Monday, December 10, 2012

Revisionist History: Pioli and The Cassel Deal

It's December of 2012 and Chiefs GM Scott Pioli finds his job on the line...and that shouldn't be the case.  I want to go into detail as to why his job is on the line...things like wins, coaches, and the QB.  Today I want to hit on the dynamic between Pioli and Cassel...from his familiarity...to the deal...and the options at that time.

Let's go back to 2009.  Chiefs fans sat through another Croyle trip to the IR and a Tyler Thigpen finish to end the year.  As a fan I was good with Matt Cassel...he had to be better than Huard/Croyle/Thigpen and might rival Trent Green.  He just finished a solid season with New England and figured he could come close to that production in KC.

The Quarterbacks were between Croyle (who really wasn't an option), Mark Sanchez (you see how that is working out), Josh Freeman (3 wins in 09', 10 wins in 10', 4 wins 2011 and a fired coach...already there), or Matt Cassel.  An argument could be made whatever choice he made he will be in this position.  Ryan seat is about as hot as Pioli's, as well as the career as starter of Sanchez and Cassel.  Dominik appears to have survived in year 4 with a 6-9 record.

Point is we are tying Pioli to this decision when we don't factor that close to any decision at that position would have led to this.  Cassel at the time made sense so I can't sit here and change my mind on it 4 years later anymore than Pioli...that's why I don't hold Pioli to this decision.  Given the options his decision at the QB made perfect sense...even in hindsight.

The problem with Cassel is the commitment.  Cassel got a 6 year 60 million dollar deal...in reality it was around 4 years 40 million.  NFL contracts are generally based on the guaranteed portion which Cassel is out of.  The issue is the Chiefs were in a position to get out of that deal earlier and cut bait.

Look at Cassel's deal as a car deal.  Replace the 6 years 60 million with 6 years 60 thousand.  The day you buy a car you can get out of it that day...but it will end up costing you.  There's a point where your payments is equal to the blue book and you can get out of it without eating money.  In general NFL contracts are no different.  Unfortunately on a deal that size it took 4 years for the Chiefs to reach "blue book" (get out of it without eating money).

That's where cheap comes in...giving a bum in Cassel 60 million is not cheap...identifying he is garbage and riding that deal out is cheap.  That's where my criticism is...not in getting Cassel rather holding on to him for 4 years.  Pioli needed to admit that mistake and move on...they needed to eat that deal and move on.  

Cassel is often used as a point why Pioli should have been fired.  Pioli should be fired for bringing Cassel in...the issue was keeping Cassel around.  People say they don't trust Pioli to draft a QB, but that can't be because of Cassel...because any choice at that spot in 09' had a good chance of landing him in a similar spot.  




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