NFL Total Access: Schefter reports on Branch..

[Jacky Roberts]

Franchising Branch would be a smart move. There is little reason not to do it.

Yes there is. Branch isn't worth being paid among the average of the highest paid WRs. He signed a deal, he needs to honor it. I hope BB tells him to get in camp or don't bother showing up at all this year. Seriously, when did Branch turn into Jerry Rice circa 1987?

 

[Pats726]

I have a question:

If Branch decides to sit out until week 10, in order to attain an accrued season, do the pats have any grounds at all to suspend him, without pay, for breach of contract, or detrimental conduct, or anything similar? Would a suspension following a holdout then bind Branch to the pats for next year, since he did not gain an accrued season?

I just wonder about that as well..what if comes back and is making trouble and such...I think it was reported that he was bad mouthing the Pats to Walker...what can the pats do?? We all know the TO rule of sitting out..but don't teams have some action they can take for malcontents?? What about IR?? Just trying to see what options they have..to blunt a Twig that comes back and doesn't wish to be here. I KNOW they don't have to make him active..if they wish..but he would take up a spot on the 53 roster...

 

[AzPatsFan]

IR would just pay him his franchised money for not working.

I think he could be PUPped if he cannot pass a physical or as we know finish the "dreaded" conditioning runs. Players have been PUPed already for that. And who is to say what times he must run? I don't think he has "reported " until that happens.

As such, all he has to do is miss Week Ten, he violates his contract, and the contract is extended for another year,at the same terms. But by then he would owe the Patriots a couple of years worth of earnings @ $14,000 per DAY($98,000 per game-week).

The fines would aggregate to $1,700,000 by then. The few times that palyers may have held out, the fines were no where as stiff.

 

[Digger44]

You can't have it be "oh it's just business" and then turn around when it's not to your advantage and go "But what about loyalty?!". Some fans are just plain ignorant. That and the whole "I don't make a million over the course of my life" argument... that's just plain stupid. If you want an analogy, go to work and find out the guy who does your same job at the same level of performance is making 5 times as much and try and say "hey I still make good enough money". The average NFL career is only what? 5 years or less? You only have a limited time to make your money.

What are you smokin? When is the last time Deion broke 1000 yards? When has he ever scored more then 5 TD's? You suggest paying for production. Fine then, put out Reggie Wayne numbers (2256 yards 17 tds in the last 2 season) as opposed to Branch numbers 1452 yards 9 tds in the last two seasons. He has not earned a Wayne salary. Deion has great talent, but you have no idea if he can post better numbers on another team. He gets paid for what he agreed to. If he doesnt like it, he should not have signed.

 

[RI Pats Fan]

Mwaaaaaaa! Mwaaaaaaaa! Screw him! Why doesn't he play for minimum?! Doesn't he want to be a Patriot?! That's it.. I'm not inviting him to my birthday party

People need to get ahold of themselves.


I've already moved on assuming Branch doesn't play another day as a Patriot. Whether he plays elsewhere or gets fined or whatever doesn't make a bit of a difference to me because the money doesn't go into my pocket (well... as long as he's not a Jet or Dolphin)

Everybody here feels so entitled. It's laughable.

 

[dhamz]

Yes there is. Branch isn't worth being paid among the average of the highest paid WRs. He signed a deal, he needs to honor it. I hope BB tells him to get in camp or don't bother showing up at all this year. Seriously, when did Branch turn into Jerry Rice circa 1987?

Franchising him or not has nothing to do with honoring his contract. They would be franchising him next year when he would have no contract.

You say he isn't worth being paid the average of the top 5 WRs. I believe that # is currently $7.5 million. The Pats offer was an 8 million dollar bonus. Franchising him costs less $ in one year payout than an extension.

 

[Willie55]

People need to get ahold of themselves.


I've already moved on assuming Branch doesn't play another day as a Patriot. Whether he plays elsewhere or gets fined or whatever doesn't make a bit of a difference to me because the money doesn't go into my pocket (well... as long as he's not a Jet or Dolphin)

Everybody here feels so entitled. It's laughable.

He probably would hold out from coming to your birthday party too because he wants more cake.

 

[Pats726]

I think he could be PUPped if he cannot pass a physical or as we know finish the "dreaded" conditioning runs. Players have been PUPed already for that. And who is to say what times he must run? I don't think he has "reported " until that happens.

I don't think a player can be PUPed after the start of the season. Whatever it is, he would get his money minus the fines. I still wonder what other options there are to keep him away if he mouths odd and is disruptive.

 

[dhamz]

I still wonder what other options there are to keep him away if he mouths odd and is disruptive.

I recall reading as a result of the Eagles/TO situation last year the union got a provision in the new CBA that reduces punishment for stuff like this. I believe the max is now 4 games and they can not keep the player away from the facility and the team like the Eagles did last year.

 

[shakadave]

I really thought we had found a special reciever. One who had good talent but with great humility, who has almost a polar opposite attitude from your classic selfish, egotistical WR, al la Owens, Johnson, and Moss. Turns out he's just about as big a d-bag as the rest of them, but with worse numbers.

Even if he plays in the regular season I'm still going to boo him at the Broncos and Jets games. The idea that I had such an emotional attatchment to a guy who clearly doesnt give a f about anybody but himself makes me physically ill.

I'm write there with you, Zip! My sentiments exactly.

 

[shakadave]

The funniest part is his agent wanting the guarantee not to be franchised next year.

Franchising, for Branch, would be like winning the lottery! Being paid the average of the top 5 WR's for him would be ludicrously great. On his best day, he is somewhere between the 12th and 24th best receiver in the league. One year at top 5 average salary with the following year another opportunity to go FA should be this guy's dream. .........or perhaps Chayut is using reverse psychology?

Franchising Branch would be the stupidest thing the New England Patriots have ever done......and that includes all the way back to 1960. My guess is the reason why BB/Pioli have not yet agreed to the promise not to franchise is because they aren't able to stop laughing long enough to gurgle out a "yes" to Chayut.

Shmessy on the nose as usual! Indeed, why is it so bad to get your salary multiplied by 7 or whatever franchising would make it? That issue seems to have been brought up by his agent: Didn't I read there's a rule that agents get a lesser percent when a player is franchised?

 

[ilduce06410]

posturing? franchise player??

Schefter said on tonights Total Access that his latest scoop is that Deion is completely prepared to sit out until week 10. I thought Brady's SI stunt was gonna be the thing that brought the two sides back to the table. But alas here we are, Training Camp done and Deion has yet to show. I'm really getting frustrated now. If he sits out until week 10 I say we slap the franchise tag on him. He's under contract, the Patriots showed they were willing to negotiate in good faith and Deion walked away. The thought of getting him for less than half the games this season then watching him sign somewhere else for some insane amount is making me sick. Seems like the only ones who Deion is sticking it to now is us the fans. I hope this is nothing but more posturing. Hopefully it's another chance for them to go back to negotiating.

the fans have been looking at stuff like this, in each sport, since the advent of free agency.
however as i recall the franchise designation would result in the twig making more than he's even asked for.
can't the patriots do some thing with his retired/active status? i seem to recall this having been donr with some nfl lsuer a few years back.