Bye Bye Branch?

I have a copy of the SB which I've enjoyed often. One day, I decided to try to isolate wilfork to see if he indeed was special even in his post surgery year. No doubt there, but what shocked me was the amount of plays the huge Branch was off balance, had poor leverage and was just moved around by one guy. so, he's re-signed, but fails conditioning while new vet Johnson wins the parking space...

From the life-after-Vince Wilfork department for the Patriots, the differences between veteran defensive tackles Antonio Johnson and Alan Branch couldn't be much greater. Johnson, an eight-year veteran hoping to keep his career alive after missing last season, was a full-time participant in the club's offseason program and earned one of the awards given to the top performers. Meanwhile, Branch wasn't around and he's opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

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As i mentioned in another thread, Antowain smith used to complain he should have got the FB conditioning test because he was 232, well blount is 250, but they both passed anyway.

Tip to Phil Perry. Why not check with the team to see how many different conditioning tests there are instead of quoting the Globe? You make it seem they are giving the same one to little running backs and the 350 lb Branch.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england...ts-training-camp-early-work-for-rookie-guards

The Globe reported on Thursday morning that Blount had failed his physical, while the Herald noted Branch had done the same. For the test, the Globe reported, players had to complete 20 50-yard sprints in under eight seconds each. Patriots quarterback Matt Flynn also landed on the team's NFI list on Monday.

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http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/blount-branch-fail-conditioning-tests-go-nfi-list

Regardless of the conditioning test I think Branch will bounce back and be fine. I hate to see a big guy like him being pushed around but he's not the superstar Wilfork is. Branch is a role player. Plus we need him due to lack of depth. If Easley was healthy that would be different.

Not sure what the story is. They gave him a decent- but team friendly extension.

It's early. We'll see what happens.

patriot1136 said:

Regardless of the conditioning test I think Branch will bounce back and be fine. I hate to see a big guy like him being pushed around but he's not the superstar Wilfork is. Branch is a role player. Plus we need him due to lack of depth. If Easley was healthy that would be different.

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I don't think Easleys situation is related to Branch's. Johnson, Seal and Brown impacts Branch's IMO.

This is premature to say the least.

RayClay said:

I have a copy of the SB which I've enjoyed often. One day, I decided to try to isolate wilfork to see if he indeed was special even in his post surgery year. No doubt there, but what shocked me was the amount of plays the huge Branch was off balance, had poor leverage and was just moved around by one guy. so, he's re-signed, but fails conditioning while new vet Johnson wins the parking space...



As i mentioned in another thread, Antowain smith used to complain he should have got the FB conditioning test because he was 232, well blount is 250, but they both passed anyway.

Tip to Phil Perry. Why not check with the team to see how many different conditioning tests there are instead of quoting the Globe? You make it seem they are giving the same one to little running backs and the 350 lb Branch.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england...ts-training-camp-early-work-for-rookie-guards



http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/blount-branch-fail-conditioning-tests-go-nfi-list

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Interesting report RW - I have a question for you though. In the super bowl when you were isolating on Vince, was he being solid, or was he being elite?

Several times over the course of the season, I isolated on Vince and was often disappointed in what I saw. It wasn't that he was being pushed around badly, but rather he wasn't being impactful like he was when he was an elite player. I have no doubt that Vince will do a solid job for the Texans, but I don't think he is ever going to play at an elite level. Vince was the ultimate block absorber, but the Pats now play a more penetrating 4-3 and that isn't Vince anymore.

As for Branch, I too think it's ominous that he didn't pass the test. This has ALWAYS been his problem and why he's never reached his potential. Personally I like the thought of him being on the team because we don't really have a true "big guy" to fill that GL/SY role. I was hoping it would be him.

At this point in his career Branch is not so good that he is a lock to make the team based on talent.

However he will be hard to push off due to the lack of big bodies at DT. Having smaller interior linemen is fine but you also need enough big DTs that can stop a team from trying to run it on you.

Branch is 340 (or so)
Siliga is 325
Brown is 320
Johnson is 305
Jones is 300
Moore is 290
Easley is 280

Those are the guys who i think have a realistic chance to make it. I would be worried about replacing Branch with a smaller body like Moore or Johnson. I am not saying we can't but it just concerns me.

patfanken said:

Interesting report RW - I have a question for you though. In the super bowl when you were isolating on Vince, was he being solid, or was he being elite?

Several times over the course of the season, I isolated on Vince and was often disappointed in what I saw. It wasn't that he was being pushed around badly, but rather he wasn't being impactful like he was when he was an elite player. I have no doubt that Vince will do a solid job for the Texans, but I don't think he is ever going to play at an elite level. Vince was the ultimate block absorber, but the Pats now play a more penetrating 4-3 and that isn't Vince anymore.

As for Branch, I too think it's ominous that he didn't pass the test. This has ALWAYS been his problem and why he's never reached his potential. Personally I like the thought of him being on the team because we don't really have a true "big guy" to fill that GL/SY role. I was hoping it would be him.

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Of course he won't be physically as dominant as before the operation and father time, but I was quite impressed how he [often through clever retreat/redirect tacics] was able to funnel the linemen to where the running back became exposed. One on one, I never saw him handles. Double and triple teams, I couldn't say for sure his effect, yet the result of the plays were the linemen were redirected, the play was held to between 0-5 yards. Of course, just the fact of drawing coverage means it isn't elsewhere.

Bottom line, he has learned a lot over the year, he's pretty crafty. Always kept his feet, gave ground when overmatched, then redirected. I'm a huge wilfork fan, by the way, but he's certainly got no more than a few years and a lot will be as a coach on the field. Not looking forward to facing him next to a young stud like Watt, that's for sure. He'll know how to pace himself physically to get the most, I'm guessing.

BobDigital said:

At this point in his career Branch is not so good that he is a lock to make the team based on talent.

However he will be hard to push off due to the lack of big bodies at DT. Having smaller interior linemen is fine but you also need enough big DTs that can stop a team from trying to run it on you.

Branch is 340 (or so)
Siliga is 325
Brown is 320
Johnson is 305
Jones is 300
Moore is 290
Easley is 280

Those are the guys who i think have a realistic chance to make it. I would be worried about replacing Branch with a smaller body like Moore or Johnson. I am not saying we can't but it just concerns me.

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Well, if Branch has a don't give a F attitude [how we picked him up, after all] then we either need another big guy, or Siliga, Brown and Johnson need to be the goal line guys in a new defense which is going to depend much more on penetration.

Of course, Branch made at least one huge play in the SB and my first half isolation of my little video file is hardly scientific. If he passes the test and is ready to go, I'm reading too much into a Reiss comment and a few plays.

On the other hand, people that think you just need to be a huge fat guy are delusional. We'll see.

they gave branch a new deal, i doubt he goes anymore.
pretty solid run stuffing DL.

RayClay said:

I have a copy of the SB which I've enjoyed often. One day, I decided to try to isolate wilfork to see if he indeed was special even in his post surgery year. No doubt there.

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What SB were you watching? Wilfork got pushed around like a second stringer in the most recent SB. He was largely ineffective except for taking up space and the one play where the moron color man gushed over him was pretty much already over by the time Wilfork reached the running back. He wasn't awful but he wasn't anything to write home about either. I love Big Vince but his time at the top of is game is over big time.

Tony McDaniel would fit right in....just released by the Seahawks...sign the beast??

Big Wilfork fan. Watched him specifically many times last season. Ineffective against the double team, but hey just drawing 2 players is the role. One on one he no longer is a threat to penetrate but strong against the run. Miss him as a player & citizen. I think he'll be strong next to JJ Watt.

The Boston Patriot said:

What SB were you watching? Wilfork got pushed around like a second stringer in the most recent SB. He was largely ineffective except for taking up space and the one play where the moron color man gushed over him was pretty much already over by the time Wilfork reached the running back. He wasn't awful but he wasn't anything to write home about either. I love Big Vince but his time at the top of is game is over big time.

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Wilfork often drew double and triple teams. You might watch the result of the play. I found he redirected some of these multiple linemen and either made the tackle or allowed someone else to.

Branch was easier to evaluate, simply because he got beat one on one, so often. didn't really see Wilfork against single coverage.

PatsWickedPissah said:

Big Wilfork fan. Watched him specifically many times last season. Ineffective against the double team, but hey just drawing 2 players is the role. One on one he no longer is a threat to penetrate but strong against the run. Miss him as a player & citizen. I think he'll be strong next to JJ Watt.

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Yeah, as I said, he wasn't blowing up double teams like he used to, but I played some of those plays over and he gave ground and re-engaged and steered guys, either made the play or allowed someone else to. Judo, not Karate [Muay Thai?]

I was comparing Wilfork to our other linemen, not to younger Wilfork. I was amazed he even played after achilles surgery.

fgssand said:

Tony McDaniel would fit right in....just released by the Seahawks...sign the beast??

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Don't know much about him, but 6'7"?

RayClay said:

Don't know much about him, but 6'7"?

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Cap casualty with recent Seahawks signings and returned players on their d line ( membane and hill)

Started almost every game in the past two years for them.

He's the guy that always pointed to his upper bicep when he made a big play.

Gronkowski123 said:

they gave branch a new deal, i doubt he goes anymore.
pretty solid run stuffing DL.

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Yeah, they signed him but the 700k signing bonus is all that's guaranteed. Skipped the voluntary workouts, but he skate boards. Who knows?

fgssand said:

Cap casualty with recent Seahawks signings and returned players on their d line ( membane and hill)

Started almost every game in the past two years for them.

He's the guy that always pointed to his upper bicep when he made a big play.

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I knew the name, just not how effective he is. NFC, I probably notice the Packers mostly.

Wouldn't surprise me if Branch gets cut for Johnson at all. Signing bonus wasn't enough to be a significant factor. In fact, if their play is dead even, I bet Johnson gets the nod. Better a hungry player who's winning offseason conditioning awards than a guy struggling to pass the conditioning test.