5 Rings for Brady!!

I don't think we have to limit the list of who we would take over Branch to just 3 or 4 guys, I'd take a taller guy with the same abilities and the same regular season stats as Branch, just as a starting point!

MoLewis took on the media conglomerate again!

JoeSixPat

As I've said on many occasions, Pats reporters are stupid if they don't check the pulse of Patriot nation by checking in here... any credible reporter should.

So while Solomon may be referencing the "is he a #1 debate" here I submit that its he who is missing the point.

Much like those who seem to confuse #1 WR with a potential #1 WR (i.e. perhaps Ben Watson, though that would be quite a jump from 20 odd receptions) its wrong to assume that the #1 WR on a team should be receiving #1 WR money.

Branch may be the best reciever/WR on the team. But with only one season with #1 WR numbers under his belt, signing him to a long term contract that pays him as a #1 WR might not be a wise move in the long term.

In 2001 and 2002 Troy Brown's stats put Deion Branch's 2005 numbers to shame. Was he our #1 WR for those seasons?

Absolutely.

Should Troy have been signed to a long term contract that paid him as much as other #1 WRs?

Absolutely not.

Patsfans.com fans deserve a ton of credit for recognizing this distinction even if local reporters seem to miss the point.

Ultimately I expect that supply and demand issues, as well as the uncertainty of next year's available WR free agents will cause the Patriots to increase their offer to Branch, and I hope they work it out.

But if they don't work it out, I will understand the long term factors that entered into the Pats decision not to break the bank for Deion.

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fgssand

This was actually a very good point - If Troys numbers blow away Deions when comparing the two years, then we have a situation of Patriots staying the course and simply not overpaying for any player.

As stated before we have no clue what has been offered, refused, countered and discussed. We really should simply sit back and allow SP & BB to do what they do best.

My only concern is if this will have far reaching negative ramifications within the locker room and create bad feelings and a sense that the Patriots will never pay a player their true worth ( I am not saying they don't - I feel they actually do, but there may be a sense that they wont after this offseason in particular).

Johnny Z

Whether or not he is a true #1 is the least relevant factor. You're not going to build a winner thinking bad football theory, and that is what the true #-1 theory is: bad football theory.

The Patriots know their system, and they know whether or not Branch could be fed stat inflating throws at the expense of the offense and the team.

My hunch is he is going to get pretty big money, and it's because they try not to throw to him excessively and they know that.

Anybody who thinks they can easily find a taller WR with the same skills is in for years and years of disappointment.

5 Rings for Brady!!

Err...Hines Ward?

patsox23

WRONG. I love Branch, but that is just flat-out WRONG.

patsox23

Um...when did you hear THIS angle on the story? I never heard or read ANYTHING like what you're intimating here. "Branch was steamed and would holdout if Walker were signed before he got his???"

Maybe you have sources I don't know about, but I think you may be conflating a couple of stories. There were rumors that the Pats might trade for Walker. And I know it was suggested that one reason the Patriots might NOT make the trade was that it could complicate the ongoing negotiations with Branch. But where on Earth was it reported that Branch was mad or had any kind of reaction whatsoever to those Walker rumors??? And that he'd holdout if Walker got a big contract from the Pats? Really?????

Please elaborate.

JoeSixPat

I agree - the only thing one needs to keep in mind, is that not even SP & BB can see the future.

If they sign Branch to #1 money they've effectively "spent" the cap resource for a #1 WR. Branch - even through injury or a return to pre-2005 numbers - might eat up that salary slot while not providing a return on investment.

Likewise, by letting Branch walk next year, the Pats could be in uncharted waters, vying to sign whoever is available in Free Agency that is a #1 caliber WR - and paying a premium to outbid others....

Such players might have a better track record than Deion as a long-term proven #1 WR but we're going to have to pay more for that compared to what even Deion is probablty demanding now (as regardless of posturing, Deion knows he only has a single #1 season under his belt)

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IcyPatriot

My Patriots contact friend says the Patriots are short @ $750,000/yr. He was going to try to find out more for me...but i only see him once in a while.

I hope he's right because that doesn't seem to be a great amount of $$$ difference.

One other thing I found out is there is a bitterness on the team concerning who can make the xtra endorsements $$$. Word is that is a special club to be in and it's anything but fair.

Thanks to Miguels Salary Page...it is written into all their contracts that everything goes through the team. Doesn't seem quite fair if the endorsement doesn't require any Patriot/NFL gear.

5 Rings for Brady!!

F.B.N.:

Please explain this whole endorsement issue more thoroughly so we can understand it better. Sounds interesting...but first I've heard of it.