The Curious Case of Matt Cassel

It’s perhaps the most intriguing stories of the offseason so far, and not for the usual reasons either. On the face of it, the exchange of Matt Cassel and veteran, former Pro Bowl linebacker Mike Vrabel for the Kansas City Chiefs 34th overall pick in the draft is not all that unfathomable. But throw in Scott Pioli, the Denver Broncos, Jay Cutler, the Detroit Lions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a plethora of draft picks and you have a lot of people scratching their heads. Since the trade it emerged that a 3-way deal involving Cassel to Denver, Cutler to the Bucs and the 12th overall pick to the Pats. Instead, the Pats wound up with the 34th overall pick. Go figure.

There are numerous explanations, complicated further by the fact that former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels wound up in Denver, while much-loved former VP of personnel Scott Pioli got his big break in Kansas. So how did we end up with this mess? Why did the Patriots choose to deal with Kansas for a lower pick?

Firstly, it’s no secret that Belicheck loves his assistants… until they fly the nest, then he can’t bare to look them in the eye. So, it’s reasonable to assume he doesn’t want to give Denver anything, but I don’t see how anyone could believe Cassel would be an upgrade over Cutler in the first place. If anything, McDaniels saw a chance to get his own guy in (McDaniels was the QB coach before replacing Charlie Weis) and saw Cutler as some mighty fine trade bait. But thats a whole ‘nother kettle of fish.

Furthermore, it’s interesting to note that Pioli did not deal directly with Matt Cassel. He dealt with the Patriots, and while that gives Cassel the potential for the age-old “I never asked to come here” in the future, it probably was the wise thing to do. What would you do if you were Cassel? Join your old mate Josh McDaniels at a Denver team that was an offensive powerhouse at times last season, especially through the air with one of the few recieving cores that come close to New England, or a 2-14 Chiefs team in an indefinite transition period. Don’t get me wrong, the Chiefs are a sexy sleeper next season with Cassel, stick Aaron Curry on that defense and a bit of a feel-good factor and that team could be over 500. Miami proved a new direction and a proven quarterback can be all thats needed and in that AFC West, 9-7 could be all thats needed. But still, there’s a much bigger question mark over KC. I think Denver would be the obvious choice.

The 34th pick for Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel. It doesn’t sound right does it, I mean Mike Vrabel as well? He may not have been coming off his most productive year, and at 33, is on the downside but still one of the better linebackers and a huge figure when it comes to the locker room. It makes no sense to actually say it but it really does seem at times that New England were almost giving Pioli a helping hand. Why? I don’t know, why would you even think about helping another team in a league where a 1-15 team can have a turnaround so great that they take your playoff spot. A less shady way of looking at it would be that perhaps Belicheck had an agreement with Pioli that they didn’t want to go back on… But this is the NFL! It’s apparent now that New England franchised tagged Cassel solely so that they could get something in return for him, they had no intention of keeping him. But just a 2nd round pick? And giving away Vrabel as well? The Patriots perhaps not wanting to pay Cassel is a bigger factor than we account for, but he had suitors, multiple suitors. Peerless Price was tagged and traded for a 1st round pick, you tagged Cassel just to get a second?

And of course, that brings us to the fact the Patriots could have had the 12th overall pick. The chances of hitting the jackpot at 12 than 34 is significantly higher. Now many have speculated that the money you now have to pay rookies in the upper first round is too high and that Belicheck values 2nd round picks much more highly blah blah blah, I don’t buy it. The Pats seemed perfectly happy drafting Jerod Mayo last year, and are you telling me you can’t trade down? How about trading down a few picks and picking up a 3rd or 4th rounder as well? It just doesn’t make sense…

There is of course one thing that gets a little overlooked in all of this bemusement at just how the Kansas City Chiefs managed to swipe New England’s latest wonder boy QB and Mike Vrabel for a 2nd round pick, and thats the actual QBs involved themselves. Cassel, Cutler and Tyler Thigpen.

Now I’ll start with Cutler. This guy hasn’t got the attitude Phillip Rivers has, and was simply sensational last season. He’s turning into one of the most effective passers in the game, he had the best season of his fledgling career and that Denver offense looked brilliant in the air. The defense cost them that playoff berth, not to mention how no less than 7 running backs went down at one point forcing them to recall Tatum Bell from his cell-phone stall in a Colorado mall. It’s almost a certainty Correll Buckhalter will be brilliant in the Denver system, why would you give him up for a QB that has had one good season in one of the best offensive systems in the league? I like Cassel, but he has just one year of experience. How many QBs in the league have gotten big contracts or starting jobs off of one good season? Besides, this is Denver. Hands up who wants to remember Brian Griese? or Danny Kanell? or Bubby Brister? Steve Beuerlein? Oh, and Jake Plummer? You really want to give up a guy on the rise like Cutler for a guy who has had one good season?

To be honest, I was kind of surprised at the value that Matt Cassell had accumulated as the Pats slapped on the franchise tag. One season this guy has had. A brilliant season and 11-5 was no mean feat considering an aging Pats defence and a record that had never before not been enough for the playoffs. He practically led them to the playoffs and it was a crime that the Pats were left out. But, it’s one season, remember how good Derek Anderson looked? Anderson isn’t talentless by any means, but not all QBs can fit in different systems. It’s by no means set in stone that Cassel will be the guy in Kansas for years to come.

Then there’s Tyler Thigpen, now I can’t understand why it was decided so early on that the Chiefs needed a QB. This guy came out of nowhere, stuck behind scrubs like Brodie Croyle and actually injected a bit of life into this Chiefs team that was so pitiful. Doesn’t this guy deserve at least a chance with a better supporting cast and a better head coach? Cassel and Vrabel for a 2nd round is obviously something you can’t really turn down if you are the Chiefs but they decided to give up on Thigpen way before then.

It’s a curious business indeed, all the more so when you consider Tampa Bay are willing to go with Luke McCown, inquire about Cutler but ignore Cassel completely. But had they actually made a play for Cassel, would the Pats have even dignified it with an answer? Who knows…

(If that’s unfathomable, just think where we’d be today if Bernard Pollard hadn’t torn Brady’s MCL in the season opener… You know, that Bernard Pollard, Matt Cassel’s new teammate…)