Reiss thinks Pats would be interested in Deion Branch if released

[BradyManny]

I'm sure they'll bring in many options and look at a lot of guys. I wouldn't be opposed to bringing Branch back for the -right- price. Not for a 4th round draft pick though.

I'd much rather see him get cut and sign him as well, most definitely.

 

[vyrago]

We haven't won a Super Bowl since Branch left I don't think that's a coincidence - the guy is clutch.

Or since Pass left. Is that a coincidence? In fact, how long is that list?

 

[Deus Irae]

Or since Pass left. Is that a coincidence? In fact, how long is that list?

Branch was a Super Bowl MVP. Pass? Not so much...

 

[emoney_33]

Branch was a Super Bowl MVP. Pass? Not so much...

We've only made it to the SB once since he left

 

[bigfandan]

He refused to play out his rookie contract and forced the trade to seattle. Apologize to TB and BB and fans first before we take him back. Because (I believe) he single handed broke the championship team apart.

Aside from the injury concern, I just don't like the guy. I have no respect for the players that pull the crap he pulled. There's plenty of ex-Pats that i would welcome back, and he's not one of them :bricks:

If the team can just stay healthy at WR, i think they'll be ok with just adding someone from the draft. Im not an Aiken, or Stanback fan, so adding a cheap FA WR would be fine too. Maybe BB will find another Gaffney.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

While Branch has had some injury concerns in recent years (knee), I feel strongly that the Patriots still think highly of him.

New England Patriots mailbag: On Vince Wilfork, free-agent possibilities and more - ESPN Boston

I'm not so sure about that.
The ensuing drama could be fun tho

 

[captain stone]

I'd much rather see him get cut and sign him as well, most definitely.

As would I. Branch isn't worth any of our precious draft picks. We could've signed Dante Stallworth without compensation for < $1M, yet Bill thought it more important to offer a 2nd-round tender to Pierre "I let a RB weighing 40 lbs less take a fumble from under my belly in the Super Bowl" Woods.

Bill needs to wake the f**k up, and that right soon.

 

[emoney_33]

As would I. Branch isn't worth any of our precious draft picks. We could've signed Dante Stallworth without compensation for < $1M, yet Bill thought it more important to offer a 2nd-round tender to Pierre "I let a RB weighing 40 lbs less take a fumble from under my belly in the Super Bowl" Woods.

Bill needs to wake the f**k up, and that right soon.

Do you think BB operates with a very narrow one track mind and is focus 100% effort on the current task at hand and ignores everything else? Woods' tender has absolutely ZERO to do with whether BB would bring in Stallworth or not. This kind of stuff is ridiculous.

 

[captain stone]

But why the rush to tender a useless weakling like Woods, when his attention should've been drawn to Stallworth, who could've been of actual use to us?

Bill's priorities just seem completely AFU right now.

 

[emoney_33]

But why the rush to tender a useless weakling like Woods, when his attention should've been drawn to Stallworth, who could've been of actual use to us?

Bill's priorities just seem completely AFU right now.

do you think BB is locked behind closed doors ignoring the world while trying to desperately tender Woods? Get a handle on yourself. Woods had nothing to do with the rest of the operations. There probably just wasn't interest by one or both parties (patriots/stallworth).

Stallworth is not a big deal, there are lots more opportunities to be had in the long offseason.

 

[RobertWeathers]

But why the rush to tender a useless weakling like Woods, when his attention should've been drawn to Stallworth, who could've been of actual use to us?

Bill's priorities just seem completely AFU right now.

This is SOP for the Pats. They lock-up the middle/back-end of the roster every Feb OR see what they can get for them. Then once FA comes around they see what they can do. Then they go after the mid-level guys again before the draft. On and on is goes.....

I think BB likes Woods but if there is a team out there that likes him more and is willing to give up draft picks for them, I don't think he'd mind that trade-off.

 

[Synovia]

But why the rush to tender a useless weakling like Woods, when his attention should've been drawn to Stallworth, who could've been of actual use to us?

Bill's priorities just seem completely AFU right now.

Stallworth, of use?

We CUT him 2 years ago. Since, he has gone to jail, gotten hurt a couple times, and been cut by another team. Like Deion Branch, hes just not a good NFL player anymore.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Do any of the Branch fans here remember what role he was used in when he was here? Randy Moss does that now. David Givens was doing the role you are talking about bringing Branch back for. Maybe NE uses Branch out of the slot and puts Edelman outside if they bring him back, but all you folks telling us Welker will never be the same may want to weigh in on Deion Branch's statements about his knee and decide if you really want him working out of the slot? Working outside lead blocking for Moss or Edelman on bubble screens?

If NE's going to trade for a WR, pick out a nice RFA type and see if you can justify why a team might give him up for a second round pick.

 

[captain stone]

Stallworth is not a big deal, there are lots more opportunities to be had in the long offseason.

Such as...?

Branch? Yeah, but for the vet minimum+, and not for any draft picks.

Kevin Walter? My first choice, but there'll be a few suitors for him, so getting him won't be easy, if he even decides to leave an up-and-comer in Houston.

Nobody else looks close to a #2, which we desperately need.

 

[captain stone]

I think BB likes Woods but if there is a team out there that likes him more and is willing to give up draft picks for them, I don't think he'd mind that trade-off.

I wouldn't mind it either, but who in his right mind would give anything at all for Woods?

 

[captain stone]

Stallworth, of use?

We CUT him 2 years ago. Since, he has gone to jail, gotten hurt a couple times, and been cut by another team. Like Deion Branch, hes just not a good NFL player anymore.

He was cut mostly because of the exorbitant raise he would've received in the 2nd year of the contract he signed, before Moss was acquired.

He may not be a great NFL player, but he knows our system, and Ozzie Newsome thinks he can poss. be a good NFL player for his own team, whose WR situation is less dire than ours.

 

[captain stone]

Do any of the Branch fans here remember what role he was used in when he was here? Randy Moss does that now. David Givens was doing the role you are talking about bringing Branch back for. Maybe NE uses Branch out of the slot and puts Edelman outside if they bring him back, but all you folks telling us Welker will never be the same may want to weigh in on Deion Branch's statements about his knee and decide if you really want him working out of the slot? Working outside lead blocking for Moss or Edelman on bubble screens?

If NE's going to trade for a WR, pick out a nice RFA type and see if you can justify why a team might give him up for a second round pick.

I agree, Mr. Box: we need a big, #2-caliber WR, not a 3rd-string Slot guy.

 

[DaBruinz]

Such as...?

Branch? Yeah, but for the vet minimum+, and not for any draft picks.

Kevin Walter? My first choice, but there'll be a few suitors for him, so getting him won't be easy, if he even decides to leave an up-and-comer in Houston.

Nobody else looks close to a #2, which we desperately need.

Wrong. The Pats don't need a #2 as you are talking about. They need a receiver who can play opposite Moss (either the X or Z). The Pats have shown they are perfectly comfortable using the Y (TE or Slot) Receiver as the #2. They did it with Welker and with Edelman.

There are plenty of options out there. It's just a matter of whether the Pats can bring one of those options to fruition.

Stallworth has put up a total of 17 receptions and 170 yards since the Pats cut him after he lost his starting job to Jabar Gaffney.

 

[DaBruinz]

He was cut mostly because of the exorbitant raise he would've received in the 2nd year of the contract he signed, before Moss was acquired.

He may not be a great NFL player, but he knows our system, and Ozzie Newsome thinks he can poss. be a good NFL player for his own team, whose WR situation is less dire than ours.

He was CUT because he lost his starting job AND because of the raise he'd have received. You also seem to forget that the Pats did not try to bring him back the way they did Kelley Washington.

 

[BradyManny]

Or since Pass left. Is that a coincidence? In fact, how long is that list?

Deion Branch caught 10+ passes in each of his two Super Bowl victories. Let's not belittle the contributions Branch made here.