Branch is bluffing

[DCPatriot]

The grievances are (i) noise and distraction to players and management, a TO strategy without TO, with "bad faith" tossed around liberally in the press, maybe quietly causing some dissension/morale issues on the team, with the goal of forcing a trade; (ii) getting the Pats to talk about how much more he is worth than the second round pick offered in case they ever do return to negotiate this thing; (iii) rolling the dice with the arbitrator, because you simply never know, no matter how bad your case (and it is a bad one), when the judge/arbitrator will come in with a chip on his shoulder.

It's not a bluff. It's a high-risk strategy, just as the Pats' trade window tactic was. The fines he will get (and the prorated bonus reimbursement) are not enough to hasten his return. The money is in the next contract. The biggest risk to Branch is if the Pats keep this going indefinitely with the franchise tag next year. Chayut wants to make sure they know there is a high cost in doing so. The Pats may want to make sure everyone knows what happens when you holdout.

The pats can trade him any time if they hold on their trade comp. If he decides to wait until week 10 (or whenever) to report, they have a healthy receiver warehoused for the day another team's #1 receiver goes down, increasing his value, or we get to see how our roster does without him and reassess his value to us, or do nothing until week 10. Either way, this thing will probably drag on for some time with no news, just frenzied speculation on this board and a weekly rant from Borges conveying Chayut's views of the world.

 

[b72s]

A few Points

1. The Pats MO is to sign rookies to 5 yeqars to get value in years 4 & 5 on a fully trained and invested player. They do not bend on this solid practice note Watson had to fire his agent to get to agree to 5.

2. The NFL will not let a player establish his own value and Deion legally is locked up and screwed no chance in arbitration

3 Branch's Agent has not only handled the negotiations wrong but also cost Branch lucrative local ad deals that he could have taken like Troy Brown

4 Only chance Branch is a pat is if he fires his agent and gets deal done. But honestly I think this is gon eto far and Gabriel is point pats are moving on. However, Pats will let Branch rot to prove point and keep team salary in line rather disrupt chemistry and future player negotiations

 

[upstater1]

WTH are you talking about? I am wrong in what? I made no statement that would imply being either right or wrong, just opinion and speculation. I never stated that the Patriots implied they would release him for a 2nd, only that by giving permission to seek a trade they were possibly entering into a good faith agreement to make a trade if the compensation was FAIR. And that the term fair would need to be defined.

As to your ebay guitar analogy, it is not of the same spectrum as this situation. You're proposing you have no obligation to sell your guitar at less than a premium, so neither do the Patriots. But what if by league standards Branch's premium price is decided to be truly just a 2nd pick?

Sigh. I said you were wrong because you wrote that there may be an agreement for reasonable compensation with the Patriots. That is incorrect=wrong. Kessler made the point that the press release was the piece of damning evidence citing the Patriots intentions. Many people have pointed this out to you already.

The guitar analogy still works because my price is still within the range of the league standard. In other words, I'm not ripping anyone off. It's still reasonable. Asking a #1 for Branch is still reasonable, and the league standard--if it is determined by the arbitrator--will have to be encompass the Peerless Price deals, Galloway deals, Keyshawn Johnson etc.

 

[Patsgirl]

I just don't even get this situation - Branch is worth top WR pay to him, but just a second round pick to the Pats? How does this make sense? I would really like to hear the explanation of this.

I think he is really shooting himself in the foot. Pretty much all legal analysts have said Branch has no case - so he finished out his contract here....say he doesn't even come back until week 10, according to cbssports, he will owe $1.5 million in fines.....if the Pats really want to stick it to him, then they can franchise him....he really could have it bad. I doubt they will franchise him because of the bad blood between them that now exists...but if they just want to "get him" they certainly appear to be holding all the cards.

He needs to get a new agent and just finish out his contract - then go somewhere else. The Pats can focus on new WRs for next year.

I know we have only seen preseason games but they don't look too bad with Branch watching from home. It isn't the ideal situation, but seriously, they aren't looking too bad.