Sign up or login to track your favorite teams

Sign Up for Bleacher Report

As a registered user you can subscribe to your favorite teams, post comments, write your own articles, and much more.

You must register in order for that functionality to work!







Validating sign up form ...

Bleacher Report articles are written by fans like you

Do you want to cover your favorite sports, teams, and leagues?

Processing writing preferences ...

Great, , you're signed up!

i.e. Big 10, LeBron James, USC Football

Selected Tags:

Logging in ...

Given Cassel's development and age, should the Pats consider keeping him over Brady? Was an impossible thought a few weeks ago, but now it doesn't seem that far fetched an idea...

The New England Patriots Should Keep Matt Cassel Over Tom Brady

by John Gray (Scribe)

26

1,758 reads

Opinion

November 23, 2008


Given Cassel's development and age, should the Pats consider keeping him over Brady? Was an impossible thought a few weeks ago, but now it doesn't seem that far fetched an idea.
Cassel is younger, healthier, cheaper, and has many years of football left in him (football gods willing). Brady probably has three or four years left at his discretion and little else to prove. What more does Brady have to play for? He could use a new challenge.
Cassell would leave via free agency without the Pats getting compensation. Brady could fetch up to three No. 1 draft picks.  Brady could return to his hometown San Francisco and return them to glory. San Fran would be foolish not to jump on that PR fantasy.
Otherwise, if you keep Brady and let Cassel go, then Belichick probably leaves when Brady retires in three or four years, especially if a suitable replacement does not develop.
Would love to see Brady return to his prime at the helm, but it might make more long term sense and immediate business sense to Wally Pipp (Drew Bledsoe) him.
Author Poll

Who will be the Pats' QB next year?

  • Tom Brady
  • Matt Cassel
vote to see results
Author Poll Results

Who will be the Pats' QB next year?

  • Tom Brady

    75.4%

  • Matt Cassel

    24.6%
  • Total votes: 305
Track this Article on My B/R
Flag This Article
Share This Article

26 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Ryan Michael 7 months ago

    It is the situation that these QB's are put in NE that has made them perform so well. The coaching staff, defense on the other side of the ball, Randy Moss to throw to etc. Tom Brady has received way to much crdit for his accomplishments and Cassel is yet another product of the system. No surprising to see him do so well.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • John Gray 7 months ago

      If the Pats are a product of the system then they can trade Brady for three #1's (to 49ers) and keep Cassel for the next 8 to 10 years or until the next QB replacement.

      Bledsoe did not flourish in the system before Brady though.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  2. chris dyer 7 months ago

    I agree with Ryan - if you put talented players into a world class system you will often get world class players. However, where Tom Brady becomes one of the greatest players of all time is when he takes the ball when its close and late.

    If there is time on the clock, NE fans can remain confident that Brady will keep the Pats in it, and give the team a chance to win it.

    Will it be the same with Cassel?

    Being at the Jet's game for the Thursday night game, I'd argue yes. However, he [Cassle] still has lots to prove, and many games to win to be considered a replacement for a player like Tom Brady.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  3. Mark T 7 months ago

    i think the man has a point, the age and the threat that Brady might not come back full strength makes Cassel a very good option...

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • John Gray 7 months ago

      Thank you.

      Thought I would offer an interesting reason to keep Cassel.

      Would love Brady in his prime a few mor eyears, if not forever, but keeping Cassel and trading brady might be best for Pats "long-term" future.

      But, unless Brady's kneee does not recover 100% Cassel will probably be elsewhere next year for big $bucks.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  4. mike delucia 7 months ago

    sorry i couldnt disagree more with you guys. To keep Cassel would be foolish. Tom Brady is a first ballot hall of famer. Cassel wont even get a vote. Brady has proven himself to be elete and yes while last year he had Moss to throw to, he didnt have a marque receiver to throw to until Moss was brought here.Cassel wouldnt have made it with Branch, Caldwell and all the rest. just my opinion.,,,,, I did like your article however

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • John Gray 7 months ago

      Just looking forward.

      How many years does Brady have left? I do not see him hanging on like Montana or Marino unless provided a new challenge such as returning the 49ers back to their glory days.

      Like swapping Big Al Jefferson and picks for KG is it better to retool for many prosperous years ahead or ride the old ponies to the finish as the window closes in 3-4 years like Pierce, Ray Allen and KG.

      Glad the Celtics won, but if they ride the New 3 into retirement in 3-4 years they will be a lottery team again. Big Al, Ray Allen and Pierce and the draft picks would have been very competitive for now and future. The Celtics suffered for years for not cashing in their Big 3 chips for #1 draft picks before they retired. Always best to trade the players right before they retire.

      Tough to trade the franchise (Brady), but how long do you hold onto the franchise until you cash them in. Should the Pats be like the 49ers and trade Montana and go with Steve Young (ala Cassel)?

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  5. Josh Nason 7 months ago

    Huh? You're kidding, right? Cassel has had a good stretch of games, while Brady has played a great stretch of SEASONS. To assume Brady won't come back healthy and to assume Cassel will put up 400+ yard games at this frequency is not wise. How quickly we forget Brady was the NFL MVP a year ago and threw 50 TD's...c'mon now.

    Then again, you also thought the Pats were going winless in early September (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/55641-the-patriots-will-go-winless-the-rest-of-2008)....

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • John Gray 7 months ago

      After seeing Cassel in pre-season I did not think he would make the roster.

      Luckily Belecheck did not judge Cassel solely on game performance, otherwise I thought Guiterez deserved Cassel's spot. He was probably that one touchdown drive away from replacing him.

      Too many people did no tthink the Pats would miss a beat. Fortunately, they were right. But no one predicted Cassel's recent development. Too bad Pats can't trade Cassel after the year than lose him to free agency for nothing when/if Brady returns.

      Always more impactful to take the contrarian viewpoint than just be another of the masses.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Josh Nason 7 months ago

      Not if the contrarian point of view is built on a lack of facts and rational thinking, John.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  6. Jeremy Johnson 7 months ago

    The QB is paid for winning games. It doesn't matter if you put up 400 yard passing games if you aren't winning them. If Cassel can lead the team into the playoffs and succeed then maybe you can start thinking about giving Brady the boot. After week 11 with a team that's just in the hunt for a playoff spot it's to early to crown him Superbowl MVP and that's what the Patriots are looking for. Brady could still have several years in the league as an elite quarterback. If you have a choice between an elite quarterback who's been proven on the championship field and a guy who threw a few good games it's not a hard choice.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • John Gray 7 months ago

      The choice is bigger picture than just Cassel or Brady:

      It's Cassel, for the next 8-10 years potentially, plus the three #1 draft choices Brady could bring to upgrade areas of need

      or

      having Brady 3-4 years and losing Cassel for nothing.

      I am a huge Brady fan and hope he returns to glory days but I am an investment manager and see the Cassel package as increasingly tempting for the long term health and prosperity of the team.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  7. chris dyer 7 months ago

    I see the logic in your argument but I really think its too early for this conversation!

    Until Brady won the SB I was confident that Drew would be back.... the same goes for Matty C in my opinion....

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  8. Brett Fulmore 7 months ago

    I heard Bill Romonowski discussing this issue on a sports radio program here in Canada yesterday, and he thinks it's something that the Pats are giving serious thought to.

    Going with Cassell will save the Pats a lot of money, and the package they receive for Brady should put them in a prime position in 2-3 years.

    There's also some question marks surrounding Brady's knee. It's a tough injury to come back from at the best of times, and considering all the stories we've heard about his setbacks, I don't think you can call his return to form a guarantee at this point.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  9. Lucky Riff 7 months ago

    Cassel is going to get the franchise tag and sign a tender for $15 million or so and stay right in NE. There not going to let him go anywhere. Cassel is very good and on quite a run, but Brady is the franchise.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • mike delucia 7 months ago

      lucky? please answer me a question? why on earth would you pay someone 15million to sit on your bench, he will probably wind up in detroit and your right making 15million

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  10. Jason Jeppsen 7 months ago

    Here is why the Pats need Tom Brady 1. The NFL is win now league you cant afford to plan for the distant future when you have the best QB in league 2. Matt Cassel can put up yards but he has struggled to get the Pats into the endzone (too many field goals) Tom Brady can get you in the endzone (51 tds ring a bell)

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  11. Lucky Riff 7 months ago

    Mike..here is why...A franchise player is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at his position in the previous season, or a 20 percent salary increase, whichever is greater. This type of franchise player may negotiate with other clubs. His original club has seven days to match the offer and retain the player, or receive two first-round draft choices as compensation if the original club elects not to match.

    They need more time to evaluate Brady. This gives them a year to answer the question everyone else is asking...is Cassel the future or get some high value picks. It's the reason they created the franchise tag in the first place and why players hate it.

    This is how the rich get richer. Cassel is like the two dollar stock that turns into a little company called Micro-Soft.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  12. Graeme Frisque 7 months ago

    Tom Brady is not going anywhere. Give me a break... Tom Brady is Tom Brady, Matt Cassel is Tom Brady's replacement. Even if Tom is on the sideline starting next year, I doubt very much Matt Cassel will still be a Patriot. He will be a starter for another team and will be a lot more zeros richer because of it.

    To say that one of the best quarterbacks of all-time , a guy who threw 50 touchdowns on his way to the league MVP just a season ago is at risk of losing his starting job because he got hurt is utterly ridiculous. Even if Matt Cassel throws two 2 more 400 yard, 3 touchdown games before the season is over it is still ridiculous. Even if the Pats win the Superbowl this year... it is still ridiculous.

    Tom Brady is going nowhere... Seriously if you were building a football team and you chose Matt Cassel over Tom Brady... that would be the last choice you'd ever make as a football executive... You would have to be a complete moron to even think about this... Ryan Leaf could have hit Randy Moss for 3 touchdowns when he is in single coverage for a whole game...

    Tom Brady is special, system or not... Tom Brady tooks the Pats system to 18-0 last season and a ridiculous win/loss record since he's been here... Matt Cassel has this Pats team in the same system at 7-4, sitting out of a playoff spot at the moment.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed and surprised at how well Matt Cassel has played so far... But to suggest Cassel take Tom Brady's place permanently as the Pats starter is like suggesting that chick from Ugly Betty fill in for Megan Fox for a playboy pictorial... Give your head a shake.

    Mr. Cassel, it's been fun so far, and I'm happy to have you for the rest of the year filling in for Tommy Boy... but I look forward to watching Tom Brady pummell whatever team you play for next year...

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  13. John Gray 7 months ago

    The key is how long Tom Brady can keep the fire of playing football. That should dictate the direction the Pats take.

    Last off season was the first that Brady took off from training. "Had other things in life." the Giselle factor and having son with Bridgett. Once Brady retires and is out of the spotlight how long will Giselle stay with Brady will be interesting. She will then seek out another Leonardo or whoever the most eligible bachelor is at that moment.

    I am sure that the Pats will have a long sit down with Tom before any decision over Matt Cassel is made. Hope Tom will tip his hat a little so they can make the best long term decision.

    WORST CASE is that the Pats let Cassel go for nothing and Brady's leg does not heal completely and/or his fire diminishes prematurely in 2-3 years or less.

    Lucky's idea was brilliant of franchising Cassel for a year to further evaluate the situation and protect the asset (Cassel) for getting away for nothing. This protects the Pats in case Brady's injury lingers and also provides Pats value for Cassel.

    BEST CASE our hometown hero Tom Brady returns to top form for 5-6 years and wins us a few more Super Bowls. Cassel is franchised and traded or signs with a another the following year for draft picks.
    Plus, another replacement is developed even better than Cassel.

    Keep in mind that if Cassel is franchised a year, and Brady desires to keep playing, Jets will properly be very interested in Cassel since Favre would be retiring. Would that shock anyone?

    Will be very interesting how the Brady/ Cassel saga unfolds. Good to have this problem versus what I thought was going to be a wasted and painful 1-17 season when Brady went down.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  14. Beau Kiklis 7 months ago

    I can't believe i am saying this, but the patriots need to move on and keep Cassell...similar to when drew bledsoe went down in '01 and brady stepped in and did a nice job...its hard to replace brady after he has won 3 and hald super bowls. Cassell is younger and faster, he could provide more on that front. he is also less injury prone at this point in his career. the patriots will not win as much with cassell but they can still be a very solid football team.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  15. Phillip Sullivan 7 months ago

    This coversation is very interesting 2 games does not justify Selling out on QB Tom Brady.... BUT who was Tom Brady #1 pick of the Patriots the guy of the future NOPE!! he was not not even Close He was Drew Bledsoes Replacement one afternoon after Bledsoe was Pulled and the Rest is History........

    Tom Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round (199th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft. Career Statistics ...
    www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=566 - 148k - Cached - Similar pages

    Now Here comes Matt Cassell High draft pick by the Patriots Nope again!!!!!!

    Matt Cassel was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round (230th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft ... Signed by the Patriots (06/28/05). ...
    www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=30943 - 51k - Cached - Similar pages

    See Where I am going with this When have you seen a QB that has developed with Awarness and Prowes So Quickly Especially for a team as NewEnglnd very very Rare... So could He be in the Same Mold as Tom Is? most certainly possible But we do know that not yet... Steelers are next will be interesting..... But my point is a Billy Volek(2 400 yd games) cant land a starting job Or is Matt Cassell the next Bigtime Player no one ever knew was in a Uniform ( just Like Tom Brady Was) untill now Will be quite interesting indeed......I think I makea great Point here......YOu have to look at the entire Picture.. And as far as the comments about Steve Young's replacing Montana
    Last time I checked Steve is in the HOF LOL geese guys

    Niners retire Hall of Fame QB Steve Young's jersey - USATODAY.com
    So in closing is the same situation Brewing Just Maybe.......

    Phil In Georgia

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  1. John Gray 7 months ago

    Will Cassel end up a Jet next year? A likely location if Favre retires after this year. I would especially hate for the Pats to lose Cassel to the Jets for nothing after all the promise he has recently shown and all that has been invested in him.

    To protect themselves and control where Cassel goes; the Pats should get into contract talks ASAP with Cassel. A franchise tag would be too extreme. Would make him too expensive to trade probably and too expensive to keep with Brady.

    A few years ago the Patriots were in a simular situation and blew it. The Pats had a very promising Michael Bishop and almost got a #1 draft pick from the Cowboys. The Cowboys did not blink and the Patriots unfortunately held their ground and ended up with nothing since they waived him the following camp since his skills did not fit their system of a drop back QB ala Bledsoe & Brady.

    Despite a futile season Pete Carroll did not give Michael Bishop a chance to play, instead of Drew the Statue at the end of the losing season. Bishop would have been much more instreresting to watch and perhaps could have shown enough to trade him for value instead of later waiving him for nothing.

    Right now Cassel has alot of value. Hopefully he can get the Pats to the playoffs. Regardless alot more interesting season than I projected after Brady went down.

    Hopefully, Brady can make it back all the way. Though how many years left remains to be seen.
    Cassel has shown alot of promise lately and would be tough to watch him flourish elsewhere if Brady retires early. Hopefully, the Pats do not lose Cassel for nothing and especially to the Jets.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  2. PENIS LOVER 7 months ago

    ARE YOU F***ING KIDDING ME? TRADE QUITE POSSIBLY THE BEST QUARTERBACK OF ALL TIME? LAUGHABLE.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  3. tom collins 6 months ago

    i think if they were to let tom brady leave then they will lose randy moss and bill with brandy and moss are both alomost the best players in the nfl and bill is a smart coach and knows what he is doing. matt is good but we still brady is good and the best qb in the NFL ..

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  4. tom collins 6 months ago

    i think that they should keep brandy because is brady leave moss will leave . moss and brady have a bond and he told reporters that if brady goes he goes .also brady is one of the best QBs on the NFL, matt is good but not as good as brady and he will never be as good no matter who he plays for

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

Leave a Comment

  • You must register to post a comment.

    • Want to write for Bleacher Report

    We are a community of fans who write about sports. And we're growing.

    Learn More and Sign Up »

    Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Getty Images.
    Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Getty Images is strictly prohibited.