ARE YOU NEW HERE? NOT LOGGED IN? PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REGISTER FOR AN ACCOUNT AND LOGIN TO REMOVE THIS WINDOW
Welcome to PatsFans.com. Do you have an account? If not - please take a moment to register for our forum and experience a much smoother experience with fewer ads, along with no longer having to see this notification window. Also learn about how you can receive a free Patriots T-Shirt from the Patriots Official ProShop by CLICKING HERE. Please enjoy your stay here, and Go Pats!
1. Who is more valuable to the patriots in the coming 5-6 years?
2. How much will each one cost to retain?
3. How hard would it be to acquire a player of similar talents in each case, should the player not be retained?
4. How much would it cost to obtain a replacement for each? I guess the answer to this could be found in franchise, or better yet, transition tag numbers. IIRC, the transition tag is the average of the top ten salaries in the position. ANyone know the values for the transition tag for WR and TE?
5. The first 4 quesitons lead to: Which provides more value to the Pats:
a) Extending Graham, and signing a FA WR or drafting a WR to replace Branch, or
b) Extending Branch, and signing a FA TE or drafting a TE to replace Graham.
FEATURED ADVERTISEMENT
DONATE TO PATSFANS.COM
RECEIVE A FREE PATS T-SHIRT AND SAVE 15% OFF WHEN YOU BUY FROM THE OFFICIAL PROSHOP!
Free T-Shirt & Save 15% Off!
Like Our Site? Please help support our site and server costs by DONATING TO PATSFANS.COM and receive a FREE PATRIOTS T-SHIRT and SAVE 15% off EVERY purchase you make from PatriotsProShop.com. You'll also receive added benefits to your account including Removing All Ads During Your Experience Here At Our Forum.
NEEDED YEARLY SITE DONATIONS: 345 | CURRENT # OF SUBSCRIBED SUPPORTERS: 98
1. Who is more valuable to the patriots in the coming 5-6 years? Graham - Opinion
2. How much will each one cost to retain? Branch will probably be 2 1/2-3 times more expensive
3. How hard would it be to acquire a player of similar talents in each case, should the player not be retained?Graham. There are only 0-2 all around TEs a year coming out, less than five in the NFL. There are plenty of WRs.
4. How much would it cost to obtain a replacement for each? I guess the answer to this could be found in franchise, or better yet, transition tag numbers. IIRC, the transition tag is the average of the top ten salaries in the position. ANyone know the values for the transition tag for WR and TE? see 2006 figures below
5. The first 4 quesitons lead to: Which provides more value to the Pats:
a) Extending Graham, and signing a FA WR or drafting a WR to replace Branch, or
b) Extending Branch, and signing a FA TE or drafting a TE to replace Graham. It's not an either/or scenario. However, I'd prioritize Graham first, Branch second.
1. Who is more valuable to the patriots in the coming 5-6 years?
2. How much will each one cost to retain?
3. How hard would it be to acquire a player of similar talents in each case, should the player not be retained?
4. How much would it cost to obtain a replacement for each? I guess the answer to this could be found in franchise, or better yet, transition tag numbers. IIRC, the transition tag is the average of the top ten salaries in the position. ANyone know the values for the transition tag for WR and TE?
5. The first 4 quesitons lead to: Which provides more value to the Pats:
a) Extending Graham, and signing a FA WR or drafting a WR to replace Branch, or
b) Extending Branch, and signing a FA TE or drafting a TE to replace Graham.
Hard questions: I am answering as thinking about who could
replace them that is now on PATs anticipated roster for upcomming year.
1. Graham - more value in running game and passing game and ST.
2. Don't know. Depends how reasonable they are willing to be and
whether PATs agree to that but I would say it will cost significantly more to
keep Branch.
3. Grahams's blocking skills will be hard to match in a TE. IMO.
Branch is very good but not irreplaceable.
4. So many situations could exist next offseason. BB/SP may have a
several low cost alternatives to Branch especially if Jackson does
well this year.
5. option a) is the value as I see it.
I like the tripple threat TE unit that PATs have and would hate to see that
break up.
1. I say Branch is more valuable.
2. Graham - 2.5Mill, Branch - 4.9Mill
3. Graham - You can find a good blocking TE with mediocre hands in the 3rd round.
Branch - Branch is a legit weapon, and only a few WR's out of hundreds in the league can produce in big games.
4. Cost of replacement...I don't know the franchise tag #'s, but in terms of draft picks, a Grahambo-talent could be found in later rounds of a draft while a Branch talent is found in early rounds.
5. I would rather extend Branch, and sign a FA TE or draft a TE who will make half a mill and do the same things as Graham did.
.
1. Who is more valuable to the patriots in the coming 5-6 years? About equal
2. How much will each one cost to retain? Both deserve the transition number, not more, not less. Branch $5.2m, Graham $2.7m
3. How hard would it be to acquire a player of similar talents in each case, should the player not be retained? Harder to replace Graham.
4. How much would it cost to obtain a replacement for each? I guess the answer to this could be found in franchise, or better yet, transition tag numbers. IIRC, the transition tag is the average of the top ten salaries in the position. ANyone know the values for the transition tag for WR and TE?
5. The first 4 quesitons lead to: Which provides more value to the Pats:
a) Extending Graham, and signing a FA WR or drafting a WR to replace Branch, or
b) Extending Branch, and signing a FA TE or drafting a TE to replace Graham. a) but please let's do both! Also, it's more painful than usual to lose Branch now after just losing Givens.
. . . .
__________________
Please, God, don't let us ever suck as bad as the 2011 Cowboys did in the Jets opener.
* * * * *
"I got a little shine on and showed you guys a little taste of my speed."
1. I say Branch is more valuable.
2. Graham - 2.5Mill, Branch - 4.9Mill
3. Graham - You can find a good blocking TE with mediocre hands in the 3rd round.
Branch - Branch is a legit weapon, and only a few WR's out of hundreds in the league can produce in big games.
4. Cost of replacement...I don't know the franchise tag #'s, but in terms of draft picks, a Grahambo-talent could be found in later rounds of a draft while a Branch talent is found in early rounds.
5. I would rather extend Branch, and sign a FA TE or draft a TE who will make half a mill and do the same things as Graham did.
.
You must not think very highly of our coach/GM to trade up 13 spots in the first round to get a third round talent, especially with other highly rated TEs still on the board.
__________________ When it's third and 10, you can have the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time. -- R.I.P. Max McGee
Is this really a question? We all like Graham but if you have to choose between your #1 WR and a replaceable TE (yes, he is replaceable) would anyone pick the replaceable TE?
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
You must not think very highly of our coach/GM to trade up 13 spots in the first round to get a third round talent, especially with other highly rated TEs still on the board.
On the contrary, I think VERY highly of Piolichick. I'm a big Kool-Aid drinker. However, I try not to let the Kool-Aid cloud my opinions of players.
Just because they moved up 13 picks doesn't mean Graham is a legit 1st round talent. Remember the Pats took Bethel Johnson in the 2nd round, and he has turned into a 5th round talent at best.
I think Piolichick makes choices based on context as well as value. Maybe they took Graham because they knew their O-Line would need help for a few years, and they didn't like the O-Line players available to them.
In terms of current context, our O-Line is strong now, and we have good backups who can also play fullback or TE. I do not see as great a need for Graham in pass protection now.
.
Last edited by maverick4; 06-07-2006 at 11:00 AM..
Is this really a question? We all like Graham but if you have to choose between your #1 WR and a replaceable TE (yes, he is replaceable) would anyone pick the replaceable TE?
JoeSixPat, it seems we are the only two who think Graham is replaceable. I did not realize it was almost impossible to find another good blocking TE.
I think this question is silly based on our WR and TE depth...
We have a rookie behind Branch, while we have an improving, athletic freak in Watson behind Graham.
.
JoeSixPat, it seems we are the only two who think Graham is replaceable. I did not realize it was almost impossible to find another good blocking TE.
I think this question is silly based on our WR and TE depth...
We have a rookie behind Branch, while we have an improving, athletic freak in Watson behind Graham.
.
Watson isn't behind Graham. They're both starters in Belichick's planned base offense. So we have David Thomas behind Graham. We have either Caldwell or Jackson (depending on who wins the #2 WR) behind Branch.
It's a coin toss to say which depth is better.
__________________ When it's third and 10, you can have the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time. -- R.I.P. Max McGee
Branch vs Graham
Linear Mode
