ESPN Reports Pats will franchise Cassell

[jobberone]

Per TV reports the Pats will franchise Cassell if necessary whether or not Brady returns.

Meaning he won't be going anywhere so we can stop with the will he be here as a "backup" threads.

No way you let the guy go right now esp with Brady possibly missing next year. I suppose they could trade him for picks but not until Brady proves he's back.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Drugs are bad.

 

[newlander]

HMMMMMM.....I find this hard to believe. If true, they must really think Brady's knee might keep him out most of '09.

 

[jobberone]

Drugs are bad.

You think they're crazy?? This move could have been anticipated without a lot of thought IMO. He's got franchise QB all over him.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Good.

Maybe some folks will finally "get it" that Cassell isn't coming here.

 

[Doomsday]

Franchise him? Wont that cost them like 10 million dollars? He gets the average of the top 5 QBs in the league that has to be at least 10 million if not more.

 

[Alexander]

Franchise him? Wont that cost them like 10 million dollars? He gets the average of the top 5 QBs in the league that has to be at least 10 million if not more.

It does not mean he will see much of it. It is to hedge for a trade or Brady not returning.

Honestly, I envy the fact they have a backup QB worth franchising.

 

[Alexander]

Drugs are bad.

Yes, we as Cowboys fans, fans of a franchise that has not won a playoff game in 12 years can laugh at an organization like the New England Patriots.

Get a grip on reality.

 

[Eskimo]

Just a ploy to try to squeeze a draft pick from a QB-hungry franchise. If anybody really thinks Cassell is going to be that great outside of NE they only need to look at the players who have left there and amounted to nothing. He is a system player.

 

[WG5516]

Just a ploy to try to squeeze a draft pick from a QB-hungry franchise. If anybody really thinks Cassell is going to be that great outside of NE they only need to look at the players who have left there and amounted to nothing. He is a system player.

Exactly, and nothing more. And if they franchise him, I think he'll be making like $14 million a year.

 

[jobberone]

For a guy who had never started a game since HS, I thought he looked not only good but extremely solid at the least. You don't win 11 games in the NFL without a pretty good QB. The fact he's on a good team shouldn't punish him.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

It does not mean he will see much of it. It is to hedge for a trade or Brady not returning.

Honestly, I envy the fact they have a backup QB worth franchising.

If he signs the Tender.. then it becomes a 1 year deal, all of it guaranteed I think. The only way out of it would be to re structure it after brady returns but he does not have to if he wants to leave and be a starter else where and the Pats would have the highest paid back up in history.

 

[slotshot]

Keep him around til Brady is able to play (well) and trade him...smart.

 

[Yeagermeister]

If he signs the Tender.. then it becomes a 1 year deal, all of it guaranteed I think. The only way out of it would be to re structure it after brady returns but he does not have to if he wants to leave and be a starter else where and the Pats would have the highest paid back up in history.

It's a one year deal without a bonus. That's why the players hate being tagged so much.

 

[dadymat]

Pats wont do it.....its not how do business.....they are not gonna pay him 14 million ...they aint gonna do it....

 

[Yeagermeister]

Pats wont do it.....its not how do business.....they are not gonna pay him 14 million ...they aint gonna do it....

They are probably hoping someone will trade for him.

 

[TNCowboy]

Great move on their part. If Brady isn't ready, they've got a QB capable of getting them to the playoffs, and if he is, someone will part with valuable picks for him.

 

[Hostile]

It does not mean he will see much of it. It is to hedge for a trade or Brady not returning.

Honestly, I envy the fact they have a backup QB worth franchising.

I do too. I've been saying for years I want us to be a QB factory like the Packers were under Ron Wolf. While Favre held serve they developed Brunnell, Brooks, Hasselbeck and others. All of those things benefit the team as a whole. It is injury insurance, trade bait, and in a case like Favre taking over for Majkowski it was too good to be true.

That is why I was so pissed when we didn't keep Matt Moore on the 53 man roster and tried to get cute. Guys who can develop and be traded or used in case of emergency have tremendous value. We're leaving options on the table by not being a QB factory.

 

[AbeBeta]

Interesting. I don't think the Pats are bluffing here - they legitmately believe that Cassell is the real deal at QB. So much so that they are willing to make a huge financial commitment. Honestly, the tag is the way to go here b/c if they signed him long term then the cap hit they'd take trading him in the next year or two woul dbe similarly rough.

 

[Doomsday101]

Interesting. I don't think the Pats are bluffing here - they legitmately believe that Cassell is the real deal at QB. So much so that they are willing to make a huge financial commitment. Honestly, the tag is the way to go here b/c if they signed him long term then the cap hit they'd take trading him in the next year or two woul dbe similarly rough.

I agree I think with the uncertainty of Brady this move prevents them from having to rush Brady back into the lineup. From a cap view point the Pats have done a good job that they can handle this deal with no problems