Patriots expected to sign DL Alan Branch

mgteich said:

This seems a bit strange if Branch is practicing. He should be signed.

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Deus Irae said:

Alan Branch?

I'll drink to that!

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zipster9 said:

Hopefully, Alan_Branch is motivated and gets in shape & learns the playbook, fast.

I HOPE he is ready-to-go, when Mr. Manning comes into town in 11/02. We need to stop the run.

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TheBostonStraggler said:

Last year's Den-NE regular season game was painful to watch throughout most of it. Yet the win was the most excellent and ultimate elixir. So considering it was a win it kind of makes your "we need to stop the run" a very dubious assumption.

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TheBostonStraggler said:

Last year's Den-NE regular season game was painful to watch throughout most of it. Yet the win was the most excellent and ultimate elixir. So considering it was a win it kind of makes your "we need to stop the run" a very dubious assumption.

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Patradomous said:

Tipsy Allen on one side of the ball.Big game Devy on the other side.That's comforting with Denver ten days to get ready. God help us.

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BelichickFan said:

He was in the locker room, not signed.

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TheBostonStraggler said:

I intended a certain level of sarcasm in my post that obviously did not come across.....

It is hard to see a path to beating the Broncos a second time using the 'go ahead and utterly gouge us on the ground, that's pretty much what we want' gameplan.
I certainly prefer to see the Patriots ably stop the run under just about all circumstances. Yet that game last year was so surreal in how it was played and unfolded, it's worth at least remembering as we get closer to the rematch.

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It has been seven years, but Branch was a monster prospect out of Michigan in the 2007 NFL Draft. Although he made only 61 tackles in three years with the Wolverines, his sheer presence in the middle was undeniable. He was voted an All-American by ESPN as a junior and he subsequently declared for the NFL Draft. There were rumors that he had some health issues, reportedly stress fractures in his legs, that could have caused him to slip to the early second round.

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Marinlik said:

My theory is that after what happened to him in Buffalo they really want to get a feel for him. See if he's OK, both physically and mentally. They don't want to sign him instantly and then see that he is an alcoholic, or not good conditioned. So they give it some time to find these things out and if they like him they sign him next week or so.

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Marinlik said:

My theory is that after what happened to him in Buffalo they really want to get a feel for him. See if he's OK, both physically and mentally. They don't want to sign him instantly and then see that he is an alcoholic, or not good conditioned. So they give it some time to find these things out and if they like him they sign him next week or so.

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Archeryaddict12 said:

Guess branch didn't work out. Not signed

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Here’s what I think is happening:

The Patriots had hoped to have Branch in the fold for this week’s game against the Bears. They brought him to town mid-week with the intention of signing him, assuming everything checked out medically and with his workout.

Something obviously happened between the workout and the team’s next practice.

That could have been specifically with Branch, who was first spotted by reporters Thursday coming out of the athletic training room. It wouldn’t be out of the question that perhaps Branch tweaked something in the workout, affecting his availability.

Or it simply could have been that ever-evolving needs on other areas of the roster trumped the urgency to sign Branch immediately. For example, perhaps the idea of carrying an extra offensive lineman until there is more clarity on the injury status of concussed Dan Connolly andBryan Stork takes precedence.

Asked about Branch on Friday, Bill Belichick said: “We work out a lot of players around here over the course of the season. Some we bring on the roster and sign and we work with. Some we don’t and are there if we decide to do it.”

Branch’s presence at the team facility Thursday had the feeling of a type of “I’m going to be around here” situation. Most players the team works out don’t hang around and chat with reporters unless they’re going to stick around.

So in this case, Branch is still on standby.

No one would be surprised if a signing happens today. But if the team doesn’t think he would be ready to help Sunday -- and without practicing this week that might be asking a lot -- perhaps an official signing is still a few days away.

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