QB Mike Vick

So Michael Vicks long strange ride on the NFL’s roller coaster continues.

This stop?

Philadelphia.

To say the Eagles are taking a chance would be putting it mildly. Even discounting the potential and perhaps prolonged protests that may be generated, Vick himself might not know what kind of football player he is after sitting in prison.

Details of Vick’s reportedly 2 year deal are sketchy. So is Philadelphia’s reasoning.

The Eagles may genuinely believe Vick can contribute in a meaningful way that could put them over the top on the road to a Lombardi trophy.

Don’t forget, Philly was favored to win last years NFC Championship game and they’ve been perennial brides maids for years now.

Fans and non fans alike have to wonder, even if Vick still has gas in the tank and even if he helps propel the Eagles to Championship status, would their victory be for ever tainted?

Most will assume Vick will be the likely back up successor to McNabb at QB and he very well may be, but depending on his speed ( an unknown as of now) could be used in Wild Cat, option type of plays or even as a wide receiver.

Suddenly MCNabb could have the weapons at wide he always dreamed of.

Last years productive 2^nd round selection (49^th overall) WR DeSean Fraction Jackson, this years 1^st round draft pick (19^th over all) WR Jeremy Maclin and...Michael Vick in the slot.

It could be, but it seems that prospect alone may not have been the sole motivation for taking the leap for one of the worlds most controversial figures.

The untimely passing of 68 yr old Eagles defensive coordinating genius Jim Johnson, the departure of Philly legend safety Brian Dawkins and the season ending ACL tear suffered by starting MIKE line backer Stewart Bradley may have played a role in bolstering the Eagles offense as well.

Photo Boston Globe

                                                                                                      KC QB Matt Cassel

The Chiefs Matt Cassel cashed in this week, but is he as solid an investment as they think?

Time will tell, but preliminarily, heres the pros and cons for and against.

Yes.

Cassel put up decent numbers and more importantly won games after Brady’s early departure, stepping out of the shadow of one of the most prolific QBs of our generation and taking his team to the play offs.

In todays League, a winning QB is worth his weight in gold and Cassel’s $60 million dollar deal, $28 million guaranteed, at this moment, is about fair market value for top notch talent.

No.

Cassel managed wins for the Patriots but they are and have been an extremely competitive team thats played as a tried and tested unit for many, many years. They're also replete with top notch talent, if not on the O line, then at wide receiver with again, two very prolific footballers.

In KC, they have two very young and untested linemen who are high draft picks and also Brian Waters who is one of the finest unsung guards in the League.

Cassel showed a tendency to hold the ball too long in New England, contributing to New Englands 51 sacks last year.

With the line in KC's line, if he does that in 09', he may be the one being carted off the field.

On the other side of the ball KC has even more questions. Its a fairly safe bet they'll experience growing pains installing a new 3-4 defense and that could make Cassel and the KC passing game work even harder.

Though KC has a running game with work horse Larry Johnson, he hasn’t been exactly thrilled to be a Chief the last few years and until he found out they would not have to pay him this years salary if he left, had both feet out the door.

Don’t be shocked if he gets injured in 4 games or less with the advantage being saving his body for next year, hopefully with a new team.

If The Chiefs running game falters, Cassel won’t have Tony Gonzales to chew up turf 10 yds at a time.

Maybe

Stranger things have happened, but its still a very real possibility Cassel could pull a Derrick Anderson and falter after one decent year. This seems more likely given the litany of woe that has plagued KC of late, not the least of which are the obvious holes in their roster and new coaches.

Then again, Cassel could unite the fledgling team and rally them a winning season.

But I wouldn’t bet on it.

Alot of things could go right, but odds are, alot of things will go wrong too...

Photo / Getty Images

                                                                                                    QB Jay Cutler                 

The following quotes are from AP Sportswriter Arnie Stapleton:

"Broncos owner Bowlen sends letter trying to explain Cutler trade"

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-broncos-cutler&prov=ap&type=lgns

"At least one fan’s feelings weren’t assuaged by Bowlen’s letter.

"I thought it was too little, too late," said Ken Mendelsberg, 42, whose family has had Broncos season tickets since 1961.

Neither Bowlen’s letter nor McDaniels’ news conference Friday curbed his concerns about the direction of the franchise.

"I don’t understand why he’d go to a press conference wearing a hoodie," Mendelsberg said of McDaniels. "Jay Cutler showed up at his press conference (in Chicago) looking nice. He looked like he had a makeover—nice suit, nice tie, nice haircut. He even laughed. I’d never seen him laugh. It’s like he had a new lease on life."

He doesn’t feel the same about his beloved Broncos.

"I’m so bummed. What do I tell my kids? We don’t have a quarterback; we don’t have a defense," Mendelsberg said. "This did nothing to ease my mind."

You’d think the fact the Broncos mismanaged, rebuilding franchise now has FOUR first round draft picks in the next 2 years would offer some modicum of solace.

Who's to say they couldn't trade for a solid quarterback to replace Cutler and still rebuild with some first round talent?

Either way, the Broncos have suddenly fast tracked their way to a faster and desperately needed rebuild.

But is it on the up and up?

The whole blow up with Cutler and McDaniels seemed out of proportion from the get go and so does the reward.

This isn’t the first time someone with the Patriots has been accused of dirty dealing and even though they were punished only for a few minor infractions its likely for every one they got caught for, there were usually a lot more they weren’t.

Thats why some of the more astute Raider fans looked upon the new entry of Patriot blood into the AFC West with a watchful eye.

First it was former Patriots GM Scott Pioli, who officially joined the Chiefs January 13^th 2009 and immediately came under scrutiny for his seemingly sweet heart deal with his former team to acquire break out quarter back Matt Cassell.

Compared to Denvers compensation for Cutler, the Cassell deal seems even more lopsided.

Photo / Getty Images

                                                                                            Cheifs Qb Matt Cassell

A measly 2^nd round pick (34^th overall in the 09' draft) and a washed up 13 year veteran linebacker was all the compensation the Patriots achieved from trading a fresh young starting quarterback with a QB rating of 89.4 compared to Cutler’s 08' rating of 86.

The deal had many scratching their heads.

The notion "Cassell's franchise tag $14 million dollars for 2009 was the reason he was taken for a 2nd round pick" as asserted by NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock doesn't hold water considering KC could and should sign him to a longer contract and defer that money over the years in guarantees.

No matter how you spin it, its a questionable deal.

Then along came another involving a "former" Patriot, Denvers new head coach, former Patriot offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Supposedly "at odds" with 3^rd year pro bowl franchise quarter back Jay Cutler, the two reached an impasse and the poor Broncos are forced to console themselves with all those first round picks to rebuild their ailing franchise.

I wonder if Bob Kraft has any stock in the Broncos or KC?

Maybe theres nothing wrong with either of these deals.

It could be the Patriots got burned on the Cassell deal and took too little for him. All this despite reports other teams offered 1^st round picks. Denver was reported to have offered its 12^th overall draft pick for Cassell and was denied.

The thinking was, that New England was only $4 million under the cap and couldn’t afford to pay a player picked at 12.

Of course by freeing up Matt Cassell’s projected $14.65 million for the 09' season and another $1 million by ditching aged linebacker Mike Vrabel, the money would certainly be there.

New England now has the 23^rd pick overall and 3 second round picks who’ll come at a much cheaper price.

Volume and value.

Smart, shrewd business dealings or insider trading?

Either way it seems New England’s shady dealings have branched out into the AFC West and that may not be good news for Oakland.

Photo Getty Images

                                                                                                  New KC QB Matt Cassell

Of course alot depends on whom they trade with, but it would be interesting if Cutler garnered the Broncos anything more than the Patriots received from Kansas City for Matt Cassell and over the hill LB Mike Vrabel.

After all, while Cutler did have a pro bowl caliber year in 2008, Matt Cassell's quarterback rating was higher.

Though Cutler posted impressive stats, finishing the season with 4.526 yds and 25TDs, completeing 384 passes on 616 attempts, his QB rating was 86%, thanks, in part, to 18 interceptions.

In 16 games, Cutler put the ball up 100 times more than Cassell in his 15 appearances last year, but amazingly, the vocal Bronco QB, was sacked only 11 times.

Photo Getty Images

                                                                                 Broncos QB Jay Cutler

Cassell threw for less yardage, airing out 516 passes and completing 327 for 3,693 yds, 21 TDs and 11 interceptions, seven fewer than Cutler, despite being sacked a whopping 36 more times than Cutler,47 altogehter.

Cassell came away with a QB rating of 89.4% filling in for the injured Tom Brady and established himself as a new player to watch.

Given his success and the rarity of seemingly productive QBs, many were shocked at the seemingly insufficient compensation the Patriots settled for when dealing him away to Kansas Citys newly appointed GM and former New England Patriot front office guru, Scott Pioli.

The Patriots did throw in Vrabel, who was exposed, along with every other New England LB, when Adalius Thomas got hurt.

After 13 seasons, Vrabel is past his prime and his trade saved the Patriots over a million dollars in guarantees, yet they contend their was nothing under handed or skewed about their seemingly sweet heart deal.

It will beintersting to see if New England may be branching out and using the Broncos and KC as a mutual back door partners to help each other out.

Remember, the Patriots got cuaght cheating and most know for every one a cheat gets caught for, there are ten more that slip by.

The fact is, if Denver does decide to ok a trade for Cutler (and you can bet they are covertly fielding offers) the Broncos should not receive any more recompense than the Patriots did for emerging star Matt Cassell.

Cutler does have a 2 more seasons of film and experience than Cassell, but also has diabetes and a seemingly serious attitude he doesn't mind sharing with the press.

If Denver does seek and acquire a trade and somehow ends up with more than a high 2nd round pick and a player with 13 years of wear and tear on him, it could, and should, reignite the Cassell trade controversy all over again.

UPDATE:

After repeated denials by owner Pat Bowlen and awkward posturing by rookie head coach Josh McDaniels, recently, the Broncos owner did an about face and announced they wouldbe severing ties with the unhappy quarterback.

There are at least 8 potential landing zones for Cutler, but most applicable seems to be in Cleveland after a possible exchange for the Browns 2007 1st round pick (22nd overall) Brady Quinn.

To sweeten the deal, its been suggested the Browns might go as far as giving Denver a 1st or 2nd round pick or combine Quinn with sometimes disgruntled but productive DT Shaun Rogers, who is a pro bowl caliber nose tackle, something the sieve like Broncos new 3-4 D would be interested mightily in, but, after missing the 1st week of organized work outs this off season, Rogers seems to have smoothed over differences with Coach Eric Mangini and is reportedly pleased he will receive his $6 million dollar roster bonus.

On march 4th the Cleveland Plains Dealer reported the Browns had "zero interest in trading Shaun Rogers, but the Broncos said something similar not long ago about a certain quarterback.

No matter where Cutler lands, it will be interesting to see if there is a seeming discrepancy in recompense between Cutler's deal and Cassell's.