Assessing the Cassel market

Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post opined today that Matt Cassel's value might be a first-round pick -- a pick in the first half of the first round, at that -- as well as a second-round pick. (This is presuming the Patriots slap the franchise on him.)

That might sound crazy for a former seventh-round pick with one moderately successful season under his belt. But look at the other names on Lombardi's list of potential free agents:

* Kurt Warner, who's 37 years old and probably either will re-sign with Arizona or retire.
* Kerry Collins, who reportedly has been assured he'll start for Tennessee next season if he returns.
* Chris Simms, who has attempted two total passes in the last two seasons.
* Byron Leftwich
* Luke McCown
* Ryan Fitzpatrick
* Patrick Ramsey
* Rex Grossman
* Jeff Garcia

Slim pickings.

So let's look at it. Who might be in the market, and what picks in the top two rounds could they offer?

* Detroit. Needs everything. Cassel might be just the young, well-taught quarterback around whom the Lions can rebuild.
Picks: No. 1 overall. (Keep dreaming. Given the financial commitment, Bill Belichick wouldn't want it, anyway.) No. 20 overall. No. 33 overall. (Now we're talking.) Those two picks together seem like an awfully steep price, though. Might Belichick deal Cassel for No. 20 overall and a second-day pick? Might Belichick deal Cassel for No. 20 straight up?

* Kansas City. The Scott Pioli connection is intriguing, though Pioli might want to avoid Cassel just to show that he's his own man. Then again, the Chiefs saw Tyler Thigpen make 11 starts this season.
Picks: No. 3 overall. No. 35 overall. According to Lombardi, that second-round pick wouldn't be enough. It might depend on who else is in the bidding.

* San Francisco. Shaun Hill? J.T. O'Sullivan? No, thanks.
Picks: No. 10 overall. No. 42 overall. This sounds like exactly what Lombardi is suggesting the Patriots should get for Cassel, but it still sounds like an awfully steep price to pay for a guy who has just one season as a starting quarterback since high school. The Patriots managed to trade for Wes Welker and Randy Moss without giving up a first-round pick, after all.

* Chicago. This is a wide-open division; an upgrade over Kyle Orton might make a huge difference.
Picks: No. 18 overall. No. 50 overall. That No. 18 pick might put the Patriots in range of USC outside linebacker Brian Cushing.

* Minnesota. The on-again, off-again affair with Tarvaris Jackson has to reach some sort of resolution soon.
Picks: No. 22 overall. No. 54 overall. The Vikings aren't going to get Matt Stafford or Mark Sanchez at No. 22, but if they could get Matt Cassel there, that might be a victory. Would Belichick do Cassel straight up for the No. 22 pick -- giving him a chance to draft both Brandon Pettigrew and James Laurinaitis with back-to-back picks?