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New England Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch continues to hold out of training camp while seeking a new contract. He and agent Jason Chayut are basically at an impasse with the Patriots, who have offered to add three years and $18 million to Branch's remaining one year at $1 million for basically a four-year, $19 million deal.
Branch has refused the offer and has said he won't report until the Patriots agree not to put the franchise tag on him at the end of the year. In so doing, Branch can be fined $14,000 per day for holding out while under contract.
What's wrong with the Patriots' offer? In essence, they are trying to retain their best receiver for less than what the Indianapolis Colts are paying No. 2 receiver Reggie Wayne. Over the offseason, Wayne signed a six-year, $40 million contract that includes $23 million over the first three years, which is the critical part of the deal.
In essence, Branch would make $4 million less over four seasons than Wayne will make in three. That doesn't even account for inflation and the expanded salary cap in 2007. That makes the Patriots' offer extremely substandard.
But the bigger problem with what New England is doing is a two-fold issue.
First, the Patriots are jeopardizing continuity for quarterback Tom Brady, who already has lost wide receiver David Givens. Brady's game is contingent on timing and communication with receivers.
Second, they are putting Brady in an awkward position. Last week, a supposedly emotional Brady was quoted in Sports Illustrated as saying that Branch is one of the best in the game. Brady later had to back off those comments when management (coach Bill Belichick, that is) got upset about the issue.
Thus, the Patriots are messing with their most important player, and that is unhealthy. Moreover, they are looking mighty cheap after winning three titles, which helped propel them to becoming the No. 2 team in the league last year in terms of generating revenue and profit.
Putting aside the numerical stuff (all of which has been discussed here in countless threads), has anyone heard that BB got upset about Brady's comments?
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Putting aside the numerical stuff (all of which has been discussed here in countless threads), has anyone heard that BB got upset about Brady's comments?
Nope. Let's put it this way; Yahoo.com proves that the internet is nothing more than "Open Mike Night" for the computer.
My favorite part of the "column" would be:
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"Second, they are putting Brady in an awkward position. Last week, a supposedly emotional Brady was quoted in Sports Illustrated as saying that Branch is one of the best in the game.
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Oh my GOD!!!!!! Brady said Branch is one of the best in the game?????? And he wasn't immediately suspended?????? We CAN'T HAVE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
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By the way Prairie Pat, welcome aboard the board! From the handle, I assume you're in the midwest?
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"They (Patriots) may be the greatest team ever" - Chris Mortenson, January 18, 2005 on espn.com
I haven't heard anything about that reaction from Belichick but Brady did go overboard.
Right now we need Chad Jackson healthy, he and Caldwell are our top two WR.
I doubt highly, that BB had to say anything to Brady or even cares. His teammates and the reaction of the media alone would let him know that he was slightly over the top with his comments.
This stuff is beginning to bother me more and more everyday. To many distractions, IMO. At this point I wish that they would just trade the guy and have done with it.
Last edited by DefenseRules; 08-07-2006 at 08:36 AM..
I haven't heard anything about that reaction from Belichick but Brady did go overboard.
Really? How? I've read the transcript of the interview three times and have no other conclusion other than the media is spinning this thing like a top.
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"They (Patriots) may be the greatest team ever" - Chris Mortenson, January 18, 2005 on espn.com
I doubt highly, that BB had to say anything to Brady or even cares. His teammates and the reaction of the media alone would let him know that he was slightly over the top with his comments.
This stuff is beginning to bother me more and more everyday. To many distractions, IMO. At this point I wish that they would just trade the guy and have done with it.
I don't know. I'm not yet comfortable enough with Cassel as our starter! (LOL, I know you probably meant Branch, but it didn't read that way!).
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"They (Patriots) may be the greatest team ever" - Chris Mortenson, January 18, 2005 on espn.com
I read this article this morning and didn't know where to begin. It might be the most ignorant article of an "expert" yet.
1. In the minds of most people, Wayne has overtaken Harrison as #1 WR in Indy.
2. Wayne was an unrestricted free agent-to-be when he signed his contract. Branch is not. It's an apples-to-racoons comparison.
3. Why should the #1 WR on one team be paid more than the #2 WR on a different team? That's not logical.
4. Wayne is more valuable to the Colts than Branch is to the Patriots.
5. Wayne is arguably a better football player than Branch.
6. How does a team that spends to the cap every year and pays its bottom roster guys more than anybody else get labelled as "Cheap"?
7. Pure speculation that Belichick forced Brady to backtrack. That's not Bill's style.
8. The offer to Branch, even including the 2006 salary, makes him the 17th highest paid receiver in the NFL, and allows him to be a free agent at an opportune time, unlike Wayne. Yet this offer was "substandard?"
Robinson spent all last year proving he knows next to nothing about football. I can't believe he wasn't replaced.
__________________ 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
I read this article this morning and didn't know where to begin. It might be the most ignorant article of an "expert" yet.
1. In the minds of most people, Wayne has overtaken Harrison as #1 WR in Indy.
2. Wayne was an unrestricted free agent-to-be when he signed his contract. Branch is not. It's an apples-to-racoons comparison.
3. Why should the #1 WR on one team be paid more than the #2 WR on a different team? That's not logical.
4. Wayne is more valuable to the Colts than Branch is to the Patriots.
5. Wayne is arguably a better football player than Branch.
6. How does a team that spends to the cap every year and pays its bottom roster guys more than anybody else get labelled as "Cheap"?
7. Pure speculation that Belichick forced Brady to backtrack. That's not Bill's style.
8. The offer to Branch, even including the 2006 salary, makes him the 17th highest paid receiver in the NFL, and allows him to be a free agent at an opportune time, unlike Wayne. Yet this offer was "substandard?"
Robinson spent all last year proving he knows next to nothing about football. I can't believe he wasn't replaced.
I agree with everyone of your points. Although I love Branch, the Patriots are doing the correct thing by not paying a 5-8, 180lb reciever like Colts or Redskins would.
Us Patriots fans have to remember that there are many media members who absolutely hate how the Patriots organization treats them. Belichick just completely ignores them, correctly realizing that the media can only be a distraction and will not help us WIN GAMES. Because of the lack of media access, covering the Patriots does not allow the career advancement (and attention) that these guys so sorely need. So instead of actually working and researching (thank you Mike Reiss), many of these so called writers just inject their own bias against the Pats, showing how ignorant and petty they really are.
PS: I just love how BB ruined Kevin Mannix.
Charles Robinson on Branch
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