The story of Matt Cassel is the biggest story for the New England Patriots this off-season. Outside of changes in the front office and coaching staff, Matt Cassel's destination, whether it be Kansas City, Minnesota, or back in Foxboro, has become the most intriguing plot for the 2009 New England Patriots.
There seem to be two very established, yet very divided camps, on what to do with Cassel.
KEEP HIM: The camp that says to keep him believes that Cassel, while quite possibly just a product of the Patriots' system, is the best possible insurance policy for Tom Brady. Remember, Tom Brady hasn't taken a snap since Week One. He hasn't thrown a football in live game action since September. When Brady returns to the field, it will be very possible that almost a full year will have passed between snaps for the former Super Bowl MVP.
Cassel had a productive 2008, after a very rough start. He finished with 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns. He proved to be a more mobile quarterback than Brady, rushing for 270 yards and two touchdowns. And he closed out the season on a very strong note, throwing eight touchdowns to one interception in his final four games, all of which came in bad weather.
- In a chilly, wet afternoon in Seattle, he threw for 268 yards and a touchdown.
- In a driving rainstorm in Oakland, a mere five days after the death of his father, Cassel threw for 218 yards and four touchdowns.
- In a snowstorm that turned into freezing rain with a blistering wind in Foxboro, Cassel eviscerated the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals. He threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns in less than a full game of play.
- And in the final week of the season, with wind gusting over 50 miles per hour in Buffalo, Cassel completed 75 percent of his passes.
TRADE HIM: The camp that suggests trading Cassel stand behind the argument that his trade value will never be higher than it is now. If the Patriots keep him as a back-up through 2009, they will have lost $14.75 million to a man who never stepped foot on a field. Also, Cassel will be a free agent in 2010 and allowed to go wherever he wants to sign, with no compensation for the Patriots.
Cassel, if traded, could fetch the Patriots a first-round pick. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has suggested that Cassel is the best option for the Detroit Lions, who hold the first overall pick and are mulling drafting Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick.
However the Patriots would not look to trade for a top-five pick in the draft. The guaranteed money that comes with a top-five pick is magnanimous, too much for the thrifty Patriots. If they do trade Cassel to the Lions, it will most likely be for the Lions' 20th overall pick and possibly some late-round selections.
The salary cap could prove to be another issue. Next season, the Patriots stand to lose Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green, Mike Vrabel, Kevin Faulk, Stephen Neal, Vince Wilfork, Ellis Hobbs, Logan Mankins, Nick Kaczur, Benjamin Watson and Stephen Gostkowski to free agency. They are looking to lock up at least half of those players in long-term contracts, and to do so, they cannot afford to have over $30 million in cap space locked up in two quarterbacks.
Ultimately, the debate will rage until Nick Caserio, Floyd Reese and Bill Belichick decide to make a move. They could swing a trade tomorrow, or wait until April 24 on the day of the Draft, or they could wait all the way through Training Camp. The waiting game is a game that Patriots players, coaches and fans are familiar with. Patience is a virtue, and there is no franchise more virtuous in the NFL than the Pats.
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