[quote name='corrosivefrost']No. I don't. Save for potential fanboy backlash, there's no reason not to trade your big name system QB (who's coming off a major injury) for a King's ransom when you have a younger guy with less mileage/wear & tear who proved he can do just as well in the same system. They should've done to Brady what they did to Bledsoe. Simply put, for a first year QB who hadn't started a game since High School, Cassel going 11-5 shows he's just about as good in a system that Brady has been in for what, 6 years as a starter now? A new multi-year incentive based deal with Cassel would be a mere pittance compared to Brady's numbers -- and with the plundering they would've put on another team in a trade for him? Holly sheet. Patriots would probably win 4 of the next 7 Superbowls.[/quote]
Oh boy... the Brady = system QB argument
Let's go with the assumption that Brady is nothing more than a system QB, how do the Patriots know Cassel can perform as well or better over several seasons? They don't, so Brady is more of a sure thing at this point. Cutting/trading Brady would likely cost the Pats a lot ($12-14 million?) in dead cap money, so that's not really an option for a team that needs to find money for guys like Wilfork and Seymour in the next year or two. If the system is such a large factor as you make it out to be, why not get rid of both Brady and Cassel and just play Gutierrez, O'Connell, or maybe Testaverde is still available... Hell, if Jim Sorgi went and won 12 games for the Colts while Peyton was down, would we see as many people wanting the Colts to dumb Peyton in favor of Sorgi? I sincerely doubt that. A well run system is a wonderful thing, but an elite QB can take that system, and entire team much further.
As should be obvious, Brady >>>> Bledsoe. I loved Bledsoe when I started watching football at first, but he wasn't as elite as Brady(top 2 in the league). Brady won a Superbowl after replacing an older QB in Bledsoe, and showed the ability to make all the throws and have some pocket awareness. Drew was always a statue back there. To relate this to Cassel v Brady, Cassel did not win a Superbowl, and his pocket awareness is still laughable despite more mobility than Bledsoe.
Cassel going 11-5 shows the offensive system is very good, talent on the team is even better, and McDaniels & Belichick prepared Matt very well over 3 seasons for this past year. No offense, but anyone who watches Patriots games closely can see the differences between Cassel and Brady. There are many, not limited to but including Moss' respect level, Matt trying to set a league record for sacks taken despite one of the better o-lines the Patriots have fielded, and deep passing accuracy. 4 years from now(or whenever Brady really becomes over the hill...) it's quite possible Cassel will be better, but the Patriots may not be able to wait that long and keep the same(or better) level of talent on the team. So again, the best bet to try to win Superbowls immediately is Brady, being good at the QB spot 4/5 years from now is secondary to that.
[quote name='corrosivefrost']The Patriots are a machine. Look what they did with Troy Brown. They used him in the roles which he fit and got the most mileage out of him. They took Junior Seau on and look what they got out of him. They lost Deion Branch, David Patten, Adam Vinatieri, etc. and yet they found people to fit the roles, buying into their team and system are bigger than any one player mentallity. And they kept winning. Brady went down in the middle of the first game. The Pats still went 11-5 with Cassel, an absolute NOBODY just like Brady was when he stepped in for Bledsoe, who threw for ~3700 yards, 21 TDs, and completed 63% of his passes throwing only 11 INT. Compare that to Brady's first year as a starter: ~3750 yards, 28 TDs, 14INT with a 62% completion rate. Hmmm... 2-1 TD ratio, 3500+ yards, >60% completion... yeah, it's not the system and Cassel couldn't even hope to put up Brady like numbers.
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Troy Brown did great things playing offense, special teams, and corner but you're kidding yourself if you think they could have those results with any receiver. Troy was a very agile receiver for most of his career and set a few franchise records including 1st in receptions, 2nd in receiving yards, best punt returner. He was hardly some practice squad slouch, not just another guy they could "plug in".
Vinatieri was getting older and was going to get more money than the Patriots deemed he was worth on the FA market, as he did from the Colts. Gostkowski is more or less just as good so far, but has not had the chances to prove himself in the playoffs like Adam. On the other hand, Gostkowski's kickoffs are longer and more consistent, which was becoming a problem for Adam in outdoor stadiums especially. It's no coincidence he went to play for a dome team.
I really hope you aren't comparing first season numbers for both QBs... Those offensive teams are night and day talent wise. Daunte Culpepper was a pretty good QB too when he had two great receivers to play with, would you want him on your team since he has been exposed? If Cassel can play a whole season with average(or worse) receivers, and a poor running game, then he will be more comparable. Until then, Brady has done more with less, and had a ridiculous MVP season with the current team.
I love what Matt managed to accomplish this past season, and hope he continues to have success and becomes a better player. But one season on one of the most talented teams in the league does not outweigh Brady's resume and short term potential.