any Patriots talk on MNF pre-show?

[patsox23]

I just tuned in and I don't know if they talked about the Pats at all. Anyone?

 

[PatsFanInVa]

They just went over the Branch situation, in relation to the Iggles trading for Donte Stallworth. One less suitor... now the good news...

They mentioned the VIKINGS as potential suitors. The Vikings FO is dumb enough to go for that #1 pick... and the Vikes' #1 will be UP there.

Just MHO of course,

PFnV

 

[QB12]

Mort just said the Patriots have "fielded more calls" than he thought they would, and said the Vikings were a team to watch. He also surmised the Pats might tell Branch, 'Okay Deion, you've got your offer, we'll match it.'

QB12

 

[PromisedLand]

Mort just said the Patriots have "fielded more calls" than he thought they would, and said the Vikings were a team to watch. He also surmised the Pats might tell Branch, 'Okay Deion, you've got your offer, we'll match it.'

QB12

That would actually be the best way to resolve it, unless the compensation is an offer the Pats cannot refuse. It was probably part of the plan to begin with: take the best option between paying Deion or taking the compensation.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

He also surmised the Pats might tell Branch, 'Okay Deion, you've got your offer, we'll match it.'

I hope not, that to me would be the same thing as caving in to his hold out and set a dangerous precedent.

 

[Slagathor]

Mort just said the Patriots have "fielded more calls" than he thought they would, and said the Vikings were a team to watch. He also surmised the Pats might tell Branch, 'Okay Deion, you've got your offer, we'll match it.'

QB12

My question is, how does Mort know how many calls were fielded. I guarantee he didn't get that info from the Pats.

Did every team that contacted the Pats talk to him?

 

[sarge]

Mort just said the Patriots have "fielded more calls" than he thought they would, and said the Vikings were a team to watch. He also surmised the Pats might tell Branch, 'Okay Deion, you've got your offer, we'll match it.'
QB12

I actually brought that idea up in a thread when this trade stuff started.
Course Mort is probably just speculating as I am and has no real info of that may be the case.

I think that would be a great way to resolve this!

I don't care if anyone is offering up firsts. We need Branch right now more then we need another first round pick!

 

[JR4]

I hope not, that to me would be the same thing as caving in to his hold out and set a dangerous precedent.

Not so sure it's a big thing.

Not every player with one year left on his contract will be willing to go
14K a day. If they do ... they better be very sure the PATs really want them.
There are very few players that are so much needed that the PATs would
look twice.
If Jackson had been healthy they might have just moved on
and let Branch sit.

Besides Branch there are Koppen, Graham, Samuel and Banta Cain that
could have held out on the last year of their Rookie contract but none of
those did.
Maybe the PATs just need to be better prepared for the high risk players ... those that are most likley to pull this crap.

 

[edzo44]

Mort just said the Patriots have "fielded more calls" than he thought they would, and said the Vikings were a team to watch. He also surmised the Pats might tell Branch, 'Okay Deion, you've got your offer, we'll match it.'

QB12

Maybe he thought no one would call and they got one call? (Which was a lot more then he expected?)

 

[Kasmir]

My question is, how does Mort know how many calls were fielded. I guarantee he didn't get that info from the Pats.

From Chayut no doubt -- not that that makes it likely to be true...

 

[Pat_Nasty]

I hope not, that to me would be the same thing as caving in to his hold out and set a dangerous precedent.

Why would it be caving?

Any offer Branch gets will be sub-market level, as the team making the offer will be factoring in something like a 1st round pick they'll have to send to the Pats.

So why shouldn't the Pats match it?

They went into this offseason wanting to sign Branch to an extension, and they've made reasonable starter offers which Branch's agent didn't counter. Those were initial offers -- there always was some flexibility there.

If the offer they're chosing to match weren't reasonable and within their acceptable parameters for Branch's value, they wouldn't match it. If it is within that range, then refusing to match it just because Branch held out is cutting of their nose to spite their face.