Yep - Another Deion Branch thread

[Willie55]

As I suspected, it appears Branch and Chayut were caught completly off-guard. From Pro Football Talk:

BRANCH, AGENT CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED
Speaking of the Deion Branch situation, we don't seriously believe that he'll be traded to the Cowboys or anyone else by September 1. Bolstering our opinion in this regard is scuttlebutt we've heard that Branch and agent Jason Chayut were caught completely off guard by the team's sudden offer to allow Branch to explore the market via a trade.
Though some might contend that Chayut should have been prepared for anything, we're not so sure that he should have been ready for this one. After all, a sudden grant of permission by the Pats to talk to other teams about a potential contract for Branch would have fallen somewhere on the "likelihood of possible occurrences" meter between the Pats coughing up a $16 million signing bonus for Branch and coach Bill Belichick bringing Branch breakfast in bed.
Either way, the fact that Chayut wasn't ready makes it even harder for Chayut to slap together an acceptable offer to the player and to his current team by September 1.
Most league observers think that New England will want a first-round pick in exchange for Branch. We think that the Pats will want to pull off the kind of maneuver that the Broncos finagled in the Ashley Lelie trade, ignoring the specific round of the pick and focusing on points value in the draft trade chart.
On the chart pioneered in the 1990s by FOX's Jimmy Johnson, the first pick in round one is worth 3,000 points and the last pick in round one has a value of 590. Our guess is that Pats will want 1,500 points in value, which equates to the seventh overall pick.
Of course, this will make it even harder for any team to work out a deal by September 1. But then the question will be whether the Patriots will be willing to continue to talk if Chayut somehow finds a new suitor for Branch and gets that team to the table to begin serious discussions before the artificial deadline expires.
Bottom line -- the closer that this dance gets to resulting in a trade the harder it will be for New England to stop the music when the clock strikes 4:00 on Friday afternoon.
It's intriguing to consider the possibilities, but we still think that Charlie Frye has a better chance of winning the NFL MVP award this year than Branch does of getting traded out of New England.

[Slagathor]

Like most folks, I'm pretty sure Branch wil resign and stay a Pat a little while longer.

The one thing I wasn't too up on were statistical differences between Branch and Reggie Wayne, to whom Branch compares himself.

Statistically of course, Reggie Wayne's stats are FAR superior to Branch's in every category.

I understand there are intangibles that do make true evaluation impossible i.e....styles of offense played in, playoff performances, clutch play. Super Bowl MVPs...etc.

But in this case the basic stats can't an shouldn't be ignored because it gives a good snapshot of projected future production and durability issues

That being said, I think the Pats offer was more than fair and there's no way Branch should be paid similarly to Wayne.

See below:

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/302177

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/235256

[Tunescribe]

I know this has been beaten to death up, down and sideways, but what the hey: Say the "impossible" happened and Minnesota offered a No. 1 for Branch, or someone else comes up with acceptable trade compensation and a deal is consummated. THAT STILL LEAVES US WITHOUT BRANCH'S SERVICES this season, a void we are unlikely to fill otherwise. It boggles my mind that BB feels OK about possibly going through 2006 with the WR corps as presently constituted. There is NO WAY Belipioli could have entered into this without acknowledging the very real possibility that Branch may not play for New England again.

[Digger44]

ya know will, after i read this this morning, i was amazed at how bad this relationship is. the guy just has no clue on how to deal with the Pats FO.

[Johnny Z]

What are Reggie Wayne's statistics on Super Bowl trophies?

I think Patriot fans will rue the day they were too cheap to pay the stud to go out and do his thing.

[Slagathor]

Originally Posted by Johnny Z

What are Reggie Wayne's statistics on Super Bowl trophies?

I think Patriot fans will rue the day they were too cheap to pay the stud to go out and do his thing.

Had Wayne had the chance to play for the Pats, it's possible he could have had 2 or 3 trophies.

[SVN]

i have a question - everyone thinks the pats would want a number 1. If they want a number 1 doesnt that kinda validate branch and his agent about his value as a 1st round draft trade player and wont branch's agent turn around and say if you cant trade for less than a number 1 then pay him like it ?

[mgcolby]

Why are people so concerned? What has the offense done over the first 3 pre-season games that has folks worried?

We also haven't seen what Jackson has to offer, yet. Hopefully we see it soon.

Averaging over 400 yards of offense through the pre season isn't bad.

[thewaylifeshouldbe]

Originally Posted by SVN

i have a question - everyone thinks the pats would want a number 1. If they want a number 1 doesnt that kinda validate branch and his agent about his value as a 1st round draft trade player and wont branch's agent turn around and say if you cant trade for less than a number 1 then pay him like it ?

Hmmmm. Thats a good point.

[smg93]

Originally Posted by SVN

i have a question - everyone thinks the pats would want a number 1. If they want a number 1 doesnt that kinda validate branch and his agent about his value as a 1st round draft trade player and wont branch's agent turn around and say if you cant trade for less than a number 1 then pay him like it ?

Of course the other side of that argument is if Deion is asking to be paid like a #1 then whey can't we seek the same amount of compensation in return?