The Matt Cassel trade was more than a transaction. It was also a statement from the Chiefs’ new regime that rebuilding and haplessness don’t have to go hand in hand.

Though general manager Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley ration their words in public, their actions so far speak volumes of their long-term intentions.

It may be a stretch to say the Chiefs are committed to winning now – after all, there’s a lot of digging out required after a 2-14 season. Yet it’s clear from the additions of Cassel and outside linebacker Mike Vrabel that the Chiefs won’t be content to keep games close, either.

With last year’s housecleaning and youth movement, coach Herm Edwards hoped to take the proverbial step back to ultimately take two steps forward. The Chiefs instead took one step in reverse only to realize that their backs were at the edge of a cliff.

Somebody had to pull the plug on this approach. Too many youngsters made too many mistakes in 2008, and who knew even at the end of the season how many of them really have NFL futures?

Conceding the quarterback job to Tyler Thigpen while the Chiefs tried to fix other areas would have amounted to a willingness to risk another season of pain. By adding a quarterback who led the Patriots to an 11-5 finish and who’ll command a huge financial package, general manager Scott Pioli is clearly committed to also strengthening Cassel’s supporting cast.

You don’t buy a multi- million-dollar painting, then put it in a crummy frame and hang it on your front porch. You protect it and place it in the most flattering surroundings available.

The acquisition of Vrabel, who came with Cassel for the 34th pick of next month’s draft, is another tipoff to the Chiefs’ intentions. You don’t obtain an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense if you intend to keep Edwards’ 4-3. And you don’t bring in a former Pro Bowl player who turns 34 in August and is expected to help set a winning tone if you’re in no hurry to win.

Incoming coaches often seek Vrabel types to wash away the bad taste of losing. When president Carl Peterson and coach Marty Schottenheimer inherited a 4-11-1 team in 1989, they signed center Mike Webster, who brought a Hall of Fame resume and tireless work ethic to the Arrowhead locker room. His performance and presence helped them to a winning record.

Pioli’s deal also suggests he’ll be flexible retooling the Chiefs. Loading up on over-30 players would be a mistake, just as over-committing to green players proved misguided a year ago. Pioli’s first major player move brings one player in his prime and another nearing the end of his career, but perhaps with enough ability left to help point his team in the right direction.

Considering that Pioli built his reputation in New England on successful drafts, it’s obvious that his choices next month will form an integral part of the master plan, too.

In fairness to the old regime, last year’s rebuilding was not undertaken with a two-win season in mind. The best-case scenario was for marked improvement in the second half of the season, which would produce a competitive team in 2009 and a playoff contender in 2010.

The NFL, however, often frustrates such gradual improvement. A league structure that maximizes parity also encourages volatility. Upward or downward mobility can be extreme and unpredictable. If you’re willing to be somewhat bad for a year, you may turn out to be extremely bad.

The Cassel deal suggests the 2009 Chiefs will be somewhat good, and who knows where that might lead?