Matty Franchise

Well that didn't take long. So much for actually wanting Matt to be the backup quarterback next season. Everytime the Patriots have franchised a player there has been 6 days or less before time ran out, this time it was the first minute we had the chance. No fucking around or beating around the bush in 2009. The Mortimer reported on Disney that he thinks Matt is gonna be sticking around... No way. This says right off the bat that if you want a quarterback this offseason we have the best and you are allowed to start negotiating 3 weeks early! The Pats know Matt is the commodity to have. The best college qb prospects both leave 1 year of eligibility on the table which usually does not translate to instant success in the NFL, actually it maks the % of first year success very low. Matt got better as the year went on and more film became available of him. He probably won't cost as much financially as picking a qb in the top 5 and he is already considered a model citizen, will Matt Stafford blow up on a reporter like Ryan Leaf? Probably not, but we know Matt Cassel won't. His value his highest now, the scouting combine hasn't taken place, and a team signing Matt now allows him to particiapate in all of that teams offseason activities. Trying to trade him in July or August when teams already have their plans in place would yield far less activity.
The Patriots may try to negotiate in the coming weeks to actually find a contract that would allow Matt to be the backup quarterback, but I guarantee they will not carry a $29,000,000 cap charge for one position, it just isn't the Patriot way. This means one of the 2 quarterbacks is gone and it won't be Tom Brady leaving like Drew Bledsoe did in 2002. We will also not be trading Matt within the division to the Jets unafraid that he could beat us like we did with Drew. However, if the Jets are willing to give up 2 first round picks we would have to or match the offer. I don't see a new coach that doesn't have first hand experience of the border war shelling out 2 valuable #1's he will need to get his transition going.
I ultimately see the Pats getting a first rounder and a 2 or a 3, maybe both. Matt Schaub went for two second round picks and he had about 50 less quarters under his belt meaning at least one of those picks for Cassel should be a #1 and I'm sure Bill will point to this trade when speaking with teams. The Pats could also try to go after a veteran qb this offseason if they feel O'Connell isn't ready to hold the fort down, even if for a month. Tom himself started early in his 2nd season after being the 4th qb in his rookie season. Since O'Connell was the #2 last year he got more practice snaps his rookie year than Tom did. I don't think it'll matter though, Tom will be ready by September, if Carson Palmer can make it in 8 months Tom can do it in 11.
Hopefully Bill reaches out to Jim Schwartz, when Jimmy was hired by the Lions he all but admitted he wanted to give Bill a blowjob and he would probably shell out whatever Bill told him to. Scott Pioli in Kansas City has the #3 pick but I don't see him giving his old boss a bargain when he is obviously most concerned with making his own name. I'm confident the Chiefs are going to go with Thigpen, why wouldn't they? The Thigster looked really good at times, he's cheap and Pioli can build on that! Plus if he doesn't work out the qb class is much better in 2010. Scott knows the Chiefs won't be rebuilt in one year. So who does this leave? - - - Bears, Lions, Vikings, (the entire NFC North if Green Bay wasn't stupid) Buccaneers, Panthers, Jets, and maybe the 49ers who may or may not be happy with Shaun Hill. The Bears might be snortin too much Orton to join the party, the Lions proabably don't want to shell out the #1 overall pick, but they also have the #20 and a few extra 2nd or 3rds. The Vikings should be the team jumping all over him, but they just went the trade for a franchise player route last year with Jared Allen. Tampa Bay may feel Cassel could be the future but once again I don't see a new coach giving up multiple picks for one player, I see that type of thing coming from a coach who might not be around to use the picks anyways (coughburpfartbradchildressjohnfox) Jake Delhomme has to be shown the door in Carolina and John Fox hasn't won a playoff game since 2004 so his loyalty may be running low to Jake D. It should be fun to hear the rumors over the next few weeks...