There are some people who think it will be more difficult now for the Patriots to trade Matt Cassel, since Tom Brady has said he expects to be ready for the start of training camp.

I’m not one of them.

 The logic – no, that’s the wrong word, because the premise isn’t logical; so we’ll say, instead, the theory -- behind that misguided idea is that, because teams now know that the Patriots have to deal Cassel in order to avoid paying a backup quarterback $14.65 million, New England has lost leverage in trade talks.

 The only way that’s true is if only one team wants him. If there’s just one team bidding for Cassel’s services, then the Pats will, indeed, be at their mercy.

 But, if you watched the National Football League more than one Sunday last season, you know that there are several teams, at the very least, that could use a quarterback of Cassel’s caliber and potential.

 Some of them are bad teams, desperately in need of a quality QB. Others are pretty good, but could be significantly better with an upgrade at the sport’s most important position.

 The worst of teams, of course, is the lowly Lions, who have the first overall pick following a humiliating 0-16 season. Detroit also has the 20th pick in the first round, courtesy of the Cowboys, and so is in a position to make a deal with New England.

 The Lions could take either of the top two collegiate QB prospects – Mark Sanchez of Southern Cal and Matt Stafford of Georgia – with that first pick, if they believe one of them will be better than Cassel.

 They also could use that first pick to take the player they deem to be, as the old saying goes, “the best available athlete,” and then put together a package involving that 20th overall pick, and other choices this year or next, to get Cassel.

 But it seems likely other teams could become involved in the bidding battle, too.

 And that’s why the idea that a presumably healthy – we won’t know for sure until we see him in training camp – Tom Brady hurts the Patriots in trade talks is off base.

 The plan always has been to trade Cassel -- unless, that is, Brady wasn’t going to be ready until later in the fall.

 The Pats can’t afford to get off to a bad start in 2009. Not after going 11-5 and missing the playoffs last season. Clearly, every game is important. So it’s not as if they could say: “Tom will be ready in October, so we’ll trade Cassel and hope to get through September with Kevin O’Connell or Matt Gutierrez.”

 No, Cassel is an expensive insurance policy, on several levels. Not only would he be ready to play if Brady couldn’t, but also, by franchising him, the Patriots assured themselves of getting something in return for the promising, soon-to-be 27-year-old QB, who otherwise would have been an unrestricted free agent.

 What’s important to remember, though, is that right now it’s Cassel and his agent, David Dunn, who are in the driver’s seat as far as where he plays next season.

 He has yet to sign his contract, so he is free to talk with other teams. That means it could be Dunn who arranges a financial deal agreeable to Cassel and his new club, at which point that team would have to come up with a trade package agreeable to the Patriots.

 It’s in everyone’s interest to work things out amicably and, presumably, to what all of the parties involved feel is to their advantage.

 By franchising Cassel, the Patriots have the right to match any contract offer he receives. If they choose not to do that, and Cassel signs with another club, that team would have to give New England two first-round draft picks as compensation.

 That’s not going to happen.

 So let’s review: Cassel wants to be a starter. The Patriots don’t want to pay him $14.65 million to be a backup. Presumably, there are teams – the Lions, the Chiefs, the 49ers, the Vikings, the Rams, possibly the Panthers, even the AFC South champion Titans, all are possibilities, and there may be others -- who’d love to have him in the lineup. Therefore, it’s in the best interests of all concerned to work out a suitable contract for Cassel, and a trade package with the Patriots.

 In no way are any of those dealings compromised by Brady’s good health.

jdonalds@projo.com