American Football

Tony Masserotti in the Boston Globe

If the Patriots use the franchise tag on Cassell, it would, in many ways, go against everything they have preached organizationally. Beyond serving as a leveraging tactic, franchising the player could prove to be downright foolish business. If Cassel accepted and was willing to stay on the roster for a year before trying his hand at free agency following the 2009 campaign -- admittedly, Cassel probably does not want this, but it is his trump card -- the Pats could end up committing between $25 million-$30 million on two quarterbacks, one of whom would be relegated to the sidelines.

This may be a bit too Boston-specific, but Pats are talking about using their one franchise player tag on Cassel, which will guarantee him at least $13 million. He'll, of course, be a backup if Tom Brady comes back in one piece. Of course, that $13 million could cripple the Pats' salary cap for 2009 since they'll have $29 million, or one-quarter, of their cap tied to one position.

OK

Good idea.

How about: Should Brett Favre be the New York Jets' starting quarterback in 2009?

That way it doesn't link the decision making specifically to either...

Talk radio: Where idiots become experts.

oh yeah there are. Linda Cohn and Erik Kuselias were in agreement that Favre needs to stay. Don't overestimate the media world, JStephen, there's always a delusional branch that makes an issue worth discussing. It's called talk radio. 

"have him back" is suggestive...it assumes that the Brett Favre's return is a one-sided decision and doesn't include the man himself.

Frankly, I see it as the only way to frame the debate cause after the way the season ended, I doubt anyone will be calling on him to return. 

I think I like it better the way it is now.

that works for me. Do you see any reason, however, for specifying the amount of games that the NFL currently allows? Afterall, if it changes once...and then again a few years later, the issue could be confusing.