branch traded

[mgteich]

Branch and his agent got everything they wanted and then some. The patriots got about what they might have gotten in the next offseason (late first or early second).

I said it at the time when it was announced that Branch was given the right to deal with other teams that Chayut benefited from the announcement. In the end, he was able to get his client what his client wanted - out of New England with a big contract. Playing on the SB runnerup is just the cherry on the top.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Opps, I thought they lost, they played so bad....


I was just looking at Seattle's schedule and the best we can hope for is an earliy exit in the playoffs.

assuming they lose only one game in the division (St. Louis, Arizona, SF) they could easily sweep, they only have one trip to the East Coast (Tampa in the last week of the season).

Here's their schedule, The only games that I would be suprised if they won are the at Chicago and Denver, I'm sure that both the Giants and the Bolts will give them tough games, but they are at home:

@Detroit Won 9-6
Sep 17 Arizona 4:05pm
Sep 24 N.Y. Giants 4:15pm
Oct 1 @Chicago 8:15pm
Week 5 BYE
Oct 15 @St. Louis 1:00pm
Oct 22 Minnesota 4:15pm
Oct 29 @Kansas City 1:00pm
Nov 6 Oakland 8:30pm
Nov 12 St. Louis 4:15pm
Nov 19 @San Francisco 4:05pm
Nov 27 Green Bay 8:30pm
Dec 3 @Denver 4:15pm
Dec 10 @Arizona 4:05pm
Dec 14 San Francisco 8:00pm
Dec 24 San Diego 4:15pm
Dec 31 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm

Hard to see them going anything less than 11-5, unless they have some sort of catastrophic injury to Hasselbeck or Alexander.

 

[RayClay]

Who else thinks the NFL league office got involved here to get this deal done?

The precident was set with T.O.

The theory would be that the league was afraid that the outcome of arbitration would favor the players--that a player could determine his own value and force a trade whenever he wanted to.

Deion decided how much he thought he was worth, found a team willing to pay him that, and then decided the compensation that Seattle should have to give up (and the Pats would receive) in order to get him.

This would turn the league on its head and was simply too dangerous for the league to let this go forward.

Take off the tin foil hat, dude. T.O. was a free agent. His agent forgot to fax a document so his free agency was voided.

That was a legal hot potato.

Deion Branch had never reached free agency. He owed us a year on his contract.

BB decided to offer the trade possibility so we had the option of accepting an offer rather than to tie up a disgruntled player for two more years, which we could have.

Apparently a #1 pick was better rhan the alternative and we move on.

 

[TomBradyWoot]

I know some of you are thrilled to see Deion go, but I'm not. I still feel like this could have been resolved. Eventually we're going to have to pay someone not named Seymour or Brady. With all this cap room why not pay Deion?

 

[njpatsfan]

So basically it's a second round pick. Seattle should finish deep in the playoffs.

Seattle's 1st Round pick >> Jets 2nd round pick

Of course, we would rather have the Phins 1st round pick.

R

 

[Tunescribe]

Who in your WR's is better then Branch??? Do you guy's think this will hurt at all??? There has to come a point were your loses can't be overcome.

We've picked up the slack in other areas, with Maroney and our tight ends. Branch won't be missed once Jackson and Gabriel get up to speed. Sit back and enjoy the offensive fireworks, dude. Should be hitting all cylinders when the Dolphins come to visit.

 

[brady2brown]

I said it at the time when it was announced that Branch was given the right to deal with other teams that Chayut benefited from the announcement. In the end, he was able to get his client what his client wanted - out of New England with a big contract. Playing on the SB runnerup is just the cherry on the top.

You are correct, O Wise One. I remember you saying that Chayut could come out of this smelling like a rose. He did get what he wanted for his client.

I'm glad the Patriots did what was best for the Patriots, and didn't try to punish Branch. I think this will work out better for everyone.

I'm glad Deion did sign that 5-year contract in 2002. That contract gave us an extra first rounder. Whoo Hoo!

 

[PatsRI]

I know some of you are thrilled to see Deion go, but I'm not. I still feel like this could have been resolved. Eventually we're going to have to pay someone not named Seymour or Brady. With all this cap room why not pay Deion?

That's right they have to pay Bruschi,Vrabel, Light, Colvin, Harrison, Dillon. I don't think it has anything to do with Deion but the value they put on WR.

 

[cstjohn17]

Once Gabriel and Jackson are on the field we should be ok, not great but ok. With the balance from the running attack we should still have a good offense.

Aside from being hated by everyone in New England Branch's agent is looking pretty smart. With zero leverage he was able to get his client a 30+ million dollar raise. I am disapointed the Patriots caved, it sets a bad precedent for future holdouts. Basically if you hold your breath long enough you get what you want...

An additional first round pick is nice but based on what I saw this weekend I wouldn't classify this as a victory for the team.

 

[Seymour93]

So basically it's a second round pick. Seattle should finish deep in the playoffs.

We drafted Watson at #32, so there's talent avaliable. Seattle won't do a good as they did last season anyway, due to the SB loser's curse.

Patriots.com is down for me. We'll play in Seattle in a few years, I don't know the exact season though. By the time the Seahawks are due for a return to Foxboro, Branch will be long gone.

 

[patsfan55]

I'm with you -- but that's emotion (like when you sit there expecting the telephone to ring and your ex to say "Darling, I made a big, big mistake -- I realize now that it was you I wanted after all ...") It's over, we can move on.

very good analogy

as for this pick i expect seattle to play pretty darn well
yes shaun alexander looked like he was carrying on that madden curse pretty well yesterday but now with deion look at that team
wrs: djack, deion, burleson, engram, dj hackett
they have hasselbeck
they have alexander
and that defense is one of the best in the league-very underrated

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Two draft picks in the top 32. Package them both to trade up and get Penn State LB Paul Pasluzsky (sp.) or (hopefully) Seattle bombs and we can get FSU's Buster Davis and a top d-back. Sweet.

 

[kptmorgan04]

well I am glad it is over. I guess thats the main thing coming out of this. If they werent going to get anything from him (holding out to week 10 and then the ensuing trouble over the offseason again) I am glad that we got a first round pick for him and that the whole situatoin is over.
I dont wish branch well. I hope he does very poorly and plays to his typical fragile self. From all the reports of what the Pats were offering him compared to other teams I am still surprised and upset that things were not worked out, especially with the best QB in the game tossing him the ball. It could be a great benifit to the Pats both now and in the future if he does not produce all too well in Seatle, showing that it is more of the system and QB/WR combo that made him the average WR that he is.

This will be the last time I comment on him (unless someone really pi$$es me off with something) and now I will say officially:
"Deion, YOU ARE DEAD TO ME"

 

[Richter]

very good analogy

as for this pick i expect seattle to play pretty darn well
yes shaun alexander looked like he was carrying on that madden curse pretty well yesterday but now with deion look at that team
wrs: djack, deion, burleson, engram, dj hackett
they have hasselbeck
they have alexander
and that defense is one of the best in the league-very underrated

Except Darrel Jackson is playing on a gimpy knee, Burleson hasn't figured out the offense and they let Steve Hutchinson get away, who was their second best player behind Walter Jones (yes, he's better than Alexander and Hasselbeck). I'm not exactly shaking in my boots over the mighty Seahawks offense just yet.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

For those who questioned those of us who were saying that Chayut was doing a brilliant job of representing his client ...... you were wrong.

I actually am surprised the Hawks relinquished and gave up the first for Deion. Kudo's to the Pats brass for holding tight on this one. I still maintain that they seriously blew it in the final analysis but at least they saved face by getting a first for Branch.

At least it's over and done with.

 

[rabthepat]

I am soooooooo glad it is at least over now and we can move forward. It was getting to be like a messy divorce. Now I get to say, "Deion who?"

 

[Old Town Pats]

Good bye Deion now we can just focus on football

 

[Chris]

what still doesnt make sense for me is if we ask for a #1 why not pay him.. they obviously thought he was worth it to warrant the draft choice that high.. i can see the side of not paying him #1 money since he technically isnt one..

 

[RayClay]

Who in your WR's is better then Branch??? Do you guy's think this will hurt at all??? There has to come a point were your loses can't be overcome.

Probably when Belichick retires.

Strict discipline and good drafts, (sorry to bring that word up again), mean temporary weaknesses will be taken care of while draft picks, (sorry, did you see how many draft picks we have next year?!) Replace higher paid veterans with high value players.

Often, older veterans in search of a ring will replace lost vets until young draftees are ready.

I liked Branch. But lets face it, there was bad blood mostly caused by his agent.

We got a lot of value out of Branch now somebody is going to pay big, (second wife syndrome ).

For the record, for a pick that will be somewhere between 1 and 32 we gave up a player drafted at the bottom of the second round. #65.

And he played at 1/6th of what he'll make now for 4 years.

That's how you do it, Bub. It's called value.

 

[Bertil]

I hope they try to collect every last cent from Deion & Co.

That being said, I think that Deion himself may well be a pawn in this drama. The real tension is between the NFLPA and the current Patriots regime, as I read in PFT. The combination of the Players Union trying to do away with the 5 year rookie deal (which they ultimately did) and Chayut ineptly effing up a rookie contract created a perfect storm of circumstances.

DB vastly outplayed his rookie deal, even considering the fact that he's proven to be fragile. You hate to see them being able to glean anything that could be remotely construed (and spun) as a "Win", but you have to pick and choose these types of battles.

This outcome is the best that could've been hoped for, after all that's transpired. To think he's one SB reception away from tying Jerry Rice's all time record. I'm hoping he never gets it.