Today, the Philadelphia Eagles traded Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Two years ago, at the start of free agency, the Patriots traded Matt Cassel (and Mike Vrabel) to the Kansas City Chiefs for a second-round pick?

Who made out better: Philadelphia or New England?

Personally, I'd say it was about even.

The Eagles did get more than the Patriots did. This is obvious. in addition to a second-round pick in next year's draft, they also got a cornerback who was himself a first-round pick in 2008. Many Cardinals fans are looking at the trade as a rip-off . . . with them as the victims.

On the other hand, the Patriots have two things going for them:

The Eagles don't get their pick until next spring. Moreover, the value of that pick depends on how well Kolb performs in Arizona. If he leads them to the playoffs, then the best the Eagles can get is pick #53. The Patriots got their pick in the 2009 draft, the same year they traded Cassel, and it was the #34 pick overall. Given that Arizona plays in the pit of mediocre that is the NFC West, it is hard to see the Cardinals stinking up the joint badly enough to give the Eagles a pick above #40.

The Eagles paid a lot more for Kolb. Don't forget that Kevin Kolb was the #36 pick in the 2007 draft. In other words, the Eagles paid a second-round pick to get him in 2007, and are getting a second-round pick in return. Not only that, though, but in order to secure his rights through 2011, the Eagles had to pay him a $10 million signing bonus in 2010. That money isn't coming back.

On the other hand, the Patriots only needed to invest a seventh-round draft pick to land Cassel, and his entire four-year contract cost the Patriots less than $2 million. So, getting back the #34 pick for Cassel, even if they had to throw in Vrabel (admittedly, I think Bill Belichick would have preferred to give them Adalius Thomas, but the salary cap prohibited that move), is still very good value.

So, all in all, I'd call it a draw.