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Oh, the inhumanity...
"Jason Chayut , who represents Branch... has been trying to negotiate an extension for Branch that reflects he has outplayed the value of his rookie contract. Branch is the team's No. 1 receiver yet will earn only $1.045 million this year. And he will make that much only because he hit an escalator clause based on yardage that added $500,000 to his base salary.
This offseason Antwaan Randle El, who is the definition of a No. 2 receiver, signed a $31 million deal with Washington that included an $11.5 million signing bonus. David Givens, who was New England's No. 2 receiver behind Branch for four seasons, signed a five-year, $24 million deal with the Titans that included an $8 million bonus. Branch will earn barely 20 percent of what Givens will receive.
What New England has offered Branch, according to a source within the organization, was either a five- or three-year deal that averages just over $6 million. Chayut says the average was more like $5.6 million a year. For perspective, a wide receiver hit with the franchise tag this season would receive $6.172 million, the average of the top five salaries at the position. That number will increase next year, probably to around $7 million, thus putting Branch below the game's elite receivers if he accepted New England's offer."
Gee, how unfair for a guy who has yet to crack 1000 yards...
"The team argues that if Branch does nothing and is franchised next year, as he likely would be, he'd average around $4 million for two seasons instead of the $6 million under their proposal.
But Chayut counters with a powerful argument: ``Just because the rules say you can exploit somebody doesn't mean you have to do it."
Excuse me Jason....Just do it BB. Sounds like a great deal for the team. And if it really insults him, tag and trade him to Washington so he can get Snyder to overpay him too.
"Chayut argues Branch was coerced into signing the five-year deal when he was drafted in 2002 after they had reached ``an agreement in principle" with the Patriots' chief negotiator, Jack Mula, on a four-year contract. The sides had not yet finalized the amount of his signing bonus but they were ``pretty close," according to Chayut, when Mula called with what he termed ``bad news."
Branch had agreed to work out with the team before the signing. According to Chayut, ``[Mula said] Deion had looked so good they wanted a five-year deal. The four-year deal was off the table. It was five years, take it or leave it.
`` What leverage did Deion have? Was a second-round draft choice of the Super Bowl champions going to hold out? He had no choice but to sign."
Oh boy, and look how that screwed him. He's only one of two players with 2 rings from his draft class, not to mention a Superbowl MVP on his resume courtesy of playing with Brady. What's the going rate for a WR with Deions stats and durablilty issues minus those rings, Jason...
"According to Chayut, he asked the team to guarantee it would not franchise Branch next year in exchange for an on-time arrival at camp and participation in all offseason activities. The team refused."
Bravo, Bill. It stops here.
``We can debate his value to the team," Chayut said. ``What can't be debated is how he was exploited. They've gotten away with lowballing players for a long time and it's starting to bite them in the [rear]. [Richard] Seymour held out. Others are leaving. Deion is not happy. That's why the league and the union changed the rules. To protect young players like Deion. He won't be exploited again."
Branch is trying to decide what his next move will be. He had, according to several teammates, decided he would follow Seymour's example and hold out, but that was when the cost was one-third of what it now will be. If he were to hold out for even 10 days he would surrender more than 10 percent of his salary. If it were to last throughout training camp, he would have lost $630,000, more than 60 percent of his present deal. Now that's coercion."
Thank's Richard, that was some great leadership you exercised last summer. Now a 5'9" WR who can't beat double teams or crack a thousand yards thinks a $6M per contract offer vs. a $14,000 dollar a day holdout fine equals being coerced.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2006/07/23/receiver_is_getting_jammed/
"Jason Chayut , who represents Branch... has been trying to negotiate an extension for Branch that reflects he has outplayed the value of his rookie contract. Branch is the team's No. 1 receiver yet will earn only $1.045 million this year. And he will make that much only because he hit an escalator clause based on yardage that added $500,000 to his base salary.
This offseason Antwaan Randle El, who is the definition of a No. 2 receiver, signed a $31 million deal with Washington that included an $11.5 million signing bonus. David Givens, who was New England's No. 2 receiver behind Branch for four seasons, signed a five-year, $24 million deal with the Titans that included an $8 million bonus. Branch will earn barely 20 percent of what Givens will receive.
What New England has offered Branch, according to a source within the organization, was either a five- or three-year deal that averages just over $6 million. Chayut says the average was more like $5.6 million a year. For perspective, a wide receiver hit with the franchise tag this season would receive $6.172 million, the average of the top five salaries at the position. That number will increase next year, probably to around $7 million, thus putting Branch below the game's elite receivers if he accepted New England's offer."
Gee, how unfair for a guy who has yet to crack 1000 yards...
"The team argues that if Branch does nothing and is franchised next year, as he likely would be, he'd average around $4 million for two seasons instead of the $6 million under their proposal.
But Chayut counters with a powerful argument: ``Just because the rules say you can exploit somebody doesn't mean you have to do it."
Excuse me Jason....Just do it BB. Sounds like a great deal for the team. And if it really insults him, tag and trade him to Washington so he can get Snyder to overpay him too.
"Chayut argues Branch was coerced into signing the five-year deal when he was drafted in 2002 after they had reached ``an agreement in principle" with the Patriots' chief negotiator, Jack Mula, on a four-year contract. The sides had not yet finalized the amount of his signing bonus but they were ``pretty close," according to Chayut, when Mula called with what he termed ``bad news."
Branch had agreed to work out with the team before the signing. According to Chayut, ``[Mula said] Deion had looked so good they wanted a five-year deal. The four-year deal was off the table. It was five years, take it or leave it.
`` What leverage did Deion have? Was a second-round draft choice of the Super Bowl champions going to hold out? He had no choice but to sign."
Oh boy, and look how that screwed him. He's only one of two players with 2 rings from his draft class, not to mention a Superbowl MVP on his resume courtesy of playing with Brady. What's the going rate for a WR with Deions stats and durablilty issues minus those rings, Jason...
"According to Chayut, he asked the team to guarantee it would not franchise Branch next year in exchange for an on-time arrival at camp and participation in all offseason activities. The team refused."
Bravo, Bill. It stops here.
``We can debate his value to the team," Chayut said. ``What can't be debated is how he was exploited. They've gotten away with lowballing players for a long time and it's starting to bite them in the [rear]. [Richard] Seymour held out. Others are leaving. Deion is not happy. That's why the league and the union changed the rules. To protect young players like Deion. He won't be exploited again."
Branch is trying to decide what his next move will be. He had, according to several teammates, decided he would follow Seymour's example and hold out, but that was when the cost was one-third of what it now will be. If he were to hold out for even 10 days he would surrender more than 10 percent of his salary. If it were to last throughout training camp, he would have lost $630,000, more than 60 percent of his present deal. Now that's coercion."
Thank's Richard, that was some great leadership you exercised last summer. Now a 5'9" WR who can't beat double teams or crack a thousand yards thinks a $6M per contract offer vs. a $14,000 dollar a day holdout fine equals being coerced.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2006/07/23/receiver_is_getting_jammed/
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