11-5

I'm just saying, regardless of what happens, they have to say they're going to keep him, and without commenting on whether or not Brady will be 100% next August there's a chance they do keep him.

It's undoubtedly smarter for them to deal him off around April, and just sign a solid veteran backup. But they'll also go through free agency with a huge chunk of cap taken up.

 

Doesn't the tag mean that any team that wants Cassel has to give up 2 number 1s? Do you really think anyone would do that for him?

 

Only if someone wants to sign him to a deal outright, the pats can still trade him for picks/players then he can work out a new contract with whatever team he is traded to.

 

I think that they are saying that since they don't know if Brady is going to be ready for training camp that they are intending to keep him.

 

Fixed.

 

Yep. If we needed a QB ( oh lord god that's a whole different thread ) I would.

Except we don't have them.

 

There's no way I'd give up two #1s for Cassell. I really doubt anyone does.

But, FWIW, 1998 will show you that you don't require it to be a #1 this year, or 2 #1s this year. It can be, as we saw with Gilbert, two future #1s based on the timing of the sign.

Once he's into camp, you're not "stuck" with Cassell, but if the intent is to keep him through or near camp, you're preparing to have him on staff all year. So it's not terribly incorrect to suggest it's a possibility, and even if they kept him until midsummer to dump him there's no guarantee they could get from him what they want.

 

If another team signs him while he's under the franchise tag, yes, but nobody will sign him without negotiating that down. For example, look at the Abraham trade to the Falcons. Jets ended up getting one pick (#29) for him.

 

I"m not talking about being stuck with him, I'm just saying that they will claim they intend to keep him because Brady may not be ready for camp.

 

Doesn't even have to be a #1. Player can be traded for anything if the franchise is used solely as the medium to hold the player. Redskins wanted to take the #14 pick in 1998. Carolina refused and signed Sean Gilbert through the franchise tag itself and were willing to give up two future #1s instead of one #14 pick.