Matt Cassel Traded to Kansas City

Sorry for the delay on this news, arguably the biggest of the off-season for the Patriots.

In a less-than-shocking move, the Patriots traded Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for the Chiefs second-round pick, 34th overall. While some are viewing the trade as a fleecing on the Chiefs' behalf, it was a great trade for both involved parties.

The Chiefs get their quarterback of the future, as they will undoubtedly sign Cassel to a long-term deal before the start of the 2009 season. They also get a veteran linebacker who is a great locker room leader and can still produce at a Pro Bowl level on the field.

The Patriots get a selection that is two picks away from being a first-round pick. They now hold four picks in the first 58 selections in the 2009 NFL Draft, a draft that has been lauded for its defensive depth. They also have cleared almost $20 million in cap space, giving them the room to prevent some of their upcoming free agents from entering free agency in February 2010.

By clearing almost $20 million, they have given themselves leverage in re-signing key players such as Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Ellis Hobbs, Logan Mankins, Nick Kaczur and Stephen Gostkowski. The biggest name in that group is obviously Wilfork, who just saw the market get cornered for an elite defensive tackle, with the Washington Redskins giving Albert Haynesworth a seven-year, $100 million contract with $41 million guaranteed.

At the same time, this allows the Patriots to make a more significant splash in free agency this off-season. They have already been rumored to be discussing the possibility of acquiring Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers, and they are hosting former Redskins corner back Shawn Springs today in Foxboro.

Also, by losing Jabar Gaffney to the Broncos, they have to address depth at wide receiver, and opening almost $20 million in cap space, it allows them to enter discussions with Laveraneus Coles, Bobby Engram or Marvin Harrison.

Overall, I am very pleased with the trade. It's not about what they got from Kansas City, but rather what the Patriots will get in the coming weeks. Sure, Scott Pioli may have received a "friendly discount" price from Bill Belichick, but at the same time, the trade has opened up the Patriots as a legitimate threat in free agency. And for a team that is just one season removed from a perfect regular season, the concept of the Patriots becoming a threat in free agency has to have the rest of the NFL shaking.