Word is circulating that Bill Belichick turned down the number 12 pick in the upcoming draft instead to trade for the number 34 pick with Matt Cassel. I cannot understand how we cannot say this is just stupid. Please I am just sick of the Patriots being the Patriots. Something just does not sit well with this situation. I also do not understand trading for Cassel when you have Tyler Thigpen who actually started to come into his own at the end of last season. I mean I am not complaining as I now have Cassel on a team with some great firepower to throw to.

I guess I understand not paying first round money and getting rid of Mike Vrabel's contract, but if you are taking the best offer you then have two first round picks and then you package the pick. I have a feel this was " friend deal" and we will never know what else was said or promissed behind closed doors. Mike Vrabel was the heart of the defense of the Patriots and I think he will be sorely missed. I know the Steelers loved him and I do not think the Pat's defnese will be the same.

My feeling is the NFL needs to look into if this deal was on the up and up. I just think it is shady and the Pat's have a track record of being a little deplicit. So at the very lease Roger Goodell needs to make a few calls.

NFL Notes:

• Jay Cutler needs to stop whining.  He wanted to be traded, then is crying when the team tried to trade him. Come on. My bet is he ends up getting traded sooner or later. I saw an interview a couple of weeks ago and he serioulsy does not interview well. He strikes me as a laid back Southern boy and is way to low key to win in the NFL. Just my opininion.  I said the same thing about Eli Manning though and he won a Super Bowl.
  
• Jason Taylor needs to man up. He is just a punk and it has got him cut again.
  
• With all of the players leaving the Eagles Donovan McNabb is as good as gone. I see him being traded to Arizona in the next couple of weeks.
  
• Kurt Warner is not worth $10 million a year and should have taken the deal with Arizona. Larry Fitzgerald made him a better QB not vice versa.
  
• Ray Lewis is going to end up with the Ravens as he over played his cards and no one wants to overpay for an aging LB.
  
• T.J. Houshmandzadeh should go to the Eagles or to a playoff team not Seattle or Minnesota. Those teams would be a mistake.
  
• The Steelers are close to a deal with James Harrison and in my opinion still the best team in the NFL. I cannot understand why teams like the Redskins cannot see how teams like the Steelers and the Patriots keep winning superbowls. 
• I think that you will see LT get traded in the next year. My guess is the Patriots would be a great fit.  Tom Brady would love having a back like that. Though the Pats just signed Fred Taylor so who knows.