The spin is in. The Pats couldn’t have done any better in the Cassel trade than they did. Vrabel was all washed up. The Pats had to act as quickly as they did to clear cap room. Belichick has a master plan. In Bill we trust. Etc.  

I assume you’ve come here because we give you something a little different than that. Call it a safe haven from the ball-washery. So here's the story as we know it:

Tampa and Denver jumped into the Cassel talks too late on Saturday for the Pats to act on what was probably going to be a better deal for them. That’s according to a source I spoke to Sunday morning, someone familiar with the Cassel/Vrabel talks. The source was non-specific about what the Pats would be receiving as part of that three-way deal – but he was very specific that the Pats didn't go ahead with it BECAUSE THE PAPERWORK WITH THE CHIEFS WAS ALREADY IN. He never mentioned a thing about the Chiefs offer actually being the best one. In other words, the three-way was likely more attractive (and whether that meant the Bucs’ first-rounder at No. 19, the Broncos first at No. 12 or a combination of lower-round picks – I don’t know), it was just made after the fact.

So when someone tells you the Pats could not have done any better, it’s only partly true. At the time New England turned in the paperwork on the Chiefs deal, it WAS the best offer. But if the Pats had waited a bit – and not weeks or months; but days or hours – they probably would have done better.

The Pats were going to restructure or cut Vrabel if they didn’t trade him. The urgency with him involved a roster bonus due early this week. I have a lot of thoughts about this, and I’ll get to them below. But the point I want to make here is that Vrabel to Kansas City would have happened even if the Cassel deal fell through. It just would have been Vrabel to Kansas City for future considerations. In fact, as I understand it, there is some regret in the Pats organization that Vrabel was included in the same trade for Cassel, as it makes it look like a 2-for-1 swap when it really wasn’t. 

As you’ll see below, I don’t have a major problem with how the Cassel portion of this deal played out. At the end of the day, a high second-round pick for Cassel seems about right. Not great, but not atrocious. And this business about Belichick helping out Scott Pioli or executing an inside deal is pure garbage. The Kansas City deal was simply the best one on the table at the time the Pats wanted to execute the trade. My source tells me the Pats actively shopped Cassel around the league prior to the weekend, and the Kansas City offer was the best they could do at that time. Again, more offers came in on Saturday, but by that point it was too late. As I wrote on Monday, I have a bigger problem with Denver and Tampa waiting for Adam Schefter to report the Chiefs deal on Saturday before getting involved. Were they caught by surprise? What were they waiting for? 

As you also know by now, I disagree with the Vrabel move. Vrabel was set to count just $4.3 million against the 2009 cap, and by cutting him the Pats saved $3.3 million. All told, it was a transaction that represented less than three percent of the cap. I think, at those numbers, Vrabel was affordable. I acknowledge that his game is on the decline, but this was a much different situation than some of the Pats’ other big veteran cuts in the past. Ty Law had a pending cap charge of $12.5 million when he was let go after the 2004 season. Willie McGinest was set to count over $7 million against the cap in 2006 when he was whacked. Vrabel wasn’t close to that range. He was worth his cap number. 

Of course, there are now thousands of Patriots fans across New England who will tell you Vrabel couldn’t play. Could barely tie his shoes, in fact. I’m wondering where all these critics were last week. It’s funny, but I don’t recall hearing an outcry for his release. I never got a single email about it. I never heard a single call to the radio station about it. But now you're saying Vrabel had to go. That’s kind of pathetic, folks. We all know Bill Belichick is pretty good. That doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to think for yourselves….just a little. 

On to the emails. Guess what we're talking about this week....

--

Felger,

Please post something on WEEI.com soon and rip the Pats and the front office for the absolute hack job they did with Vrabel and Cassel. I mean, if I had told you Friday morning, ``I will give you Cassel and Vrabel for a single second-round pick,’’ I hope you’d ask me how many drugs I consumed that day. Please, Felger. Destroy this deal. And don’t write about some economic bull (crap) that is a joke when it comes to getting the deals you need. I mean, I am (bleeping) beside myself right now. Lest we forget all those great second round guys drafted here like Chad Jackson and Bethel Johnson. Puking as we speak

Peter Pepler
Providence

A: As usual, the economics have been overplayed. Vrabel's cap number wasn't nearly as onerous as you're being led to believe. And while it was important to get Cassel's $14.6 million off the books, I don't see the great rush to get Fred Taylor in here. I didn't realize offense was a need. And another tight end? Really? And don’t forget Russ Hochstein and James Sanders. That’s what Cassel’s cap space has gotten you so far. Taylor, Chris Baker, Hochstein and Sanders. Meh.

Now, if the Pats use that money to resign Vince Wilfork, I get it. If Jason Taylor or some other legit talent on defense is on the way in (which I doubt), I get it. But whacking Vrabel and rushing the Cassel trade just so they could sign another tight end that they aren’t going to throw to anyway doesn’t really get me excited. But it’s early. Get back to me at the end of camp and let’s see who’s playing Vrabel’s spot and what they’ve done with all that cap space -- then we'll really talk.

--

Hey Mike,

Nice to see your unbiased opinion on your Comcast buddy being traded. He sucked in the second half of ‘07 and all of ’08, yet you believe he can make a comeback in ‘09? They need his leadership and coach-like qualities? How quickly you decide that is important after spending the winter saying it was a joke for the Red Sox to consider the same things with Varitek. I only wish they sent the girly man with him instead of Cassel.

Pugs

A: For those of you applauding Pugs who aren’t familiar with him, let me give you an introduction. When he says “girly man’’ he means Brady. Vrabel and Brady to Kansas City for a second round pick. That's your guy, folks. 

--

Mike,

I don't care what any of the brown-nosing talking heads say – you’re dead on when it comes to this trade. It stinks worse than the Big Show on the morning after the Whiney Awards. Nothing for one of the best linebackers on the team? Aging, yes. But still not being able to get at least a pick for him is nuts. And a second-rounder for Cassel? Really, a second-rounder. PUKE.

Amanda

A: As I said before, I think a high second for Cassel is actually fine. I mean, he wasn’t THAT good. And I also think that even if the Pats had gotten, say, Tampa’s first-rounder at No. 19, the end result wouldn’t look much different than what it’s going to be with the Chiefs’ second-rounder. Right now, the Pats have Nos. 23, 34, 47 and 58. That’s four picks in the top 60 – and we all know the Pats are going to move all over the board in the first three rounds with those selections. The Tampa deal would have given them Nos. 19, 23, 47 and 58 – still four picks in the top 60 and a likely scenario where they would move all over the place. The Tampa deal would give them some more ammo, yes, but I don’t know if the end result would have looked appreciably different. As for the Vrabel thing – I’m with you, Amanda.

--

Felger,

I hate the Vrabel trade. Why would you trade the most versatile, durable and valuable player on a defense that sucked last year? I love Bruschi, but he should have been at the front of the line to go. I don’t care what Vrabel’s cap number was. He is still one of the best players we had on defense. I keep hearing that the only reason that Maroney is still here is that he is a bargain. Are you kidding me? A bargain? When is the last time Vrabel missed a game? If him speaking up and telling the truth about the Krafts (the Patriots Place article) is the reason he is gone then they should be ashamed. The Pats have gotten arrogant the last few years  and act like they’ re doing season ticket holders like myself a favor taking our money. This reminds me of the Bruins trading Bourque. I hated that move and hate this one, too. Who is gonna play OLB, Banta Cain? Alexander? Come on. Thomas was hurt in both ‘07 and ’08, but not Vrabel. He just kept on ticking. 

Paul

Whitman

A: In terms of bad cap value, I don’t think Vrabel was anywhere near the worst offender. How is Jarvis Green worth $5.4 million in cap space, but Vrabel isn’t worth $4.3 million? Do you really think you’re getting $9.7 million in cap value from Richard Seymour? And not that they’re expensive, but I don’t think anyone would shed a tear if the Pats moved on from guys like Laurence Maroney ($1.7 million) or Ben Watson ($1.4 million) – unless Belichick told us to shed a tear, of course. Then we’d weep openly in the streets. 

Seriously, if you’re telling me I have a choice between Vrabel and Fred Taylor, I’m taking Vrabel. I don’t see why the Pats needed to spend $3 million on a 33-year-old running back with an injury history but not on a 33-year-old starting linebacker who’s been as important to your program as anyone. 

But Bruschi is the one that gets me the most. He’s 35. His cap number next year is $2.5 million. If he’s made more than a handful of big plays since the end of the 2004 season, I’d like to know when they came, because I missed them. Bruschi has been a great Patriot and a tremendous pro, but I don’t know how anyone can make the claim he represents better value than Vrabel.

--

Felger,

Can we please let Tedy Bruschi go out on his own terms, which will probably be after this year? Let's not debate the merits of keeping him around anymore, but let us look to him as one of the true throwbacks who played the game as it was meant to be. Teddy has been a very loyal employee of the Patriots often taking less in compensation to stay with the tea,  and let’s not underestimate the fact that he has always been the true blood & guts of this franchise. I know your job is to stir the pot and raise controversy, but I think we can look elsewhere.

Stephen Lewis

A: This is one of the problems I'm talking about. I thought I was being factual in pointing out Bruschi's age and production level. It’s simply my opinion that Vrabel represented better value. But for you, that passes for controversy. God, you folks are soft. Anyway, I agree that Bruschi has been a “loyal'' employee. Are you saying that's part of the reason he's still here and Vrabel isn't?

--

Felger,

Have you thought that if the Pats were going to cut Vrabel, the Pats might have traded him to KC because he was less likely to come back to hurt them? I can think of a few teams who may be interested in Vrabel in FA that would hurt the Pats: Denver, Ravens, Jets, maybe even Miami. That's just off the top of my head. I agree with you on the fair value for Cassel, and that the Pats would rather have a high two instead of a high one. I just think Vrabel was at least worth a 4th rounder, but if they were going to cut him anyway, why not trade him to where he won't hurt you?

Chris

A: I'm with you, Chris. I was initially told the Pats traded Vrabel to “help him out,” that because he was traded and not cut, the Chiefs had to pay him that $1 million roster bonus and were virtually guaranteed of picking up his $2.2 million salary. On the open market, I was told, he probably wouldn’t get that money.

I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not. The more I think about it, the more I believe Vrabel would have done quite well for himself as a free agent.

You don’t think Eric Mangini would have LOVED to bring Vrabel back home to Ohio? I can certainly see Mangini coming up with $3.3 million in new money to get it done. Ditto for Rex Ryan and the Jets, who will do whatever it takes to stick it to the Pats. Josh McDaniels also seems to have developed quite the hard-on for former Pats, and I bet finding $3.3 million under his cap wouldn’t have been a problem for him. My point is that Vrabel would have had a market, probably even a good one. Remember, a washed-up McGinest got $6 million in guarantees as part of a three-year, $12 million deal from Romeo Crennel in Cleveland at the exact same age Vrabel is now. There are now nearly a dozen 3-4 teams around the league and Belichick disciples are everywhere. Mike would have gotten paid.

There are a few caveats to my argument above. One is what Vrabel wanted. We don’t know. Maybe he didn’t want to be a free agent. Maybe Kansas City was an attractive destination for him. In that case, the Pats did right by him. The other caveat is Vrabel's health. If there is something bad in his medical report, then the Pats did, in fact, hook him up. 

But short of that, this business about trading him with “dignity'' sounds fishy. I thought the Pats were cold-hearted and all about business; why would they try and help out a player like that? It seems to me they’d be more interested in keeping him away from Mangini or the Jets than they would be in doing him a favor.

--

Michael, 

I read your article with interest, and as a disclaimer I am a Tampa fan, but I think you've missed the boat on this story. God knows thus far in FA our (Tampa’s) new front office has not covered itself with glory, but your article and the claims it makes seem to make little sense given what we know.

TB seems to be the one blameless team in this mess. Denver came to TB with their offer too late and NE was way, WAY too eager to pull the trigger on a sub-market value deal. The only way this works as “Tampa was too slow’’ is if DEN called TB and explained the deal and TB twiddled their thumbs about it. Even then assuming DEN talked to NE, NE would have known there were better deals out there possibly for Cassel so they had no reason to pull the trigger so fast. The KC deal was not going anywhere because, frankly, if KC can put on the ski mask and get Cassel for an second-round pick, they are not going to yank that offer off the table -- especially not with the lousy QB class out there this year in the draft….Either NE got trigger happy or Denver has the one who was delinquent here.

Craig Fisher

A: The Pats were definitely quick, which I don’t really blame them for being. I mean, they had been shopping Cassel for weeks. They had talked to Tampa repeatedly. Josh McDaniels had a month and a half to figure out his quarterback situation. There was ample time for all of these teams to make an offer. Yet as the new league year opened on Friday, no one did. Whether it was Tampa being slow or Denver being late to the party (and you make a good case for it being the Broncos), I’m still stunned those teams got caught behind the process. I hammered Tampa because I was told that the Pats made multiple attempts to get them involved. 

--

Michael,
 
This trade is an absolute FARCE!!! I've heard of hooking up a friend but this is RIDICULOUS!! Come on, Bill! I love you man, but this time you are cheating the fans of New England. It is your job to put the best team possible out on the field. You are not achieving this by trading two Pro Bowl-caliber players, ESPECIALLY A FREEKIN QB, for a “potential’’ starter someday. It's ok to sell a car that's worth $5,000 to your daughter for a $1 because she needs it to get to school. That decision doesn't affect the outcomes of games that thousands of loyal Patriot fans overpay to see every year! I know everyone is saying that this frees up cap space, but we could have done the same and gotten more. Don't be surprised if management pockets a majority of that freed up cap space. This is the first time that I have been angered by any move “IN BILL WE TRUST’’ has made….Except, maybe, for that fourth-down call in the Super Bowl.
 
Marc

A: I want to hit on Marc’s prediction that the Pats will “pocket the majority of that freed up cap space.” Although I wouldn’t put it in those terms, I would also advise against holding your breath for a flurry of free agent signings. And get ready for the spin. You’re going to hear an awful lot this year about the salary cap constraints put on teams as the NFL heads into an uncapped year in 2010. Some of the loopholes teams were allowed to use in the past (pushing cap dollars off to the next year through the use of “not likely to be earned incentives,” for example) are not in play this season. So to be safe, the “smart” teams are going to leave themselves plenty of room under the cap in case of emergencies late in the year. Bank on the Pats being one of those teams. Then there’s the economy, the looming CBA battle and the Patriots’ prominent position among fellow NFL owners. Would the Krafts want to set a bad example by spending lavishly as the league enters a downturn and a tough labor negotiation kicks off? Probably not. I think the decisions the Pats make this offseason will be as driven by finances as anything. It’s going to be all about the money this year, folks.

--

Sent: Thursday, Feb. 26

Felger,

I'd like to go on record.  I think the Pats will go hard after Jon Vilma in free agency. They liked Vilma when he was coming out of college. They had Vilma on the list of players they were interested in, and given his age and their need, I think he'll be their No. 1 priority. I think they'll offer him a substantial contract offer.

Mark Flanagan

A: Oops. Vilma is back in New Orleans. I’m telling you. Mark. Don’t expect a spending spree. It’s not happening. 

--

Felger,

It's obvious the Pats did not want a first-round pick b/c of the money. The 34th overall selection is very good value for Cassel (a former 7th rounder) alone; essentially a first-round pick at second-round money. This deal had to happen early so they could be mid-level players in free agency. Vrabel was the cost to get a decent deal done early. They may have been able to get more for Cassel, but at the expense of missing out on the majority of 2009 free agent class. 

Anyway, I don’t think the Pats would have gotten Tampa's 1st & 3rd in that prospective deal. It probably would have looked more like this: 

Pat's get: Tampa's 1st

Denver gets: Cassel and Tampa's 3rd

Tampa gets: Cutler

I find it hard to believe that Denver was willing to trade Cutler for Cassel (with no contract) straight up. It could be argued that the 34th overall pick is worth more from a value stand point then Tampa's 18th.

JT    

A: Yup, JT. The Pats had to get Vrabel’s money off the books so we could get the tight end in here. We needed another one. And, I agree, the Pats are much happier in the second round than the first. Less bonus money.

--

Mike, 

Why did Belichick, or whomever is making the moves, not shop some other teams after getting the second-round offer from the Chiefs? I would love to get the news on this at some point, but why weren't proper negotiations taken? We're not talking about missing a whole day of free agency due to cap space. We're talking about a few hours of phone calls to make sure you're doing the right thing.

Second, I feel that we are willing to give Bill a pass on a suspect move, but it’s been Pioli making all the personnel moves. So now that it’s not Scott, have we disintegrated into the league norm, of inconsistent personnel management? Bill is out gallivanting with a cute new girlfriend at Celtics games, how can he be wracking the brains of the other organizations? That's not even his job. Why is Bill getting the blame for moves anyway?  Didn't two other guys move in to do the job? Was this their move or Bill's?

Thanks, 

Rich

A: Let’s blame Floyd Reese. And Bill’s girlfriend isn’t cute. She’s hot.

--

Felger,

I have to respectfully disagree about your belief that there’s more value with the 34th pick than the third selection. We're talking about the Pats here. Who is to say they wouldn't take that third overall pick and turn it into a late first-round or early second-rounder and then future picks (possibly a one next year)? Just because the Pats wouldn't want to actually pick third, doesn't mean they wouldn't want the third pick. PS, Yeah, I'm going to miss Vrabel too. He was awesome, and your point comparing him to Bruschi is well taken.

Augie

Pittsburgh (unfortunately)

A: The Pats believe top 5 picks are “toxic,” Augie. They don't like the top 10, either. Most of the league is starting to feel the same way. You watch, there is going to be very little movement in the top 10 this year.

--

Felger,

I do think that Bill probably didn’t mind getting good compensation from Pioli while helping him out a bit…he’s human, and Pioli isn’t in the division. These two guys are like brothers and their place in history is set in stone, so why kill each other over this first deal? They negotiated (Tampa & Denver being fools, as you seem to agree) and Bill probably just loved the idea of that 34th pick. It made way more sense with all their other picks. It was a win/win for everyone. I negotiate real estate finance for a li ving…big deals. I handle deals with friends differently, sometimes I lay down for them so THEY do well – better than me. I’m human.

Finally, wouldn’t it be funny if Josh McDaniels was acting like a prick through these negotiations and Bill or Pioli ended a conference call with him, and  after Bill found he stole his long snapper (Gaffney not a big deal), and they laughed and said, “do you want to leak that Cutler was being move or should I?’’

Take care,  

Dan Landry

A: This is one of the angles I don't buy into -- Belichick helping out his old friend Pioli. At least on the initial trade. A high second-rounder is probably exactly what the Pats wanted, so they took it. The only time that personal relationship may have come into play was after the Denver and Tampa offers came in. Perhaps if it were another GM, the Pats might have tried to pull back the paperwork, but they weren't about to do that to Pioli.

--

Felger,

I caught your act on CSN Friday night, after the Vrabel trade was announced but before the Cassel details were included. Dude, that was embarrassing. I knew you had a “bromance’’ with Vrabel, but that was like a teenaged girl finding out her boyfriend was moving out of town. I think we’ve established beyond a doubt the fact that Belichick is smarter than you when it comes to football, especially after your never-ending rant about the lack of a quality backup to Brady last training camp. And we all know how that one ended up, genius. I’m sorry that you won’t be able to hang with Vrabes any more, but try to show a little dignity.

Paul B

Greenfield

A: “I think we’ve established beyond a doubt the fact that Belichick is smarter than you when it comes to football.’’ Wow. Paul. You child. You pathetic, fanboy sycophant. Run back along to Happyland and put the pacifier back in your mouth. The adults are talking.

--

Mike,
 
I agreed with what you were saying Sunday morning on WEEI. The Patriots should not have traded Mike Vrabel when they have Tedy Bruschi, Ben Watson and Laurence Maroney still on the roster. Vrabel was a valuable leader on defense and someone the Patriots should have held onto. 
 
No one in the media has really mentioned the fact that Vrabel was an outspoken member of the NFL Players Association who had some things to say about Bob Kraft and the whole Patriots Place empire. His point was that the owners were all getting extremely rich with the money they make off their football teams, and the players should not have to give back any of their 60% take of the NFL revenue. Are you going to tell me that Vrabel's position in the NFL union had NOTHING to do with him being traded?

Bob Walton

A: Yes, Bob. I’m going under the assumption that Vrabel’s position as a union rep and his strong comments in November had nothing to do with the trade. To believe otherwise would be to lose faith in, and respect for, the Patriots’ decision-makers.

But while we’re on the topic, let’s refresh what Vrabel had to say in that Nov. 9 Herald article regarding the CBA and Patriots Place, as told to Ron Borges: 

“It’s like Chris Rock says,’’ said Vrabel. “You think Shaq (O’Neal) is rich? What about the guy who pays Shaq?....

“How bad are their books? They can cut a guy (Oakland’s DeAngelo Hall) eight games after they sign him for $70 million. They can offer Brett Favre $10 million a season for 10 years not to play for the Packers. Come on. We ask to see their books and they won’t open them. It’s though to form a partnership with someone who won’t show us his books. These franchises are worth billions. You open USA Today and they got every player’s salary listed. We have to go to Forbes Magazine to guess what the teams are worth….

“They (the Patriots) raise ticket prices 25 percent, but the salaries don’t go up 25 percent. Nobody gave Tom Brady a 25-percent raise. The fans are paying 25 percent more to see the entertainers, but the entertainers aren’t being paid 25 percent more. That needs to be talked about….

“You look around at what they’ve built here (in Foxboro). Every bit of it is tied to the team, but none of that revenue is included (in the CBA). I’m curious about how that goes. How’d this get built? Where did the revenue come from? The financing’s based on the value of the team and the ties to it, but they keep all that revenue….

“We all understand they are businessmen. They have to make sound business decisions, but we’re also a union – and a strong one. If you’re going to say the deal’s not working, then show us how it’s not working. Until there’s concrete evidence we can’t just accept that.’’

--

Mike:

The bottom line is that Vrabel lost the ability to set the edge and he had to go. Go back and watch the Jets Thursday night game -- the worst game of the year since it kept them out of the playoffs. I have cheap seats in the 300 section and you see everything development. On numerous plays Vrabel looked like a door flying open as the Jets blew around the corner. As you know, if you play for Bill and you are an outside backer, your first job, and maybe your only job, is to set the edge. Vrabel had lost that ability to set the edge and Bill had to part with him.

Joe

A: You seem like a nice, thoughtful guy, Joe. I’ll trust you when you say you actually noticed Vrabel failing to set the edge before he was released. It would have been nice to hear from you last week or last month or after that Jets game, but I'll take your word for it. The question before us now is who plays Vrabel’s spot next year. I wish you luck if you think Tully Banta-Cain or Pierre Woods is going to be an upgrade.

--

Felger,

The Patriots are settling for mediocrity. James Sanders is a dime-a -dozen NFL defensive back. Three million per year for him is a waste of money. Drafting Terence Wheatley is the second round is stupid. I'm losing confidence in the Patriots' game plan on defense. We're now looking at a Hobbs/Meriweather/Sanders/Wheatley/Wilhite secondary next year -- and that's not going to get it done. It looks to me like the loss to the Giants was the start of our swan song. BB has lost his magic.

Carl Packer

A: Belichick has definitely not “lost'' it, Carl. That's foolish. But, at the same time, I’m not as confident in the “master plan’’ at linebacker as some others. I think people forget about the times when Belichick’s plan at other positions has either stunk, or he had no plan at all. What was the “master plan'' at cornerback from 2007-2008? Let one of the top corners in the game (Asante Samuel) go in free agency and then replace him six days before the season starts with a player cut by the` Bengals (Deltha O'Neal)? What was the “master plan'' at receiver from 2005-2006? Reche Caldwell and Doug Gabriel? What was the “master plan'' at linebacker in 2005? Chad Brown and Monty Beisel? I’m going to wait to see how this one plays out. 

--

Hi mike, 

Do you think it’s more likely the Pats will try to sign Wilfork, Mankins and Gostkowski instead of getting a mid-level free agent? What are your thoughts?

Fred

A: Yes, I think that if the Pats spend any big money, it will go internally first.

--

Hey Felger,

First of all, do you think Cassel is a “franchise’’ quarterback? I know I don't – but KC is going to pay him as one. A high draft pick and taking $17 million off the cap is a pretty good deal for the Pats. Take into consideration that Randy Moss cost the Pats a fourth-round pick, Wes Welker a second and Corey Dillon a second. None of those players had the salary of Cassel. When it comes to personnel matters and finances the Pats are seldom wrong.

Gerry Boucher

A: Yes, the Pats aren't wrong about these things often, Gerry; they're just wrong more than you think. Or, like many other Pats fans, you for some reason don't remember the miscalculations. I’ll give you an example. In April of 2005, after one (very good) season in New England and even though he had a year left on his existing contract, Dillon was given a five-year, $ 25 million extension that guaranteed him $10 million in 2005 and 2006. Dillon, who was 30 at the time, was set to make a very good salary of $3.95 million, yet the Pats felt the need to give him a big raise. And of course, it blew up in their face, as Dillon reverted to his old self over the next two years. It was a bad financial move, yet in your mind, you remember the Dillon era as a good value play by Belichick. That’s the way it goes around here.

Anyway, if Dillon was somehow worth $10 million but Vrabel isn’t worth $3.3 million, then I’ll pass on that master plan.

--

Felgy,

I am no apologist for the Patriots, but I think the criticism that Bill got hoodwinked on the Cassel trade is misguided. Could he have gotten more? Probably. But the market for Cassel was probably slow to develop, and if the Pats waited to deal Cassel they would have prevented themselves from negotiating with other free agents because of the cap space issue. So by getting the deal done quickly the Patriots avoided the situation of not being able to add parts to their defense. Part of the trade is obviously what Bill got in return, which is a decent (not great) draft pick, but the other part is what they avoided, which is losing leverage on Cassel and being paralyzed by a bad cap situation. Also, the execution risk on a three way trade in the NFL is probably 10x what it was with Pioli and Bill dealing with each other. So that was perhaps a factor.

Aaron

A: I don't disagree with you on a single point, Aaron, other than that thing about “adding parts to their defense.’” They haven’t added any yet.

--

Felger,

With Vrabel gone, who is the locker room voice and leader? Who is going to show everyone how to “get it?’’

Kenneth Scigulinsky

A: The new tight end, whatshisname.

--

Hi Mike,

I’m pumped that old Joseph -- er, Rob -- Bradford let you do your mailbag weekly again. I just wanted to dispute one point you made on the Vrabel trade. You keep on bringing up the point that Vrabel had criticized how much money owners of franchises were making in comparison to players, and specifically mentioned Patriots Place. While I know you haven't said this is the reason he was traded, you keep floating that possibility – and I think you're wrong, my friend. Bill Belichick always does what's best for his FOOTBALL team. Not his political action organization, not his debate team, but his FOOTBALL team. He doesn't make moves based on minor criticisms made by players.
Remember after the Super Bowl which will remain unnamed, when Randy Moss said at the end that the team had been out-coached and didn't have as good a game plan? Again, another minor criticism (which wasn't totally off-base, much like Vrabel's), but Belichick still resigned him, because he was one of the best receivers in the game. Or after we gave Asante the franchise tag and he ripped into the team. Belichick didn't just trade him. He understood the business tactics of Asante's words and negotiated to bring him back for one more season. And that's part of what Vrabel's criticism was: business tactics. He's a rep for the player's union, and wanted to use a tiny little bit of his media exposure to help his teammates out. And Belichick understands that.

Why Belichick would trade a team leader, I'm still not sure. But we do know that Belichick likes to get rid of players a bit too early, rather than a bit too late. And while Vrabel had flashes of greatness last year, he certainly can't remain completely unaccountable for the weak pass-rush and third down defense we witnessed last year. I'm a huge fan of Mike Vrabel, and I'm really sad to see him go. But I am glad he gets to go to a team where he can immediately become a leader, finish his career without the indignity of being cut, and help mentor some young players in Scott Pioli's new system. And finally, I know better than to question a move Belichick makes. He's certainly had a small share of mistakes (Duane Starks, anyone?), but after nine years, I've come to learn that if a move by Belichick seems odd and receives a lot of criticism then we should just give it some time and let it play out. In Belichick We Trust.

Keep up the good work Mike. I don't think you're a DB (well, most of the time at least).

Jeff W

A: “I know better than to question a move Belichick makes…” Then why bother writing, Jeff? Why bother reading or listening? Just shut down the brain, turn on the Big Show and enjoy your stay in Happyland. 

As for Belichick being able to withstand criticism from his players and moving on from it, you're right. He's better than anyone I've ever seen. Remember when Ty Law said he had to “lie to feed his family,’’ and Bill still brought him back for another season? Belichick’s track record on this is remarkable. But just to be clear, Vrabel didn't go after Bill.

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Felger,

There's got to be something more to Vrabel being included in this deal, as they now have a hole in their linebacker corps. How's this: Seymour and some picks for Julius Peppers?

Scott

A: How's this: Not a prayer. They're not paying Peppers, Scott.

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Felger,

I wonder if Seymour is the next to go. He’s an “every last nickel’’ type of guy in negotiations and is in the final year of his deal. He hasn't earned his money in his current contract, but I could see him still wanting a Haynesworth deal. In other words, I could see him being more of a headache than the Pats would want to deal with. And with cap space tight this year, I could see a trade to free up $9m. You think Seymour gets you a first-round pick from another team in trade? Or could he be part of a Peppers deal? 

Maybe I'm off base here, but it seems like a BB move if he thinks Seymour is too injury-prone and trending downward, yet will want top dollar to re-sign. BTW, no Peppers deal happens until Wilfork gets a new contract first.

Jamie

A: You're right about the last part. Wilfork gets paid first, and he's going to get huge dollars (he'll shoot for the $41 million guaranteed that Albert Haynesworth signed for). There’s not enough to pay both Wilfork and Peppers. Not this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were no big deals signed with anyone this year, not Wilfork, not Seymour and certainly not Peppers.

As for Seymour, something tells me the Pats play out the year with him and then think about the franchise tag for 2010. One of the new rules for next year is that every team will have two tags, which means the Pats can franchise both Wilfork and Seymour if they want to. I’m already looking forward to Seymour’s response.

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Felgy,

One aspect no one is discussing is Cassel's contract. The Chiefs traded a second round pick for only one guaranteed year of Cassel (unless they franchise him again next year). They did not agree to a long term contract in advance, which many people thought would be a prerequisite to any deal. So, this is risky for KC.

This could also explain why the deal with Tampa Bay and Denver fell through. Denver couldn't trade Cutler, who is under contract for multiple years, for one year of Cassel.  They had to lock Cassel into a deal. KC probably gave the Pats a deadline on their deal, and the Pats could not risk waiting and Cassel not coming to an agreement with the Broncos.

AJ
Ashland

A: Definitely one of the layers, AJ.

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Hey Felger,

I heard you say something on the radio that I completely disagree with. Don't worry, it's not the pit bull thing. The thing that bothered me was that you said, in reference to Stephon Marbury, that you weren't a big fan of signing other talented players with personality issues like Corey Dillon or Moss. I don't agree with Dillon but at least I can see your point. But Moss?! Did you miss the entire 2007 season? He's been a model citizen and we gave up a (fourth)-round pick for him. The opportunity to get a player like that for a (fourth)-round pick is so rare that you have to take it when it's available.

Thanks for your time,
Jay

A: You misinterpret, Jay. I never said Moss or Dillon -- or Marbury, especially –represented bad value or were bad deals. They obviously weren't. I'm really talking more about as a fan. I've never liked Marbury. I think he stands for a lot of what is wrong with the NBA. I’ve never rooted for him in my life. But now I’m supposed to? Sorry. Maybe I’m getting too old, but that’s not the way it works for me. I know most fans are different, though. You all became Randy Moss fans the second that trade was made, even though you were the same ones who had been saying for years (and I agreed with you) that Moss was the anti-Patriot. All it took for you was a change of laundry and for Bill to say it was okay. Again, that’s what we’re dealing with.

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Felger,

We've praised Belichick in the past for his ability to look ahead and not make decisions based on emotion. Business is business and personal is personal. Was he wrong to let Milloy go? Was he wrong to let Bledsoe go? Daniel Graham? Damian Woody? Willie McGinest? Vinatieri? So far the answer is no to all of them. Vrabel is 34 next season and played hurt/injured all year. You don't get healthier, stronger, faster or better at 34 and banged up. Cassel was a flash in the pan for one season while guiding  an all-time, record-setting offense. The 34th pick in exchange for these two players isn't bad. Shame on Tampa and Denver for waiting too long to step up to the plate. I trust Belichick enough to have exhausted every resource and every possibility when exploring a trade for Cassel.   

Players like Cedric Maxwell had to give way to Kevin McHale, John Valentin to Nomar, Bledsoe to Brady, Montana to Young, Joey Porter to James Harrison (via trade) and now Mike Vrabel to Jerrod Mayo. Belichick recognizes this, and that's why he was able to make this decision. And Finally, in 2004 Top NBA GM Jerry West knew enough to part with 32-year-old, All-NBA center Shaq O'Neal after three championships in order to turn the keys over to Kobe Bryant, the best player on the planet now. It wasn't personal, just business.

Dan Faucon

A: You had me up until that last bit….You think the Lakers were right to get rid of Shaq? Do I have that one wrong, too?

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Felger,

Thank the Lord that Mark Recchi is now a Boston Bruin! Now, at last, the Bruins can have a scoring option that is a left-handed shot, and they can take PJ Axelsson off of the power play. When the B's were winning it was difficult to second guess a lot of what Claude was doing, but recently with their play slipping some, It’s been frustrating to watch.  Axelsson is a good third- or fourth-line player and penalty killer, but he has no business being on the ice during the power play or when the B's have an empty net trying to tie with a minute left. Watching him out there instead of Blake Wheeler (17 goals) is downright silly.  I’m done with Manny Fernandez, too. He played well most of the season, but since coming back from injury has been brutal. Thomas should be getting all the starts except the occasional back-to-back game. 

Pete 

Plainville

A: Couldn’t agree more on the Axelsson thing – and I love PJ. He’s one of the best neutral-zone players I’ve ever seen. But Julien has way too much faith in him offensively (I still can’t believe it when PJ goes out there for shootout attempts). But that’s a problem with Julien – he’s conservative. We’ve seen guys like Stephan Yelle and Matt Hunwick with the first line as well. Hopefully those days are over with Recchi here. And most of you puck-heads know how I feel about the goaltending situation. Get Tuuka Raask up here.

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Mr. Felger,

I thoroughly enjoy your perspective and the manner in which you go on mini-crusades on a variety of issues. With that said, though it is not a fresh issue, please talk more about the ridiculous way in which the NBA is run. The officiating is by far the worst of the four major sports and even markedly worse than college basketball. There is no flow to the games and officials seem to get caught up in emotion and routinely miss the easiest of calls. I am not a conspiracy theorist but I would bet serious money that Tim Donaghy is not alone.

More importantly, though it’s stating the obvious, is the manner in which the salary structure is set up (which nobody understands). Players are traded for the value and length of their contracts and for virtually no other reason. The most valuable players at the trade deadline were Raef Lafrentz, Shawn Marion and Wally Szcerbiak. Players like Darius Miles, Allan Houston, Vin Baker and Pervis Ellison cripple teams for years with no way out. Why is there not more outrage about this? Perhaps, like in the NHL, teams should be able to buy out players with bad contracts with less impact on the cap (understanding the contracts will continue to be guaranteed). As a former huge fan of the NBA with a recent temporary rejuvenation because of the Celtics' recent success, please be a stronger voice in the need for a reformation. This league needs to continue to be exposed.

Quinny

A: I'm not sure that I'm the guy to do it, Quinny. But, for what it's worth, I agree with both of your points. Strongly. 

There are WAY too many whistles in NBA games. The flow sucks. You’re right. Watch the NHL sometime; there are huge chunks of end-to-end action with no whistles. For example, it took the Bruins and Flyers 2:24 to play 60 minutes (with two intermissions) on Tuesday night. Two days earlier, it took 2:36 for the Celts and Pistons to play 48 minutes (with one halftime). That’s ridiculous. It's also no good competitively. The charging/blocking calls in NBA games have gotten stupid. When I was a kid, the NBA never called charges. That was strictly for the college. Now it's a huge part of the pro game -- for the worse.

The salary thing is also crazy. The NBA cap is too complicated and onerous. One bad deal and you’re toast. And because you have to match up money on trades, the best you can usually do to get out of it is trade trash for trash. And if the garbage you acquire has a contract that expires before the contract of the garbage you dealt, then you win. It’s just goofy. You’re right, the biggest commodities are usually the grotesquely overpaid stiffs who sit at the end of the bench and collect $14 million per season. Theo Ratliff. The whole system is too hard to navigate if you’re a team and too hard to figure out if you’re a fan.

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Felger,

I mean this sincerely. I Just watched you on CSN, and you basi cally looked horrible next to Dickerson, and then follow it up with ignorant Tiger Woods commentary.  Not to be stupid, just tone it down a bit. You have spent way to much time working in guy radio, websites and TV. You are very smart (for a BU guy), and for the most part, are far better then you allow yourself to be -- tone it down.  Your attempt to act obnoxious to draw douche bag emails is not even believable anymore. It looks fake.

And….

Felgy,

Sometimes you need to think your statements out before you speak. Those comments about Marbury not being a winner were not exactly true. He has played on several BAD teams. I can’t believe Dickerson put you in your place about the matter. He was actually right for a change. Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen never won before because they were on crappy teams, too. If the Celtics repeat this year, will Marbury be considered a winner in your eyes – or will he always be a loser to you? You seem to be more critical of players lately. I’m surprised one of them hasn’t punched your lights out by now. 

RJ Levesque

Columbia, SC

A: I went back and watched that conversation with Dickerson just to make sure I wasn’t hearing things. Maybe you guys were. Do you realize that in that interview Greg compared Marbury to both Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson? Do you realize that he equated the amount of winning Marbury has done so far in his NBA career (he’s never won a playoff series) with what Allen (conference finalist with Milwaukee), Garnett (conference finalist with Minnesota) and Pierce (conference finalist in Boston) had done before last year? And I’M the a-hole?  

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Hey Mikey,

As you may be aware, the Pats just completed a trade that has gotten some people a bit out of sorts. The trade of Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel to Kansas City for the 34th pick overall in the 2009 draft has a lot of people wanting to ask Bill Belichick questions.  Unfortunately, a man who used to ask Bill some of the most interesting questions isn't around to try and get us some answers -- or at least make us chuckle while doing so. Friday marks the two-year anniversary of Alan Greenberg's death. Alan was a great writer, a great father and family man,  a great friend to all who got a chance to know him and just a unique individual overall. I didn't know Alan personally, never got to meet him and didn't get to see much of his work away from the local media outlets that I was familiar with. But when I did get the chance to listen to or watch Alan, I enjoyed it. I liked Alan because, for whatever reason, he struck a chord with me and I identified with him. We both shared an offbeat, wacky sense of humor. I love to take a conversation and turn it upside down with a random comment or funny observation. Alan didn't follow a script and I liked that a lot. I know we would have agreed that the Polo shirt is the pinnacle of versatile and utilitarian male clothing and that matching navy blue socks with black socks is close enough to get the job done nine times out of ten, especially when rushing out of the house in the morning. 

Those who didn't know him found out Alan was so proud of his family and especially his kids. They were clearly what his world revolved around.  I am the father of two awesome, healthy, happy kids. I beg my wife to upload pictures she takes so I can download them and print them out at work. Just looking at photos of them makes me feel good no matter what is going on, and lets me know how lucky I am. Alan's passing was one of a few events that had me honestly contemplating my mortality for the first time in my life. It caused me to think more and more about changing the way I took care of myself so I could, in turn, take care of and enjoy the people that I treasured for as long as possible. It stinks that sometimes it takes sad and traumatic events for us to realize what is important and what we need to do. And when those things happen to genuinely good people like Alan, it's tragic. I know this isn't my usual shtick and is probably out of place in your mailbag so if you want to leave it out, it's no problem. I just wanted to remember Alan, because when you nail what's important, one navy blue and one black sock is going to be close enough, unless you’re wearing shorts.

Mike
Attleboro

A: Well done, Mike. I could have used a question or two from Alan this week.

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Felger can be seen nightly on Comcast Sportsnet. He can be reached at mfelger@weei.com. His mailbag will return again next Thursday.