marcus

Going into December with 8 million dollars in cap space, below average receivers and a 60 million dollar quarterback is dumb...


I am sure that even BB/SP would admit that they did not play their hand well this year

Before everyone on this board uses the old knee jerk reflex of denial...ask yourself if there is any truth to this statement

patsfaninpa

For the last time. D.Branch had a signed contract with the New England Patriots for the 2006 season. Had he lived up to his commitment this team didn't need a wr this year. When entering the draft/free agency season, a GM/Coach's don't assume a player will hold out. They look to fill the other holes. That's why we drafted CJ and signed Caldwell. For the 2/3 slots.
Direct your criticism at Deion. He chose not to play here. I'm pissed at him not our front office.

bradmahn

"I am sure that even BB/SP would admit that they did not play their hand well this year."

I don't agree with this statement at all.

Bill and Scott Pioli did what they did because of several reasons, and I am sure that they were fairly confident that they would be able to sign Deion Branch. If they attempted to sign one of the big name receivers that were available last offseason (overpaying for their services), they would have created an even bigger dilemma when it came time to negotiating with Deion, who would feel as if he deserves more money than the recently acquired player.

If the Pats had eventually traded for Javon Walker (which they were pretty serious about, Walker just never boarded his plane to Boston) they also would have had the dilemma of restructuring his deal. Walker had also pulled the same Branch BS last season. After going to the Pro Bowl in '04, Walker wanted "his," and held out of training camp to show the Packers who had the leverage. They didn't budge (good move) and he eventually came back (and got hurt). He wanted big time money, and, while I don't know the contract the Broncos gave him, I can bet it was more than the Pats would have given (see also having to eventually pay Deion).

The Pats signed Caldwell to replace Givens, and he has done so (production wise), but they also had every intention of playing this season with Branch (who forced himself out of town). They drafted a "stud" WR in the second round, who unfortunately got injured. Keep in mind that many prognosticators felt Jackson was a steal and the best WR in the draft, a true first round talent.

After the realization that the Pats were not going to have Branch for a good deal of the season they attempted to sign/trade for another receiver, but how many receivers were out there? Donte Stallworth would have commanded a draft pick and a new contract if they expected to have him available for more than just this year.

Looking back on the situation now and saying "they could have had this guy" or "they should have tried harder for this guy" is hogwash and a classic case of hindsight being 20/20. In doing so you also fail to realize the situation the team was in at the time those players were available. If Deion doesn't pull his BS or if Chad Jackson doesn't get injured this season is entirely different. The Patriots prepared for this season's WR situation in many ways, and unfortunately they were not lucky enough for those ways to pan out, but to say that they didn't do anything because "they have six million dollars in unused cap space" is naive and a stupid attempt to criticize them now for stuff that was out of their control or a reasonable assumption then (like that Deion was going to play this season).

Pats726

THAt is the best statement I have heard on this u ARE SO SO correct ask DB baby...a team can not assume every player is a phony 2 year old whiner...and who says that they are 8 mill under??? I think THAT is speculation with the Koppen deal done and..other things
BUT also besides money for Branch they were also pusueing Law..so without those ..they obviously HAD money...and when does this cap run out?? I believe that it foes beyond the season****Miguel..others please correct me if I am wrong*** They may use this space after the season for extensions yes no??

richpats

The only other alternative would have been to let Branch run his holdout until Week 10 and then show up for the last 6 games + playoffs... I'm sure it would have done wonders for the locker room.

In truth the only party that comes off looking 'dumb' is the Seattle Seahawks. They gave up a 1st-rounder and a mega-contract for essentially a #2 receiver (in their system) whose production is on par with Joe Jurevicius' of 2005 - who happened to sign a deal worth half as much with Cleveland.

Pats726

How does Branch look..besides rich, lazy, greedy and like a whiner??? I agree seatt;e looks dumb..

sarge

I'm wondering what it's going to be like when Darrel Jackson is ready to sign his next contract.

Stat wise, he is clearly above Branch.

I would be curios to see how Branch would do without Jackson lined up on the other side. Part of me thinks Jackson is drawing the double coverage helping Branch's numbers. but the other argument would be he is taking receptions from Branch.

Regardless, Branch is paid like he is one of the best receivers in the league when in reality, he is not even the best receiver on his own team!

So I am real curious to see what happens with Jackson after this season.

richpats

We couldn't have worked out a deal with Walker because Branch was still a Pat.

The WR situation is in its worst-case scenario, but look at Washington, lots of talent at WR....and 5-9.

MoLewisrocks

The Patriots have another week to find ways to use that money - and it's closer to $6M by all reports - by either extending other players who are scheduled to become FA or by adding LTBE incentives into some reworked deals. That said, this franchise demands accountability from top to bottom and when they evaluate their own performance at the end of the season I don't doubt they will conclude that they did not play their hand all that well this off season. They underestimated their #1 WR's resolve regarding his contract status while likely overestimating their ability to replace production within the unit (Gabriel).

A couple of things to keep in mind are they did actually try to pre-emptively replace him with Mason in 2005 but were rebuffed. They also made an effort to re-sign Givens when it appeared the Houston offer would be his market, but it was a case of too little too late. Perhaps that offer at the end of the 2005 regular season would have retained him, but they chose not to make it then apparently to avoid potentially driving the price up on Branch. And while we all assume Branch was overpaid by Seattle, the troubling thing to remember is the reports that the Patriots were willing to give him the same deal just prior to pulling the trigger on the trade with the caveat that he bring a new agent to the table. We may never know the whole story there unless Brady decides to address it in his post career autobiography.

They also attempted to upgrade the secondary but both corners they persued also rebuffed them, Townsend to remain with the team he won his ring with and Law who money aside it seems was intent on proving he was in no way a product of a system. Like the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. However, you need to do a better job of deciphering when you are merely being strung along and when you are truly in the hunt.

If we win it all this year it will all become a moot point. If we don't then it is reasonable to discuss why we didn't, as I am sure they will be doing in the bowels of Gillette long into the winter.

MoLewisrocks

That's beside the point though. As Bill would say, it's not how a players performs somewhere else that matters - it's how he would perform in this system. In this system Branch was a #1. That is why so many of the pundits were dumbfounded - as the majority of them contended Branch was worth more to this team than he would be to any other (because of his fit in the system and rapore with a cerebal QB - something we are learning is not that easy to develop).