So… I’m Arguing with The Fansided.com Guys (& Gals) About the Cassel Trade (Also, KITNA GOES TO DALLAS!!)
For the record, the Arrowhead Addict guys are *STOKED*
They are literally ushering the new age of Johhny Friggin’ Unitas as you can see from the link you just clicked. Quote Adam, “I honestly think he’s a top 10 QB in this league.”
Now to set this all up, you need to understand that the people that write these blogs for Fansided.com, we’re all sports dorks and what used to be a “hey look at this, hey I need this here fixed, hey click/link this for me” turned into full on threads via google mail. Kinda like a message board, so we all put in our 2 cents and it’s a good time.
So, as you already know they are excited. And from a trade stand point, I think thats a pretty good deal. KC gets what could be a decent QB and New England gets a 34th pick and they don’t have to pay a guy like Cassel “Peyton Manning” money. *HOWEVER* I just don’t… Identify with their enthusiasm. They are treating this like that Celtics deal where they traded a bucket of chicken wings and a crate of orange glow for Kevin Garrett and company. In the end I think we’re going to find out that Matt Cassel is the product of a system. Because to a great extent, all QB’s are a product of a system.
Adam’s (from Arrowhead Addict) immediate response was “Draft Stafford, we’ll laugh when he’s a huge bust”. And I think the Lions probably will. In the end, a top 5 pick Quarterback doesn’t get to decided whether or not he’s a bust. It is ultimately decided for him by the team that played and drafted so poorly that they were one of the worst 5 teams in the league… Thus the pick.
If the Lions pick Stafford, they aren’t addressing the terrible offensive line we possess. And yet, I understand if they do draft the QB, as Culpepper will get hurt. Not just because he gets hurt a lot, but because WE HAVE A TERRIBLE OFFENSIVE LINE. It just goes in circles.
Back to Cassel, if he was the next Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, would the Pats have let him go for a 2nd rounder to clear cap space?
Think about it, the Patroits know how to evaluate talent; They’d rather have the cap space and a high 2nd rounder. Either they feel that Brady is 100% healthy and will stay at the top of his game for several years to come, Cassel is good but not worth all that money or they think Brady can hold it together long enough for them to make another Matt Cassel with their awesome “we don’t rebuild, we reload” system.
Wrapping this little jaunt up, I think its a good trade for the Chiefs, I really do. Whether Cassel is a top ten in the league, time will tell come September. We lost the race for this guy, as you’ll find out in the article from The Detroit News’ John Niyo I’m Copy/Pasta’ing into this blog post. There was this crazy 3 team trade that Tampa Bay was trying to orchestrate that might have landed Cassel here in Detroit, but it just didn’t work out.
As for the Lions Big Moves today, Kitna is now with Roy Williams in the Lone Star State. (Ps. , Read all the way to the end, you’ll get to laugh at Cutler)
"from Detnews.comThe Lions traded veteran quarterback Jon Kitna to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for veteran cornerback Anthony Henry on Saturday.And that was just one bit of news on a busy second day of free agency in Allen Park that included three signings — running back Maurice Morris, receiver Bryant Johnson and cornerback Eric King — as well as one whopper of a trade that never materialized. The Lions reportedly were involved in trade talks Denver regarding New England’s coveted quarterback, Matt Cassel, who ultimately was dealt by the Patriots to Kansas City.Tampa Bay initially approached Denver with a trade proposal for Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. The Buccaneers were pitching a three-team deal in which they would have acquired Cassel from the Patriots — Kansas City gave up the 34th overall pick in April’s draft — and then shipped him to Denver in exchange for Cutler. The Broncos, coached by former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, declined the offer, as well as a similar pitch made by the Lions, according to an NFL.com report. The Patriots, meanwhile, were busy completing the deal with the Chiefs, sending Cassel along with veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel to Kansas City. Scott Pioli, the Chiefs’ new general manager, spent the last nine seasons in New England’s front office and was largely responsible for drafting Cassel in the seventh round in 2005.Lions and Buccaneers officials weren’t commenting on the report, but the Broncos were left with one seething Pro Bowl quarterback in Cutler.“My understanding at this point is they’re trying to trade me,” Cutler told the Denver Post on Saturday, though McDaniels insisted the team isn’t shopping him and never did. “We’ll see where I end up at. I liked it here, I liked playing with these guys but obviously they’re not going to let me have that opportunity.”Lions GM Martin Mayhew, meanwhile, has been trying for weeks to trade Kitna, who started 36 consecutive games for the team before going on injured reserve last October. That contentious decision — Kitna was angered by the move, saying his back injury didn’t warrant it — coupled with Kitna’s public criticism of the Lions’ shift in offensive philosophy, likely sealed his fate in Detroit.Kitna, 36, has a year remaining on his contract with a $1.95 million salary, but he was expected to be released Tuesday when he is due a $1 million roster bonus. The Lions are believed to have initially offered Kitna to the Buffalo Bills as part of a proposed trade for Derrick Dockery that fell through Friday, a league source said. But the Bills weren’t interested and the Lions instead offered a late-round draft pick.Kitna agreed to restructure the final year of his contract to make it more salary-cap friendly for the Cowboys, who also acquired veteran linebacker Keith Brooking on Saturday.“It’s exciting for me to know where I’m going to be,” Kitna said. “To be going down there, that’s exciting. It’ll be in a different role than I’m used to the last three years.”He’ll be an insurance policy as the veteran backup to Tony Romo, replacing Brad Johnson, who was released by the Cowboys on Thursday. Kitna also will be reunited with former Lions receiver Roy Williams, with whom he exchanged text messages upon hearing news of the trade Saturday.And as for his tenure in Detroit?“I thought we had a chance to turn things around, but the wheels fell off,” said Kitna, who put together consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons under offensive coordinator Mike Martz in 2006-07. “There are a lot of things about winning in the NFL that aren’t just talent.”Henry, 32, is scheduled to earn $2.6 million in salary next season — the last on a five-year deal he signed with Dallas in 2005 — with a $1 million roster bonus due in June.The 6-foot-1, 205-pound cornerback burst onto the scene with a terrific rookie season in Cleveland in 2001, leading the NFL with 10 interceptions. He started 51 of 57 games the last four seasons with the Cowboys — including all 16 games a year ago — and his six interceptions in 2007 tied for fifth-best in the league. There was talk he might make a full-time switch to free safety in Dallas, but its unclear where he fits in the Lions’ plans right now. Henry and King join roster holdovers Keith Smith and Travis Fisher as the cornerbacks under contract for next season. But Buffalo Bills free agent Jabari Greer, one of the top cornerbacks on the market, also was scheduled to visit Allen Park on Saturday.As for the Lions’ quarterback plans, Daunte Culpepper remains the presumptive starter next season, though his recently restructured contract — he pushed back a $2.5 million roster bonus originally due at the end of February — gives the team more flexibility to pursue another veteran in free agency.J.P. Losman and Byron Leftwich are two potential targets for the Lions, who also were interested in re-signing backup Dan Orlovsky. But Orlovsky, who started seven games in relief of Kitna and Culpepper last season, decided to test the free-agent market. He visited the Houston Texans on Saturday where he would be the backup to Matt Schaub.Drew Stanton and Drew Henson are the Lions’ other quarterbacks under contract for next season, though general manager Martin Mayhew said last week at the NFL scouting combine he viewed Stanton as a “developmental quarterback” right now.“We haven’t seen enough of Drew to say we’re going to anoint Drew as the starter,” Mayhew said. “It’s a tremendous leap of faith to say he can start for us.”The Lions traded veteran quarterback Jon Kitna to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for veteran cornerback Anthony Henry on Saturday.And that was just one bit of news on a busy second day of free agency in Allen Park that included three signings — running back Maurice Morris, receiver Bryant Johnson and cornerback Eric King — as well as one whopper of a trade that never materialized. The Lions reportedly were involved in trade talks Denver regarding New England’s coveted quarterback, Matt Cassel, who ultimately was dealt by the Patriots to Kansas City.Tampa Bay initially approached Denver with a trade proposal for Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. The Buccaneers were pitching a three-team deal in which they would have acquired Cassel from the Patriots — Kansas City gave up the 34th overall pick in April’s draft — and then shipped him to Denver in exchange for Cutler. The Broncos, coached by former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, declined the offer, as well as a similar pitch made by the Lions, according to an NFL.com report. The Patriots, meanwhile, were busy completing the deal with the Chiefs, sending Cassel along with veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel to Kansas City. Scott Pioli, the Chiefs’ new general manager, spent the last nine seasons in New England’s front office and was largely responsible for drafting Cassel in the seventh round in 2005.Lions and Buccaneers officials weren’t commenting on the report, but the Broncos were left with one seething Pro Bowl quarterback in Cutler.“My understanding at this point is they’re trying to trade me,” Cutler told the Denver Post on Saturday, though McDaniels insisted the team isn’t shopping him and never did. “We’ll see where I end up at. I liked it here, I liked playing with these guys but obviously they’re not going to let me have that opportunity.”Lions GM Martin Mayhew, meanwhile, has been trying for weeks to trade Kitna, who started 36 consecutive games for the team before going on injured reserve last October. That contentious decision — Kitna was angered by the move, saying his back injury didn’t warrant it — coupled with Kitna’s public criticism of the Lions’ shift in offensive philosophy, likely sealed his fate in Detroit.Kitna, 36, has a year remaining on his contract with a $1.95 million salary, but he was expected to be released Tuesday when he is due a $1 million roster bonus. The Lions are believed to have initially offered Kitna to the Buffalo Bills as part of a proposed trade for Derrick Dockery that fell through Friday, a league source said. But the Bills weren’t interested and the Lions instead offered a late-round draft pick.Kitna agreed to restructure the final year of his contract to make it more salary-cap friendly for the Cowboys, who also acquired veteran linebacker Keith Brooking on Saturday.“It’s exciting for me to know where I’m going to be,” Kitna said. “To be going down there, that’s exciting. It’ll be in a different role than I’m used to the last three years.”He’ll be an insurance policy as the veteran backup to Tony Romo, replacing Brad Johnson, who was released by the Cowboys on Thursday. Kitna also will be reunited with former Lions receiver Roy Williams, with whom he exchanged text messages upon hearing news of the trade Saturday.And as for his tenure in Detroit?“I thought we had a chance to turn things around, but the wheels fell off,” said Kitna, who put together consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons under offensive coordinator Mike Martz in 2006-07. “There are a lot of things about winning in the NFL that aren’t just talent.”Henry, 32, is scheduled to earn $2.6 million in salary next season — the last on a five-year deal he signed with Dallas in 2005 — with a $1 million roster bonus due in June.The 6-foot-1, 205-pound cornerback burst onto the scene with a terrific rookie season in Cleveland in 2001, leading the NFL with 10 interceptions. He started 51 of 57 games the last four seasons with the Cowboys — including all 16 games a year ago — and his six interceptions in 2007 tied for fifth-best in the league. There was talk he might make a full-time switch to free safety in Dallas, but its unclear where he fits in the Lions’ plans right now. Henry and King join roster holdovers Keith Smith and Travis Fisher as the cornerbacks under contract for next season. But Buffalo Bills free agent Jabari Greer, one of the top cornerbacks on the market, also was scheduled to visit Allen Park on Saturday.As for the Lions’ quarterback plans, Daunte Culpepper remains the presumptive starter next season, though his recently restructured contract — he pushed back a $2.5 million roster bonus originally due at the end of February — gives the team more flexibility to pursue another veteran in free agency.J.P. Losman and Byron Leftwich are two potential targets for the Lions, who also were interested in re-signing backup Dan Orlovsky. But Orlovsky, who started seven games in relief of Kitna and Culpepper last season, decided to test the free-agent market. He visited the Houston Texans on Saturday where he would be the backup to Matt Schaub.Drew Stanton and Drew Henson are the Lions’ other quarterbacks under contract for next season, though general manager Martin Mayhew said last week at the NFL scouting combine he viewed Stanton as a “developmental quarterback” right now."