FWIW - Borges says Branch has agreement on contract with other team

[dhamz]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2006/09/01/patriots_dropped_the_ball/

"The sides have been mum for the past week, since the team announced Branch would be given until today at 4 p.m. to work out a trade acceptable to New England at a pay level acceptable to Branch. The latter, several league sources said late last night, has been achieved, as the Patriots will learn today."

Other than that just a typical hack job.

The best line is this:

"why then does it seem that the loss of David Givens and the apparent business decision to let Branch sit out for 10 weeks or be traded away over money not strike people in New England as a bit, shall we say, troubling? Because they have a big tight end who can run? So do the Kansas City Chiefs, and what good has it done them?"

Uh Ron, the Chiefs have been one of the handful of best offenses in the NFL for 3 years running - 1st in 2004 and 2005 and 2nd in 2003.

 

[QuickOutGo]

My guess is this is just some team wanting to tweak the Patriots (can you say Jets, Dolphins, Bills). Why not offer 5 years/$50 million with a $25 million signing bonus to Branch and then offer the Patriots a 7th round pick? Patriots won't trade him for that and Branch will be pissed that the Pats blocked the deal. Net result is Branch sits most of the season which benefits all of the Patriots opponents.

 

[Brownfan80]

Why is it that the closer the season gets, the more depressed I'm starting to feel? This has been a pretty rough offseason, after a pretty rough 2005 season. I'm hoping that this 2006 campaign can liven my spirits right back up.

 

[patchick]

My guess is this is just some team wanting to tweak the Patriots (can you say Jets, Dolphins, Bills).

Personally, I can't imagine a team doing this. All along the only team I've been scared of is the Vikings, who earlier in the offseason proved they'd be willing to stoop to any depths to grab a player under obligation to another team. And they have plenty of cap space, and they are flat-out desperate for a receiver. And they have lousy management. It's completely possible they would offer Branch an outrageous deal.

 

[PlattsFan]

You know, what I would do if I was a rival GM (which includes just about anyone) would be to offer Branch a better contract than the Patriots, and then offer the Patriots less than what they would want (maybe a 2nd or something). It would really put the Pats in a bit of a bind because it would undermine their negotiating position with Branch, but they probably couldn't make the deal. The end result (from my rival GM perspective) is a team that has a worse relationship with one of their prominent players and diminished value of their assets.

The Patriots did take a risk with this strategy because it leaves them open to a bit of manipulation by other GMs ...

update: in other words ... what was said up above while I was typing ... only I would make the offer somewhat reasonable, just higher. If the Dolphins want to destroy their salary cap, the Patriots could let him go for a 7th just to kill a division rival ...

 

[patchick]

About the Borges article

It's a predictably bitter, spiteful rant that avoids lots of inconvenient facts. That's fine, that's Ron's (self-appointed) job. More shocking to me was this line:

"If anyone can honestly say (Childress is) a No. 1 or even a No. 2 receiver in an NFL offense, they are more optimistic than Mary Poppins."

This is nonsense. Mary Poppins was a loving but stern and practical childcare professional. Borges is presumably thinking of Pollyanna, a completely unrelated fictional creation. It's this sort of factual sloppiness that leaves readers mistrustful of the media. For shame, Ron.

 

[SamBam39]

Personally, I can't imagine a team doing this. All along the only team I've been scared of is the Vikings, who earlier in the offseason proved they'd be willing to stoop to any depths to grab a player under obligation to another team. And they have plenty of cap space, and they are flat-out desperate for a receiver. And they have lousy management. It's completely possible they would offer Branch an outrageous deal.

remember, a team offering branch a contract he's happy with isn't enough for him to be gone. the pats have to agree to terms of a deal. if the pats were just using this as a barometer of what branch is worth to other teams, they could still use this as a trigger to reach agreement with branch themelves on a contract. it could also remain at impasse if teams aren't willing to give the pats the compensation they want. and of course, borges could just be totally wrong, per usual. we still gotta just wait and see.

 

[MrTibbs]

If Deion actually gets traded I find it extremely interesting to see Tom Brady's reaction...........I don't care what Belichick and Pioli have done to this point, to take away your star QB's top 2 WR's just won't cut it. There is no way on earth Brady will just sit back and say oh well. He's human and I'm sure that will burn his @$$.

 

[satz]

A few titbits to consider ...NFL is a business with 32 Joint owners .At the end of the day the goal is to collective offer a great product which people would like.

So not sure how many people will be taking a step to earn the displeasure of Mr Kraft and th pats FO as it is a influencial entity of the group.

 

[PlattsFan]

Here's one quote from the article:

... but no team has yet won a Super Bowl by running the ball and throwing to their tight ends.

Just off the top of my head, I can think of one ... 1990 Giants. Good D, good running, and the top receiver was Mark Bavaro. There are probably others, too.

It's too bad ... Borges can actually write. But he's just a hack now.

 

[Pats67]

an alternate theory for your consideration

 

[patchick]

remember, a team offering branch a contract he's happy with isn't enough for him to be gone. the pats have to agree to terms of a deal. if the pats were just using this as a barometer of what branch is worth to other teams, they could still use this as a trigger to reach agreement with branch themelves on a contract. it could also remain at impasse if teams aren't willing to give the pats the compensation they want. and of course, borges could just be totally wrong, per usual. we still gotta just wait and see.

I agree with everything you say, except the bolded bit. Borges has been Chayut's mouthpiece through this whole mess, and I think he's making it clear that he's been slipped this scoop as a "thank you for services rendered."

 

[bishbash]

Re: About the Borges article

This is nonsense. Mary Poppins was a loving but stern and practical childcare professional. Borges is presumably thinking of Pollyanna, a completely unrelated fictional creation. It's this sort of factual sloppiness that leaves readers mistrustful of the media. For shame, Ron.

You've been on a roll, Patchick!

 

[BTTA]

Why is it that the closer the season gets, the more depressed I'm starting to feel? This has been a pretty rough offseason, after a pretty rough 2005 season. I'm hoping that this 2006 campaign can liven my spirits right back up.

Intersting thought, but then what do they do if the Pats accept it? They are screwed cap-wise, all for a reciever who may not last 3 more years in this league.

 

[Brownfan80]

Re: About the Borges article

It's a predictably bitter, spiteful rant that avoids lots of inconvenient facts. That's fine, that's Ron's (self-appointed) job. More shocking to me was this line:

"If anyone can honestly say (Childress is) a No. 1 or even a No. 2 receiver in an NFL offense, they are more optimistic than Mary Poppins."

This is nonsense. Mary Poppins was a loving but stern and practical childcare professional. Borges is presumably thinking of Pollyanna, a completely unrelated fictional creation. It's this sort of factual sloppiness that leaves readers mistrustful of the media. For shame, Ron.

I'm starting to really fall in love with your posts. (Don't worry, I'm happily engaged, it's just your quips I love!)

 

[BelichickFan]

That's nice for Branch . . . but it doesn't get him out of NE unless the team will pay our price for him.

 

[Willie55]

It won't be something done in the best interest of the team or of a player who exemplifies everything their organization holds dear.

A player who exemplifies everything their organization holds dear?? A self-centered person who doesn't honor his contract even though he said he would.

I think this is going to be one of those articles that goes into the Borges hall-of-shame, ala the drafting of Richard Seymour article.

 

[NE39]

It doesn't have to just be a draft pick, it can also be a player.

Seattle and Minnesota were the two teams considered most likely to make a play for Branch. I find it hard to believe they are going to waste their time unless they think they can make an offer the Pats will accept.

I don't think a team is going to offer Branch a crapload of money just to screw the Patriots. NFL teams have their own issues, and if Branch received a big offer it is likely because that team likes him as a player and wants to get him.

That means the trade offer may end up being something palatable to the Patriots. If it's Minnesota, maybe it is Marcus Robinson or Travis Taylor combined with a draft pick. If it is Seattle, maybe it is a Bobby Engram and a draft pick.

Let's wait and see what happens. Leave Borges out of this, because it is obvious he is going to take a shot at Belichick any chance he gets. However, it seems if Branch forces things today, the Pats might just decide they can move on without him.

 

[PatsDeb]

I agree with everything you say, except the bolded bit. Borges has been Chayut's mouthpiece through this whole mess, and I think he's making it clear that he's been slipped this scoop as a "thank you for services rendered."

But what exactly is the "scoop"? Borges has nothing other than his own wishful thinking at this point. A real scoop is that Branch has an offer from team X, which is also going to offer the Pats a 2nd round draft pick, which will put them in a bad bind if they refuse (after all, they think he is not worth 1st round $$, right?) Borges is such an a $$. Maybe we should start another e-mail campaign against him.

 

[OldEnglandPatriot]

an alternate theory for your consideration

Rather off-topic, sorry, but this line from that link, talking about the Giants game, caught my eye: Apparently Gostkowski kicked "a mindroasting 54 yard laser".

AaAAaaaaarghhh... my mind.... It's been.... ROASTED!