Matt Cassel's Future Part II: Playoffs Raise His Value to Pats

As the season comes to an end, the New England Patriots are looking to make the playoffs.  Matt Cassel, who took over the team this year due to an injured Tom Brady, has stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. 

When the year began, all eyes were on Tom Brady.  Understandably so considering he is amazing on the field and gave the Patriots an undefeated season last year until the Super Bowl. 

When Brady went down in the first game, no one knew what to expect.  Who is this Matt Cassel?  Well I think we all know who he is now!

When the Patriots drafted Cassel in the seventh round (230th overall) of the 2005 draft, I don't think they even realized who they got. 

In the 16th game of this season Cassel made another huge leap in his Pro Football career.  Cassel led the Patriots to a 47–7 blowout win through snow, sleet, and rain in the Patriots' last regular-season home game of 2008. Cassel, playing in snow for the first time ever, came up strong with 20-of-36 passes completed for 345 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. 

The Patriots are still in the hunt for the playoffs, will this raise Matt Cassel's value to them?  I would have to say YES!

As I mentioned in Part I of this topic, Cassel is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2009.

In the wake of his performances against the Jets and the Cardinals (in the snow) and the uncertainty over Brady's recovery, NFL analysts and reporters have raised the question of whether the Patriots should, or will, apply the franchise tag to him.  My question for them is how much is he worth now? 

Can we believe that less than three months ago some of those same reporters predicted Cassel would be cut from the team?  Unbelievable!