There didn’t have to be any “sub-plot between Belichick and his former assistant, McDaniels” here, despite whatever bombs Mortensen is launching out.. Just because the Patriots might have received more for Cassel than what they obtained from KC, it may not have been acceptable to both parties.

Remember, Cassel and his agent had to agree to any trade for it to work out. If a team or situation was undesirable to Cassel, all he had to do was refuse to sign a long-term or multi-year contract with the new team and it would kill the deal, leaving Cassel -and his $14.5 million cap hit -here in New England.

And I don’t believe Vrabel being thrown into the deal wasn’t just an afterthought either. For all the cold-blooded, heartless, evil-genious robot comments heaped on Belichick, he didn’t take the highest bidder in this case. Just speculation on my part, but a more plausible scenario than the one about a sub-plot b/w McDaniels and Belichick. McDaniels specifically didn’t take raid the Patriots when he left, out of respect for BB.