Jacky Roberts

I dont think so. Looking at his stats, he's basically no better statistically than an average #2 or below average #1 receiver. If he hits the free agent market, no way he earns as much in 2007 than if the Patriots franchised him and had to pay him an average of the top wideouts. I'm not sure what Deion is crying about, because there's no way in hell BB franchises Deion because he's be painfully overpaid at that rate. Im not sure why Deion or his agent don't see this.

__________________
"Spirituality, Faith, and Democracy are the cornerstones of our country. We are all Patriots, and tonight the Patriots are World Champions."
-Robert Kraft, 2/3/2002




To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

DaBruinz

No, they wouldn't. The highest compensation pick available is a 3rd round pick. And it would be at the end of the 3rd round.

Personally, I think that Branch is getting what he wants and that is free agency. I think its a BS smokescreen that he wants to stay. I think that he KNOWS he's not a true #1 and won't get true #1 money from the Pats. I also think that he knows that there are some idiot teams out there who WILL pay for his services.

MoLewisrocks

Sure he does if he gets a $10-12M signing bonus as part of a 5-6 year deal which is what his agent is telling him is the least he will get. And he's not painfully overpaid at the franchise next season - the deal we are offering him would pay him $11M between now and then. We can divide as well as Chayut who claims that averages $5.5M for 2006-2007. Well $8M divided by 2 (his $1M 2006 salary if we don't recoup it all in fines plus the 2007 tag) averages $4M for 2006-2007. At that price 2 years of Deion on the field would be a relative bargain.

But they won't tag him to play him and go through another TC embroiled in a holdout. It will be tag and trade at that point and it will be done before the draft.

DaBruinz

Actually, Deion stands to lose about a 500K to 1 million over this year and next if he gets franchised in comparison to what he would have gotten had he taken the Pats extension offer. Under the Pats extension, Deion would have made over 9 million with incentives over the 2 years.

5 Rings for Brady!!

MO: So from your point of view, Deion himself (not Chayut) wants out of New England right now, and is only looking forward to getting out of dodge, with absolutely no intentions of renegotiating at all?

I may be a fool, but I'm still somehow hoping that Deion would like to work things out. Although his agent clearly doesn't.

Gopats!!!

If Branch wanted to just leave the Patriots and make even more crazy money in FA, his best bet would be to show up and play. Why hold out? Show up and train with the team, get in the groove, and play the season. The better he does this season, the more money he makes in FA. By holding out, he is missing reps and everything else that goes into that. It seems people who skip camp seem to have more injuries. It could be a misconception, but that's how it seems to me. I know he didn't do much in the preseason last year, but he was still in the meetings, doing the workouts, etc.

As for getting franchised, a long term deal means security. You get the signing bonus, and depending on the situation, it is too CAP unfriendly to cut people. In additon, if you get hurt with a long term contract I believe you have some protection. On a one year deal, you are on your own. If you get franchised, you make some money that year, but that's it. branch is young, but his body does not seem to be able to withstand the NFL that well. If he suffers more injuries, it will hurt his value in FA. Playing a one year deal is a big risk for him.

Of course, there are idiots out there willing to break the bank for any player, regardless of actual value. But if you are branch, what do YOU do???

JoeSixPat

No one's missed the point - certainly no one in the front office.

Deion wants the Patriots to give up their leverage by allowing him to become a free agent next year, free and clear of the franchise tag

The Patriots want Deion to give up his leverage and not hold out into the season.

The Patriots figure Deion has more to lose by playing his card than they do

What would be best is if both sides could move a little to find some common ground. One or both sides obviously won't budge.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jacky Roberts

In my opinion, every day that goes by is a day closer to the last we'll see of Deion Branch. To be honest, he's good, but he's not worth the money he's asking, ahem, demanding. The Pats should trade/sign another WR and tell Deion, "thanks for the memories, you can hold out all year".

__________________
"Spirituality, Faith, and Democracy are the cornerstones of our country. We are all Patriots, and tonight the Patriots are World Champions."
-Robert Kraft, 2/3/2002




To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

bucky

Eddie Berlin isn't enough for you?

mgteich

A compromise based on the discussions below is for Branch to play and for the pats to give up the right to franchise. Branch would also like to be paid more for 2006, perhaps as a signing bonus for the above new contract.

I have absolutely no clue why Branch should fire his agent who by all accounts is pursuing results that will benefit Branch. If there was no sit out, Branch would have gotten ZERO additional money this year, and would have faced a franchise and trade next year, rather than pure free agency.

OK, Who thinks that Branch will get LESS than that because of the holdout.

The bottom line is that we want Branch to sign what WE think is a reasonable deal and waive free agency rights, and Branch's agent is advising that he would get more through free agency. Presuming that Branch doesn't have a major injury this year, I believe his agent is correct in his analysis; don't you?

And if he has an injury, do you really want the patriots to have $10M or do of dead money on their cap, having paid Branch $12M or so to play this year?

In this new free agency environment, players will think that they will get huge money until the owners stop paying huge money.