The Matt Cassel Trade

Yesterday, the Chiefs new GM, former Patriots VP, traded away their 2009 2nd round, 34th overall draft pick. What did they get in return, QB Matt Cassell and LB Mike Vrabel.

The Chiefs side: A great benefit of going 2-14 is that you get an amazing draft position. The Chiefs 2nd pick is extremely valuable because that draftee is going to be a high quality player and there's no reason to think this said player can't compete at a high level for many years to come. The Chiefs are a young team and this draft pick would fit right in with the team. Instead, now the Chiefs get a young QB whom I'm not convinced will play at a high level consistently like he did late year and a 12 year LB on the decline.

Matt Cassel: This kid was great last year. He really was on of the top ten QBs of 2008. But the thing was, he played for the New England Patriots. He had Randy Moss and Wes Welker has receivers and had just a fantastic offensive line. Plenty of time and great receivers make any QB look better than they actually are. Now Cassel moves to Kansas City where his receivers are Mark Bradley (former Bear BTW) and Dwayne Bowe. Don't get me wrong, their fine receivers, but they're nowhere close to the level of Moss and Welker. Cassel will now also see a decrease in the amount of time he has to throw the ball which will decrease his production. And here's the thing, the Chiefs have a fine young QB they can develop in Tyler Thigpen. This kid improved throughout the year and if used correctly, would have had better numbers in 2008. Just watching Thigpen, you can see KC had a QB for the future

Mike Vrabel: Don't get me wrong, I love Vrabel. As a Pats fan, I love what he's done for the organization. I just don't see him helping out the Chiefs all that much. It seems he's much better suited for New England than he is in Kansas City. Plus he's OLD. At least with Cassel there's theoretical upside, with Vrabel I just don't see this 12 year vet doing a whole lot

The Patriots side: I think the Patriots got the better end out of this deal. Yes, they give up a key guy in Mike Vrabel, but as I said before, he's old. And if the Pats are willing to part with him, I just don't see him doing a whole lot now. And the Pats didn't need Cassel at all. Next season they'll have Tom Brady, the best(or second best depending on who you talk to) QB in the NFL right now. If he's healthy, he'll be a stud and no reason to have Cassel on the roster. Now I think it was really stupid to franchise Cassel because it ate up cap room, but I guess the Pats were planning on trading him. And they did. Now if Brady does get injured again, then the Pats now lose that valuable back up. But the Patriots system is so good, I'm sure which ever QB the Pats sign as their back up (how funny would that be if that guy was Rex Grossman!), that player will be just as effective as Cassell was- at cheaper too.

Plus the Patriots get a great draft pick in return. As I mentioned earlier, that 34th pick overall is very high and the Pats can now get a young stud of their choosing in return.

Winner: New England Patriots. The Pats gave up a QB they didn't need, a LB who probably won't be THAT effective and gained ton of cap room to sign players they did need (like Vince Wilfork) and gained a young player that will be extremely effective because the Pats know how to draft well. Meanwhile, the Chiefs gained a QB who probably won't produce that the organization would want him to, a LB that won't be THAT effective, and lost a ton of cap room and the chance to pick a great young player.