Arkana]

5. Godspeed, Matt--I'll be rooting for you in KC.

[MrPerson]

6. Cassel will suck away from Belichick.

[Forkboy]

7. Nah, but he's not a savior either.

If that's what KC is expecting from him they'll be disappointed. He's a system guy, and if they give him a decent one he'll do fine for them. If they expect him to win every game with his arm they're going to be bumming.

[NJmaverick]

10. I think NE got the better of the trade

despite the claims that NE did a favor for Pioli. n my opinion Cassel has not proven himself. He very well could be a product of an excellent NE system, who only had a handful of good games. Remember he never was a starter, before this season. So you are not really drawing on a very large body of work, in terms of what Matt can really do. I think the chances are very good that he may prove to be just a very ordinary QB and not worth what the Chiefs paid for him.