Does Branch need to report this week?

[AllabouttheVinces]

I think it it more important that Jackson get on the field and begin to contribute, than Branch reporting.

We know what Branch can do...and he is still under contract, and I believe that it will be worked out soon...But we need , or at least the coaches need, to see Jackson in game situations.... NOW.

Right you are, NEM. With Branch's knowledge of the system and his injury history, all he's missed so far is a chance to get hurt. Plug him back in, and he'll be ready. He needs one pre-season game to get ready. Better this week with the starters than in the sham the 4th game has become, when no one wants to get injured, so the starters hardly play.

Jackson, OTOH, is last on the depth chart now. Bam Childress is ahead of him. Jackson needs to get on the field and become comfortable in this offense, before the chance to be a contributor fades away for this season. Rookies need time. He won't get it if he's the 5th WR.

 

[DaBruinz]

Deion Branch will do just fine if he sits out until week 10. Why should he come back without a new contract? He can wait, make the same amount - the fines will never be assessed.

He reports week 10, he still is in same position with this team and free agency as he would be if he reports right now.

NE loses if he plays elsewhere as we now have a #1 wideout perfect for our system that works quite well with Tom Brady - good luck trying to find that chemistry.

Deion Branch will end up with a deal very close to Reggie Wayne after all is said and done - look at the numbers and Deion's stats are closer to RW's than you may think.

And then you wake up and realize that Wayne's numbers came as the #2 receiver on the team while Branch's has been as the #1 receiver on the team. Wayne is now being paid as the #1 because he earned it. Branch has NOT earned it. Never had a 1000 yard season (though he came close). Never scored more than 5 TDs in a season. Only had 1 healthy season and that is because he was coddled in TC by BB last year.

Sorry, but Branch won't end up with a Reggie Wayne type contract from the Patriots. The Patriots will either trade him to some team like the Eagles or Seahawks or Branch will sit out until week 10, get hurt, and then be franchised by the Pats next year.

Go ahead fans, write him off all you want, criticize and insult him to your hearts content - we still are weaker without him.

I disagree. I think that the Patriots are stronger without the ME type players on the team. And Branch has shown his true colors by the actions of his agent.

Without casting any blame - I really think a compromise is needed here. I realize he is in year 5 and RW's deal came after his 5th year. Nevertheless, Deion Branch is underpaid right now and there has to be something to that 5th year that was added after NE saw how good he was in rookie camp.

Go ahead now, flame away at me all you like - but - the goal is to figure out a fair way, all things considered, to get him back.

The Patriots attempted to go the FAIR way with a more than fair offer. Branch and his agent decided that it was an insult, didn't even bother to send a counter offer, and decided that they wouldn't report to camp unless the Pats guaranteed to not franchise Deion next year. Branch and Chayut decided to not even bargain, never mind bargain in good faith.

The ONLY way this gets worked out is if Branch fires Chayut the way that Watson fired Condon or Branch reports, plays out his contract, and then gets franchsied and traded next season or Branch can sit on his lying arse and do nothing, come in at week 10 and get hurt because he's so fragile and then make nothing this year and get junk offers next year.

The Patriots are showing that they can survive without him. There are several free agents whom the Pats are keeping tabs on, including Kevin Johnson who is recovering from injury. If Branch doesn't get into camp, the Patriots will move on and Branch will be a lame duck.

 

[DaBruinz]

I am sure you would work for about 1/5th of what others doing what you do are making....

Actually, it happens in the real world all the time. People get paid differently by different companies for doing the same job. Also, if your going to make that comparison, make sure you factor in that Branch has missed 17% of his potential working days and then voluntarily held out while under contract.

Also, Please compare Branch's salary to all the other receivers who are averaging 560 or so yards a season with only 5 TDs. Then come back and tell me whether or not Branch is under-paid.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Deion Branch will do just fine if he sits out until week 10. Why should he come back without a new contract? He can wait, make the same amount - the fines will never be assessed.

What makes you think that? If he comes back before the regular season I don't doubt the fines will not be assessed. If he comes back after the season starts they basically have to or they negate the effect of those fines going forward which management demanded be increased as a holdout deterrent in the last CBA.

He reports week 10, he still is in same position with this team and free agency as he would be if he reports right now.

No he isn't. His salary will be docked $625,000 for missing 10 games (no way they pay him or negotiate a settlement at that juncture because he has to report or he loses any shot at FA). When they add in the fines he will owe the team money to play the last 6 games in which his career is on the line. He assumes all risk going forward, the team assumes none. They can retain his rights via tag if he does well, or let him go if the holdout and loss of production or an injury has substantially diminished his FA value.

NE loses if he plays elsewhere as we now have a #1 wideout perfect for our system that works quite well with Tom Brady - good luck trying to find that chemistry.

They found it and developed it once, they can do it again. Or go another route and simply sign or trade for an established WR as they tried to do with Mason when Branch spurned their offer to extend him in 2005. Good luck to Branch trying to find a team with a QB capable of maximizing his core skill which was intelligence as opposed to size, speed, physicality and durability.

Deion Branch will end up with a deal very close to Reggie Wayne after all is said and done - look at the numbers and Deion's stats are closer to RW's than you may think.

You keep saying that, but it's is not in fact true. And numbers alone do not make the player. Wayne's skills are more portable. Not only is he intelligent enough to play with one of the few other more cerebral QB's in the league, he is bigger and has been a lot more durable and in 2005 he out produced the HOF WR his job was to compliment.

Go ahead fans, write him off all you want, criticize and insult him to your hearts content - we still are weaker without him.

We understand that, and we also understand as Jonathan Kraft said in his Saturday pre game interview that Deion is under contract to this team for 2005.

Without casting any blame - I really think a compromise is needed here. I realize he is in year 5 and RW's deal came after his 5th year. Nevertheless, Deion Branch is underpaid right now and there has to be something to that 5th year that was added after NE saw how good he was in rookie camp.

Deion's contract included $3M in escalators to guard against underpayment in his 5th season. He only achieved $500,000 of them for which he will be paid if he chooses to honor his contract. Perhaps if he could have beaten double teams consistently he would have earned another $2.5M, but he can't so he didn't.

Go ahead now, flame away at me all you like - but - the goal is to figure out a fair way, all things considered, to get him back.

The fair way to get him back was for his idiot agent to negotiate in good faith with the team that has been offering him a new deal for the last 15 months. They cannot negotiate with him now. No team would. Some will ink a new deal on the heels of a holdout, but only after the player returns to the team of his own volition. And even then most deals will wait until a substantial cooling off period has passed. Seymour had to wait an entire season. No team in their right mind will waive the right to tag a player. Seattle only did so for a player who had honored his entire rookie deal and was under no obligation to report because he was already tagged for the current season.

Deion Branch is a nice #1 WR for this team and we really need one. But he is not bigger than the team. Maintaining the same financial principles that allowed us to construct teams that have won 3 of the last 6 Superbowls in the salary cap era, and not abandoning them under pressure from a disgruntled player, is more important to the continued long term success of this organization than insuring Deion plays this season or beyond. Even Deion's most ardent fan, his QB, acknowledges that.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Deion Branch will do just fine if he sits out until week 10. the fines will never be assessed.



Deion Branch will end up with a deal very close to Reggie Wayne after all is said and done - look at the numbers and Deion's stats are closer to RW's than you may think.


Without casting any blame - I really think a compromise is needed here. .

.

1. How do you know that the fines will not be assessed? Have you learned nothing about the way BB operates? If Branch drags this out into the regular season, BB will have to assess the fines as an example to others.

2. Yes, there may be teams out there who will over pay for him. But, even the media people, who love nothing better than stirr things up, have said that the Patriots offer to Branch was fair.

He may have to wait another year for his big pay day because the Patriots have the power to tag him and pay him another insulting $7mil for 2007.

3. How do you compromise with someone who won't talk to you? A fair offer was made and then there was nothing from the other side.

This has been misplayed badly by Branch and his agent. The only way now to get anything going is to report and then start talking.

 

[Gopats!!!]

It has been mentioned in another thread that maybe branch and his agent have been in contact with another team willing to massively overpay him. I'm not into conspiracy theories, but how else does his actions make sense? Especially if it's a rival. After the bills overpaid Peerless Price, maybe they figured if they can take branch and possibly hurt the Pats this season they would do it. I don't know. The longer this goes on the more bizarre it gets.

I have 0 inside info, but the idea of branch holding out into the season and still not getting fined is kind of ridiculous. More likely IMO is branch saying he will start the season if the fines are waived. That way both sides save face and the situation doesn't deteriorate any further. It's pretty obvious from everything we have heard that branch is NOT looking for a fair deal. He's looking to be overpaid, which is fine. That is his choice, and he knows there are teams willing to do it. Of course, the Pats are smart to franchise him and trade him, especially after what he's done this offseason.

I generally don't support all the trade comments about various players on this board, but branch is in a much different situation.

As for the chemistry, etc, I will agree that Brady and branch DO have chemistry, but lets not overstate it. Brady makes branch a better WR, and branch makes Brady a better QB. I'm willing to bet that Brady can develop chemistry with another WR and be even better before branch can find a QB that can make him look as good as he has.

 

[rtunstal]

Branch is a good WR, But he can not beat double coverages, for those who think he is worth the big money like TO, CJ, SS, KJ RW, MH or even Houshmandzadeh are crazy these guys beat double coverage all the time. so to me his offer was more then fair. He needs to show he can stay healthy if he wants to see big bucks form other teams. I don't even know he has played an whole season yet.:nono:

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I hate to say it but I think Branch may be done in New England. Pats officials won' care that he is throwing a tantrum about money and will concentrate on the rest of the "team" that is busting their butts off for the regular season. The Pats will offer Branch a "take it or leave it option" and go on with their duties with or without him. Each day I'm losing more and more respect for Deion Branch. If I were Brady I would be doing more than just "talking to" or "texting" Branch. I would demand him to join up with the team. Of course you can't force anybody to do anything they don't want to do, however, I would really reiterate how important it is for Deion to be apart of the team. I hope Branch returns, but if it is after week 10.....SCREW HIM!

 

[fgssand]

I have been trying to take his side today and it is very difficult.

Yes - he IS underpaid, however, the deal presented to him was a real good starting point and his agent chose to ignore it.

Deion was screwed a bit when the Pats forced that 5th year on him, but his agent signed signed off on it.

Deion will get his money, from someone, next year or the year after (if we tag him and do not trade him) - hell TO got his and look at all his distractions (not that Deoin is close to being as talented as TO).

We do need him, but not at the risk of setting a precedent that other players will expect.

Deoin will never pay those fines, unless it really gets ugly - if we do assess them, he will never play for us again for sure.

I still think he comes back by 9/7/06 and sits out game one. I think they give him a bump and handshake on deal after the season.

 

[PromisedLand]

What I said -- goes for you too....

Wrong. In the real world people sign contracts all the time. Some work out well, some don't. If you don't live in mega-athlete-manchild-fantasyland, if you breach a contract you get sued and generally lose. Sometimes you have to pay treble damages. If I sign a contract I honor it. I have never failed to honor a contract whether I was happy with it or not. Have you?

 

[kencc]

Deion Branch will do just fine if he sits out until week 10. Why should he come back without a new contract? He can wait, make the same amount - the fines will never be assessed.

He reports week 10, he still is in same position with this team and free agency as he would be if he reports right now.

NE loses if he plays elsewhere as we now have a #1 wideout perfect for our system that works quite well with Tom Brady - good luck trying to find that chemistry.

Deion Branch will end up with a deal very close to Reggie Wayne after all is said and done - look at the numbers and Deion's stats are closer to RW's than you may think.

Go ahead fans, write him off all you want, criticize and insult him to your hearts content - we still are weaker without him.

Without casting any blame - I really think a compromise is needed here. I realize he is in year 5 and RW's deal came after his 5th year. Nevertheless, Deion Branch is underpaid right now and there has to be something to that 5th year that was added after NE saw how good he was in rookie camp.

Go ahead now, flame away at me all you like - but - the goal is to figure out a fair way, all things considered, to get him back.

Well said he still is Brady's #1 receiver He will most likely be in uniform by the first game, You don't give up on someone this in tune with your QB. He is not the most durable.

 

[fgssand]

Deion Branch is a nice #1 WR for this team and we really need one. But he is not bigger than the team. Maintaining the same financial principles that allowed us to construct teams that have won 3 of the last 6 Superbowls in the salary cap era, and not abandoning them under pressure from a disgruntled player, is more important to the continued long term success of this organization than insuring Deion plays this season or beyond. Even Deion's most ardent fan, his QB, acknowledges that.

I cannot argue with this paragraph at all.

 

[GraftonPatsFan]

Trade him for Jerry Porter

 

[PATSNUTme]

Trade him for Jerry Porter

What makes you think that we can reach a contract with Porter? He wants the big bucks too.

I've seen this mentioned several times. It's just swaping one problem for another.

 

[Pats726]

This is the window that the Pats have open..Report Deion...or be left behind...that simple.
Why do you think the Pats were going after Mason last year?? DB had just been SB MVP and??? My thought is that either they did not see Branch as a top tier WR and thought Mason was much more the case or that they knew Branch was going to cause problems with his contract down the road and wanted to go in another direction. Maybe both reasons or possibly, Branch was upset about them going after Mason and then decided he wanted HIS money. Not sure, but I find the fact that they went after Mason mighty interesting in retrospect.
I have also wondered why Deion's demands are getting even MORE outrageous..first it was a promise not to be franchised and then down the line, this $9 mill deal. Is he deliberately trying to get NE fans to hate him?? I really wonder if there is NOT a deal with another team already projected from him. It just makes no sense to burn this bridge with the Pats and the fact that they are not countering a fair offer makes me wonder.
I think there's a window open now..it is for Deion to return and be reasonable...and that may be something that will be available for a few weeks only...even into the 1st 2nd game. After that, the Pats will make a move or moves for WRs and at that point, DB is Patriot history...he will be fined, if/when he returns, he will be irrelevent ala Glenn and will be franchised and traded after the season. Why else do you think the Patriots have NOT made a move for a WR?? I truly think they are hoping he will return and BE reasonable..but THAT is Plan A....and given that he has not been,,and may not be, at a certain point, they have Plan B...to bring in reinforcements at WR. I think mayube showing how strong their offense was this week shows Branch how much better it will be IF he returns. "you want to be part of another SB run Deion??" If he doesn't respond, then the bus is gone, WRs will be brought in and he will be left behind.
He needs to get his act together and quickly. I don't think JC is all that good with figures as spme have pointed out..he loses big time if he keeps out. The fines maybe waived today, but at some point the line is crossed and
DB will be past patriot history.