Trade Tom Brady??????

[shula_guy]

I am so looking forward to all the knee jerk responses I get from this thread. Before you guys pound me to a bloody pulp with this, let it sink in.

First off, the 2007 patriots are not the same team they were one short year ago. Forget about Brady being out. The defensive side of their game has eroded and has gotten old. They need an injection of youth on the team. Brady himself is past his prime and is going to begin to decline as well. He is a 31 yr old QB with 9yrs in this leauge. I am not saying Brady dosnt have good play left in him, although you never know how he is going to return after this injury and what Tom Brady we will see on the field next year. Most would expect to see him make a good recovery and him back to excelent form, so his trade value would be high.

The question for this team is, do they believe cassle can be the future of this team. They are faced with this dilema at the end of this season. There is no way Cassle will be resigned if he is not garunteed a starter spot, another team will take him. N.E. must decide if this was a fluke season for him or if he is the real deal or even if he is the real thing, do they want to risk drafting another QB to groom to replace Brady in about 4yrs.

If cassle can hold down the fort and you can remain competive without Brady, do you take the draft picks? Begin finding youth to start replacing your veteran talents thet are retiring and slowing down? Do you take the heat from the fans and start infusing youth into your aging team.

If they dont resign Cassle, because his contract ends this year, he will be snatched up by someone and new england will have gained nothing from it and be without a B/U QB.

 

[djfresh47]

Yes Tom Brady is past his prime judged by what he did last season. They're not the same team they were last year mainly because Brady's not at Qb, IMO. Matt Cassel has gotten better but really? When Marino tore his achilles and Mitchell had a few so-so games I didn't think it was a consideration to trade him.

They drafted O'Connel in the 4th rd I think last season. I'm sure they'd love to keep Cassel as a backup. Dumping a player I still believe in his prime because Cassel's played alright is ridiculous, IMO. I don't doubt Belicheck will bring in guys to fill holes.

 

[shula_guy]

Yes Tom Brady is past his prime judged by what he did last season. They're not the same team they were last year mainly because Brady's not at Qb, IMO. Matt Cassel has gotten better but really? When Marino tore his achilles and Mitchell had a few so-so games I didn't think it was a consideration to trade him.

They drafted O'Connel in the 4th rd I think last season. I'm sure they'd love to keep Cassel as a backup. Dumping a player I still believe in his prime because Cassel's played alright is ridiculous, IMO. I don't doubt Belicheck will bring in guys to fill holes.

I hear what your saying and dont really see them trading away Brady, but it might be the best move if they did. I think Schaub is a better example then mitchel in this situation. Atlanta looks like they made out well getting Ryan in the draft but if they would not of traded away schaub I think they would of been ok and could of drafted for other needs.

There is a few problems here. They all boil down to the unknown's
1. How good is Cassle?
2. How healthy will Brady be when he is done rehabbing?
3. How long is the rehab going to take?

 

[KlausC]

I think they'd be smart to keep Cassel around next season, but it's probably premature to get rid of Brady. That knee is a big question mark right now, but if he's healthy you don't get rid of him.

 

[shula_guy]

I think they'd be smart to keep Cassel around next season, but it's probably premature to get rid of Brady. That knee is a big question mark right now, but if he's healthy you don't get rid of him.

The problem for the Pats is he enters free agency after this season and will almost assuredly be offered a starter postion and starter money by someone else in this leauge. If you are the Pats do you really want to offer an insurance policy player top money? And if your Cassle, even if the Pats did make a competive offer wouldnt you want to go somewhere you would be named the starter instead of sitting behind brady?

 

[KlausC]

The problem for the Pats is he enters free agency after this season and will almost assuredly be offered a starter postion and starter money by someone else in this leauge. If you are the Pats do you really want to offer an insurance policy player top money? And if your Cassle, even if the Pats did make a competive offer wouldnt you want to go somewhere you would be named the starter instead of sitting behind brady?

If it were my decision it's an easy answer. Yes, you pay him top money for one year to make sure Brady is back to being Brady. For one year you have an expensive insurance policy. I would consider franchising him.

 

[shula_guy]

If it were my decision it's an easy answer. Yes, you pay him top money for one year to make sure Brady is back to being Brady. For one year you have an expensive insurance policy. I would consider franchising him.

If they can franchise him that is definitly an intresting option.

 

[djfresh47]

I hear what your saying and dont really see them trading away Brady, but it might be the best move if they did. I think Schaub is a better example then mitchel in this situation. Atlanta looks like they made out well getting Ryan in the draft but if they would not of traded away schaub I think they would of been ok and could of drafted for other needs.

There is a few problems here. They all boil down to the unknown's
1. How good is Cassle?
2. How healthy will Brady be when he is done rehabbing?
3. How long is the rehab going to take?

Schaub had great preseasons in Atlanta. I think he compares to what Hasselbeck did in GB before being traded to Seattle. I see the Schaub trade differently. They had their guy in Vick. Then Vick got caught fighting dogs. I've yet to see much in Schaub except that he's injury prone.

I think Brady will be ready for the start of next year. I compare his situation to McNabb's and Carson Palmer's when they got hurt. He's a drastically better player than either of those two IMO. Peyton Manning looked awful at the start of this year as did the Colts offense because their timing was off due to Manning missing time. I think the Pats would like to re-sign Cassel. Who also stated he'd go back as a backup for a good deal. The Patriots could overpay Cassel then try to deal him after next offseason. That's never really been their way of doing things though. I think they'll let Cassel walk.

If their OC gets a job I think that opens the door for Cassel to follow him.

 

[emeraldfin]

This situation is pretty similar to what the Pats went through around 7/8 years ago with Brady and Bledsoe.

 

[#1dolphinsfan]

if they get rid of brady they are stupid

 

[djfresh47]

This situation is pretty similar to what the Pats went through around 7/8 years ago with Brady and Bledsoe.

Bledsoe was never the player Brady is.

 

[shula_guy]

Schaub had great preseasons in Atlanta. I think he compares to what Hasselbeck did in GB before being traded to Seattle. I see the Schaub trade differently. They had their guy in Vick. Then Vick got caught fighting dogs. I've yet to see much in Schaub except that he's injury prone.

I think Brady will be ready for the start of next year. I compare his situation to McNabb's and Carson Palmer's when they got hurt. He's a drastically better player than either of those two IMO. Peyton Manning looked awful at the start of this year as did the Colts offense because their timing was off due to Manning missing time. I think the Pats would like to re-sign Cassel. Who also stated he'd go back as a backup for a good deal. The Patriots could overpay Cassel then try to deal him after next offseason. That's never really been their way of doing things though. I think they'll let Cassel walk.

If their OC gets a job I think that opens the door for Cassel to follow him.

You make a good point about if they lose their OC, if he lands on a team in need of a QB.

I am not aware of Cassle saying that he would be content sitting on the bench behind Brady if he was offered a starter postion somewhere else. If that is the context that statement was made in, I would have serious concerns about him making it as a starter anywhere he goes or stays at.

As far as it being the Patriots way of doing buiness. I agree that owners need to be delicate on how they handle players contracts. No players are going to be easily signed or negotiated with if they feel an organaztion has a reputation for playing hardball tactics at a players expense. I think the general attitudes of the fan base have to be accounted for as well.

Let me state it like this:

Given between two choices the first being a Tom Brady lead team struggling to get into the post season and not really making of a splash once getting in there or a Cassle lead offense that continues to keep the Patriots competive deep into the post season, I think the fans would prefer the latter of the two.

If you believe the Patriots have enough resources without trading Brady to remain a dominant force in the nfl then fine keep him, but if you think they need extra help because of aging talent at various postions to remain dominant, then I think you have to consider making that tough decission of getting some value out of a brady Trade not to mention opening up some more cap space.

Look at the 49er's when they got rid of Montanna, Young was not exactly welcomly recieved but in the end he did bring them rings. I'm not saying Cassel is a better QB then Brady, but Brady is not winning games by himself. He is very good at his role but he is a role player in a system and if that system can keep enough talent in enough of the roles then they can continue to dominate for years to come depending on who they pick up with the extra picks they get.

If Cassel is a one hit wonder then obviously it would be a huge mistake to let brady go but if he turns out to be the real deal. It good be a smart decission that will leave them secure at the qb for another decade.

Bottom line, regardless of what Cassel has said in the past if he continues to light up the score board he will be a starter next season on some team, somewhere.

 

[chris66]

He is a restricted free agent and you can always use the transition tag. which allows you to match the offer and if you dont you get the teams first and third pick.

 

[emeraldfin]

Bledsoe was never the player Brady is.

Patriots did'nt know that back then, that Brady would be as good as he turned out to be.

 

[shula_guy]

He is a restricted free agent and you can always use the transition tag. which allows you to match the offer and if you dont you get the teams first and third pick.

Oh TY that is a usefull piece of information I did not know. I thought he was ufa. I would defintly be tempted to tag with a first and a third, with the full understanding that in all likelyhood someone will pay that for him.
I think they could get and would get that for him off a team in desperate need at the QB postion.