Patriots sign DL Alan Branch, and release LB Deontae Skinner

[50-yard-line]

Against the broncos, bb is going to play in a sub defense all the time. No need for branch this week.

If Hillman gets 5 yards on first down, you'll never get Peyton off the field.

As for learning the defense, I suspect that's harder for, say, a linebacker, than for a run-stuffing DT, whose job is to basically eat the guy across from him.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I hope that Skinner clears waivers and we add him to the PS

 

[Oswlek]

If Hillman gets 5 yards on first down, you'll never get Peyton off the field.

That's just the risk they'll have to take. I suspect Bill doesn't think Peyton is patient enough to grind down the field all game. And even if he is, that's certainly the lesser of two evils. All it takes is one stuff/penalty/etc. and the drive bogs down.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

If Deus actually was that avatar then I would be happy to agree with her on just about anything.

Well, sorry to break your heart but I guarantee that Deus is not that avatar.

I do agree with the concept of agreeing with whatever that kind of an avatar has to say.

PS: I also agree with your earlier point: Deus is very insightful and knowledgable.

I enjoy reading most of his (and Andy's) posts even though some of them come across as bursque and some make me scratch my head.

Glad that I visit the site only for info on my team and to read the other fans' insights (instead of trying to justify mine). I depend on this site more than what I read and hear on the media.

Thanks Ian!

 

[JMC00]

One day and he's already injured. What an utter disaster of a signing/

 

[dales804]

One day and he's already injured. What an utter disaster of a signing/

Maybe he's drunk/hungover and overslept and was told to stay home?

 

[Urgent]

Reiss suggests "not football related."
Really? On the second day?
Is today the only day that Chad Ocho Cinco's eye doctor was available?
What an odd week for Alan Branch!

 

[varjao]

This may be the first time we see a reference to a liver injury in the injury report.

 

[mgteich]

I have not understood the timing of the Branch signing. I thought that we could have kept Skinner for another week. After all, there could have been a minor injury late in the week, and Skinner would need to be active.

I don't see Branch as ready to play. I was fine with the signing. I just thought that the signing could have waited until after the DEN game.

 

[Oswlek]

I have not understood the timing of the Branch signing. I thought that we could have kept Skinner for another week. After all, there could have been a minor injury late in the week, and Skinner would need to be active.

I don't see Branch as ready to play. I was fine with the signing. I just thought that the signing could have waited until after the DEN game.

Skinner could always be re-signed (or promoted, assuming he returns to the PS today). He isn't much of a pass defender, so he probably wasn't in the plans anyway, especially with the arrival of Ayers and Castillas.

I never expected Branch to play this week, but you could make the case that him and Wilfork in the middle would allow NE to get more liberal with speed and DBs. Even so, if the only expense is a PS who had been surpassed by two newcomers, why wait on Branch? I'd rather give him the extra week of practice and hope he can get up to speed sooner.

 

[Marinlik]

Can't really keep Branch around and practising forever without signing him.

@mgteich This was in reply to your post. Should have quoted you instead.

 

[mgteich]

Skinner could always be re-signed (or promoted, assuming he returns to the PS today). He isn't much of a pass defender, so he probably wasn't in the plans anyway, especially with the arrival of Ayers and Castillas.

I never expected Branch to play this week, but you could make the case that him and Wilfork in the middle would allow NE to get more liberal with speed and DBs. Even so, if the only expense is a PS who had been surpassed by two newcomers, why wait on Branch? I'd rather give him the extra week of practice and hope he can get up to speed sooner.

If Skinner wasn't going to be active against DEN, then there is no issue at all. Obviously, it was better to give Branch an extra week of practice instead of having Skinner on the 53. After all, Skinner only missed day or two of practice, presuming he is back on the Practice Squad.

 

[OhExaulted1]

One day and he's already injured. What an utter disaster of a signing/

Is the chicken pic supposed to represent "the sky is falling"? Otherwise I don't get the analogy since he was not on the injury report. If you have info, please, do tell.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Can't really keep Branch around and practising forever without signing him.

He's officially signed according to press releases.

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...fficially_sign_alan_branch_release_deont.html

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Is the chicken pic supposed to represent "the sky is falling"? Otherwise I don't get the analogy since he was not on the injury report. If you have info, please, do tell.

He is on the injury report as DNP with a non football related injury.

 

[Danger Zone]

Well, sorry to break your heart but I guarantee that Deus is not that avatar.

I do agree with the concept of agreeing with whatever that kind of an avatar has to say.

PS: I also agree with your earlier point: Deus is very insightful and knowledgable.

I enjoy reading most of his (and Andy's) posts even though some of them come across as bursque and some make me scratch my head.

Glad that I visit the site only for info on my team and to read the other fans' insights (instead of trying to justify mine). I depend on this site more than what I read and hear on the media.

Thanks Ian!

I had a pet theory (95% joking) that SB39 was a college class experiment collecting data on exactly that.. the different kind of responses that different kinds of Avatars will foster from other posters while saying much the same thing.

Otherwise, I don't see why anyone would choose to use a that particular petulant, smirking photo of King Joffrey... unless it was your intention to be a troll.

No surprise to any of you who might have had my name stick in your head, but I really dont like Deus the bully.

But Deus the football pundit is pretty awesome... even if I do feel he often confuses the act of being critical with his goal of perfect objectivity. All that is usually worth not having him on Ignore... well that and the threads without me seeing his posts or the posts where people have quoted him read like the kind of overly redacted documents the CIA might hand over to a junior Congressman they felt was getting too big for his britches.

 

[50-yard-line]

Reiss suggests "not football related."
Really? On the second day?
Is today the only day that Chad Ocho Cinco's eye doctor was available?
What an odd week for Alan Branch!

He's most likely settling the DUI issue. I'm pretty sure the Pats waited until this week because they wouldn't use him LAST week, and that they knew he had some things to clean up this week, but put him on anyway.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him on the field Sunday at all.

 

[Marinlik]

He's officially signed according to press releases.

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...fficially_sign_alan_branch_release_deont.html

I know. But there where a person, that I should maybe have quoted instead, that said he didn't understand the timing of the Branch signing and that we should have waited another week. To which I say that the NFLPA and NFL probably wouldn't like that as we had him in the facilities.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Could be going for the Albert Haynesworth Award for the shortest tenure of a free agent Defensive Tackle ...

 

[OhExaulted1]

He is on the injury report as DNP with a non football related injury.

Hadn't seen that reported. Link? Just curious.