spacecrime

I read it yet again in today's Mike Reiss column and I still don't get it:

Branch, who is under contract through this season but wants to renegotiate, has said he would show up at training camp if the Patriots agreed not to place the franchise tag on him next season, allowing him to enter unrestricted free agency.

If Branch is willing to negotiate a new contract, then franchising won't apply - he won't be franchised because he'll be under contract. If Branch wants to be allowed to enter free agency next year, how is that wanting to negotiate a new contract?

desi-patsfan

chalk that up to his brilliant agent.

5 Rings for Brady!!

You may not 'get' it but it is really obvious. Chayut intends to shop Branch elsewhere next year so Chayut can line his pockets with gold. Thus, Chayut has not made a single effort to negotiate a damn thing with the Pats since May. Thus, Chayut essentially said the Pats were a bunch of dirtbags, in a Borges interview. Thus, Chayut's only interest is in not having Deion franchised, so Chayut can cash in on the previously mentioned pot of gold.

If Branch wishes to do anything else, he first needs to fire his agent. Or just take what the Pats offered.

I'm not sure what part of this is a mystery.

14thDragon

Well, the abilty to franchise Branch next year gives the FO some leverage in negotiotiations in that the sense of urgency would not be there. Since they do not hav to get the deal done to retain his services. Take that away and one of thier big levers is taken out of the equation.

JR4

I think Branch was saying Ok if you won't give me an extention that I like
I will go to FA next year. However If you want me it TC then just agree
that you won't Franchise me.

In other words the Franchise tag bargining comes into play if there is no
extention that both side will agree to.

Branch was trying to use his hold out to muscle something out of the PATs.
PATs I believe had to take a hard stand here or get use to guys in the future
pulling this same hold out crap. Player have to know PATs will not cave in
to threats because a player chooses to disreguard their contract.
I wish PATs could sue Branch for breach of contract and tie the settlement
to future earnings. That would discourage players from not abiding by the
contracts they signed.

sarge

Exactly!

If you are interested in negotiating a new contract, you don't refuse to negotiate until the team meats a ridiculous demand that no team in it's right mind would meet.

And like you imply, there is strictly only one reason to make that demand, and that is if you are planning on waiting for free agency. If you are interested in renegotiating, then you renegotiate!

None of this is about renegotiating. He just wants the Pats to give up any possible compensation for him to gaurantee him that he can go to the highest bidder via free agency.

5 Rings for Brady!!

The only 'gray' area is that Branch probably wants to stay with the team, while Chayut clearly wants to pull a powerplay and go elsewhere.

The only solution is for Branch to fire his agent, or at least tell him in no uncertain terms who the boss is.

sarge

That isn't the way it sounded to me.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ats/index.html
He is strictly interested in going to the highest bidder in free agency!

Gopats!!!

Unfortunately, there are plenty of teams that are NOT in their "right minds".

Some teams are willing to do anything and pay anything without regard to the future of the team or the actual value of the player.

Still, since the team will probably be able to afford to franchise branch, I think they are in a pretty strong position. If branch is worth what his agent thinks, then the Pats should be able to get at LEAST a 1st round pick for him next year. However, I think many people in the league are closer to the Pats than branch and his agent in this regard, and I don't see a first round pick coming our way.

All that said, I think a little sanity will strike branch, he will sign his huge deal, and everyone will be happy

smg93

IIRC, franchising him next year will give him a salary of the top 5 or at the very least the top 10 highest paid players in his position. That in itself would be a bonanza for Branch because most of us here believe that he isn't even in that league. Yes, Deion might believe and his agent definitely believes that he is in the top echelon of WR's but I think the point here is that he wants this year re-negotiated just in case he gets hurt.

This whole hold out could perhaps be in some way an acknowledgement on Branch and/or Chayut's part that there is a real possibility that he could get hurt badly this year because he is a fragile player. Why else would they consider BB/Pioli's offer a 4 year offer rather than a 1 year (this season) + 3 year extension? Branch to me seems like he believes that there's a really good chance that this could be his last year because of injury. If that's the case, the injury concerns may be too much to bear on his mental game and that may in fact trump the usual motivation of making this year his showcase year before he hits free agency. That would make his play on the field totally suffer in my opinion.