Pats give Branch permission to seek Trade

[Isaac]

Why get only a #2 when you could get a #1 if you franchise him?

It's two #1's for franchised players, not one, and it is very rare for teams to give that up.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Assuming Branch is out for a draft pick or a non-WR player, what's the consensus on the offensive roster?

WR (this is so rough)

Caldwell
Brown
Childress
Jackson
Kight

Yikes. That really, really sucks (especially if Jackson is not ready to go).

Now think..

Graham
Watson
Thomas
Faulk
Maroney
Dillon

 

[mgteich]

Why does anyone expect resolution?

Do you expect that there won't be any teams that offer Branch big money?

Let's say that patriots do want to see any deal that doesn't give them a first.

Ok, Branch goes around the league, and find 5 or more teams that say: We'll give you $7M a year or more, but we won't give those patriot SOB's a first.

RESULT: Branch simply sits out and waits for free agency, or a year of franchise and sit out and then free agency.

The hope is that no one will tell Branch that he's worth more than the pats are offering? That's nonsense. Of course teams will tell him that; they don't have to pay anything unless the pats take the deal.

CONSIDER: Dallas or Minny or even Seattle offer $8M a year 6 year contract extension and a 4th to the pats, including a $14 SB. The cap hit would be $3.5M in 2006 for the new team. The pats would just refuse.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Bill Parcells once said that receivers were "a dime a dozen". Wonder if BB feels the same way and just wants Branch gone at this point.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Couple of things:
If I were the Raiders, I would try to trade Porter for Branch straight-up (they have their issues with him). I doubt BB would do that though ... doesn't Porter have attitude problems with the new coach for being a disciplinarian???

P.S.......They should trade him to Oakland for Jerry Porter.

Porter couldn't hold Deon's Jock.

If they traded Branch for Porter straight up, I would puke... eat it... and puke again.

Given the fact that the relative value of Patten and Givens is in question at this point and the fact that Brady appear as if he could be successful throwing the ball to John Stone, Bam Childress, and Janet Reno...

I just don't see anyone ponying up 9mil/year with a 12M signing bonus and enough trade compensation to the Pats in order to make them pull the trigger on a deal.

He will find out his value is not what he thought. He will either resign with us, come back and play under his original contract, or he will ride the pine for the whole year racking up enormous fines and bad publicity.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

I don't buy into the argument that this tactic will prove to Branch what his value on the open market is. It's not truly an open market right now. At this stage of the offseason teams are already in the final stages of finalizing their opening day rosters after spending all of pre-season getting everybody in synch with each other. I would imagine many teams simply won't have any interest in Branch because it's too close to the start of the season. What's more, many teams don't have the $ at this stage to give the mega deal that Branch obviously wants. They've already spent it getting the players that they need to start the season with.

If the Pats wanted Branch and his agent to find out his true worth on the open market why didn't they do so 3 months ago?

Well, you can kind of look at it like this: the discount Branch would have to give to a team that is giving up a good pick for him and trying to get him under the cap now is standing in for the discount he should have to give the Patriots to get the security of having his contract extended before he's a FA.

He'll get plenty of suitors, too -- for any team seriously interested, there are ways of getting him under a long-term contract without that bad an immediate hit to their cap.

The one worry is that if he gets a number of suitors who are willing to pay him what he wants, but not give the Pats good value. As this could give Branch an inflated idea of what the Pats should be counter-offering, I would imagine that the parameters of an acceptable trade are worked out, and that there is some agreement that Branch will report if he can't find an appropriate trade.

 

[maverick4]

The Branch Trade is like the Manny Waiver

Remember when Manny Ramirez was placed on waivers by the Sox a few years ago, nobody wanted him, and then he went on to have a monster season and be really happy?

This is the exact same situation. Deion Branch isn't going anywhere. He's going to come back to us, humbled, and will proceed to have a ridiculous season while having a huge smile every single week.

And we will love him again.

.

 

[F0nSY]

Assuming Branch is out for a draft pick or a non-WR player, what's the consensus on the offensive roster?

WR (this is so rough)

Caldwell
Brown
Childress
Jackson
Kight

Yikes. That really, really sucks (especially if Jackson is not ready to go).

I believe that it is demonstrated, Branch is necessary in this team. Although we cannot retain it, if it is wanted to go must go away.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Why does anyone expect resolution?

Do you expect that there won't be any teams that offer Branch big money?

Let's say that patriots do want to see any deal that doesn't give them a first.

Ok, Branch goes around the league, and find 5 or more teams that say: We'll give you $7M a year or more, but we won't give those patriot SOB's a first.

RESULT: Branch simply sits out and waits for free agency, or a year of franchise and sit out and then free agency.

The hope is that no one will tell Branch that he's worth more than the pats are offering? That's nonsense. Of course teams will tell him that; they don't have to pay anything unless the pats take the deal.

CONSIDER: Dallas or Minny or even Seattle offer $8M a year 6 year contract extension and a 4th to the pats, including a $14 SB. The cap hit would be $3.5M in 2006 for the new team. The pats would just refuse.

If Branch sits out, he doesn't get service time for 2007 and does not become a FA until the following year. He really has no leveredge here at all.

 

[mgcolby]

Eagles could be interested, too.

I don't think they would give a #1 and I think they may still be a little hesitent to bring in another disgrunteled WR.

 

[TNPatsFan]

Here's an idea.

The Pats should offer Deion Branch to the Colts straight up in a trade for Reggie Wayne.

Then let Chayut watch as the Colts laugh in his face.

That ought to help him set Deion's market value.

:singing:

 

[ATippett56]

Why does anyone expect resolution?
CONSIDER: Dallas or Minny or even Seattle offer $8M a year 6 year contract extension and a 4th to the pats, including a $14 SB. The cap hit would be $3.5M in 2006 for the new team. The pats would just refuse.

Only, I truly believe one of those organizations would offer at least a second round draft pick, most likely the Minnesota Vikings.

 

[jct]

The Pats are dealing from a position of strength.
No matter what happens before the start of the season we will be stronger.
This shows to our confidence in our current offense now.
Frankly IMO either we get great compensation or probably he returns to camp.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

I don't buy into the argument that this tactic will prove to Branch what his value on the open market is. It's not truly an open market right now. At this stage of the offseason teams are already in the final stages of finalizing their opening day rosters after spending all of pre-season getting everybody in synch with each other. I would imagine many teams simply won't have any interest in Branch because it's too close to the start of the season. What's more, many teams don't have the $ at this stage to give the mega deal that Branch obviously wants. They've already spent it getting the players that they need to start the season with.

If the Pats wanted Branch and his agent to find out his true worth on the open market why didn't they do so 3 months ago?

It will never be a "truly open market" because the team owns his rights for this year, and can franchise him next year, thereby securing his rights again. We could, theoretically, even franchise him one more time after that. (Not that it would drag out that long though.)

Furthermore, there's a lot of $$$ out there because of the CBA agreement. The problem is not dollars, its compensation for the Pats. Which will always be a problem for the agent because the Patriots will not forfeit their rights to the said player.

 

[mgcolby]

The Packers might be another team looking for a proven receiver. Just tossing them out there. They have Driver but that is about all I can think of from their roster.

 

[teamplay]

great thread!

If the parties have been talking and can't come close on Deion's value, then this announcement MAY reflect a negotiated process to let the market establish value and break the logjam.

However, it could be the parties have just been stonewalling...neither budging...in which case, this MIGHT BE a calculated risk by the Pats to get Deion out of his bunker, and give him a way to save face and re-sign, or secure equivalent value to the Pats in exchange for a trade.

Deion sitting out part of the regular season is like lettuce on the truck...if you can't agree on a price, no one wins. Better to trade him for what you can get.

That tells me he leaves if a) some team approaches the value range he wants, and b) is willing to part with a fairly modest draft pick -- maybe a 2 or 3. Getting a 1 under these conditions is highly unlikely, IMHO.

 

[NE39]

If Branch wants to stay, this will jump-start negotiations without making it look like he caved.

I think will lead to a contract. I'm psyched.

 

[patchick]

You don't give something without getting something in return. Not if you are a good business man and the Pats are great business men.

So the Pats gave Branch this, what did he give them in return?

The only thing that makes sense is he agreed that is he can't make a deal by 9/1 then he agreed he ends his holdout and comes in.

That seems sensible. I don't think this is just a ploy to take Branch down a few pegs. If they really do come up with an attractive trade, fine. Either way, you've broken the logjam and gained some clarity for your roster.

 

[capetide]

In law school, they tell you never ask your witness a question unless you know what his answer is gonna be.......I'd be shocked if the Pats didn't send out feelers before making this move so that they know what kind of offers Branch and his agent would be able to come up with.

 

[Sporin]

This is the most brilliant move I have ever seen. This better then brilliant, it is inspired.

How do you teach a player what his real value is, let him try the waters. Since it is dependent upon finding a trade that would work with a the Patriots, they can always decline and keep him on the roster.

He wants to be paid market value, see what the market is willing to give him.

I also like the September first clause. So he does not really have time to brow beat anyone. It is a week on the auction block and see who bids.

Yup., smart move. Make Branch "prove" he can get a lot more then what the Pats already offered him.