So, maybe the Patriots aren't shopping Ryan Mallet after all

Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reports, the Patriots aren't exactly dangling Ryan Mallet out there. This comes off the heels of a report that Mallet was on the trading block. That still doesn't mean they don't intend to trade him though.

Here are the Pros of trading Mallet, based on what Howe points to.

-Brady just got extended until he'll be 40, so it's not like Mallet will be playing under his current contract unless there's an injury.
-This is a very weak quarterback class in the draft and Mallet was once thought to be a first round caliber QB. His value could be at all all-time high.
-The Patriots are uncharacteristically low on draft picks this year (only five) since trades for Ochocinco, Haynesworth and Talib left them pretty thin.

Cons:

-The Patriots would probably want a second round pick, since they spent a third rounder on him. I doubt any team will want to give that much up for someone who's never played.
-There's the whole thing that Mallet was a big value pick as a third rounder and could actually be good. We've seen Brady go down once, and the significance of having a capable backup cannot be understated.
-Due to the CBA, teams can't extend Mallet until after the 2013 season. That's sure to keep some GMs away.