I'd thought that acquiring Cassel would cost at least one first round pick, but the Chiefs aparently swung a discount, giving up only a second round pick. As Mike Forio, of PFT fame, mentions Daunte Culpepper with an exploded knee cost a second round pick. AJ Feeley cost a second rounder for God's sake. I'm sure the 49ers would have been interested at the pice the Chiefs got Cassel for.   As for the Patriots' motivation, it seems obvious they never planned on keeping Cassel at the franchise price. The Patriots probably couldn't come to a long term deal with Cassel because Cassel knows he's worth more than backup money on the open market right now. Maybe Pioli got some discount, playing up the fact that a KC second rounder is practically a first rounder (#34 overall) and nobody else was going to pay premium draft picks for a possible Derek Anderson clone. Great move by the Chiefs. Cassel is immediately better than any options KC had, despite the uncertainties. Dwayne Bowe and Tony G. will be very happy to hear this news.