There must be an agreement in place

[sarge]

I don't think this was done as something that was not talked over with Branch (via his agent). I think the sides sat down and went over it.

I know some here fear that Branch will get a huge offer but the team will not be willing to give the Pats much. I feared that as well but then thought about. They must have agreed on the following.

Minimum draft pick. Be it what it may, but the pats must have told him if they aren't willing to give us what ever that pick happens to be, don't even bother. And I suspect Branch and his agent agreed.

Offlimit teams. I would think generally the AFC would be off limits, especially the afc east and all the contenders in the afc. Maybe they let him go to the Titans or something.

Player trade. This one I don't know how they could word. Maybe that one is a we'll look at the offer.

Timeline. I think both sides agreed that either this happens or Branch gets to camp, Pats waive the fines.

Finally, and here is the one that I am really hoping for. I hope they have agreed that the Pats have the right to match any offer from another team that Branch would agree is fair compensation, and that he will sign with the Pats and can not use the match to make to team raise it's offer.

In the end I hope this is resolved with Branch in a Pats uniform.

I do think it is a smart move buy the team. And I have been particularly p!ssed at Branch mainly because he lied when he told the press he would finish his contract with or without an extension.

That said it really felt like a punch in the gut when I saw the headlines. And I would really hate to see the man in another teams uniform.

 

[BelichickFan]

That's basically what I suggested a few days ago in another thread I started except my suggestion was a promise to trade him while franchised in March if he could get the Patriots an agreed upon value.

 

[BelichickFan]

My suggestion started this thread :

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=39567

 

[Two Eight]

hmmm, the 'Skins are in town this week

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Wild speculation.

Maybe the Pats just sprung this on Branch and his agent, and see what happens...

no one really knows, we only know what we HOPE went on..

 

[PATSNUTme]

Does anyone really think that there is NOT an agreement in place?

And, part of the agreement has to be that if no acceptable trade is worked out, Branch reports and plays out his contract.

If there is not those provisions in place, I'll be totally shocked.

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Does anyone really think that there is NOT an agreement in place?

And, part of the agreement has to be that if no acceptable trade is worked out, Branch reports and plays out his contract.

If there is not those provisions in place, I'll be totally shocked.

Have you not been shocked before by the Pats?

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

Does anyone really think that there is NOT an agreement in place?

And, part of the agreement has to be that if no acceptable trade is worked out, Branch reports and plays out his contract.

If there is not those provisions in place, I'll be totally shocked.

I think the Pats may have said to his agent, "Here is our offer. You will find that no other team in the league will top it. If you can, then facilitate a trade and we move in our seperate ways. If you can't, show up, sign this deal, because it is the best you'll get, and be happy with it."

 

[dhamz]

Have you not been shocked before by the Pats?

Not in the way this would be shocking.

This would be shocking in a "did you think they would ever make such a horrible business decision" way.

If there is no agreement for him to come in on 9/2 if he is still a Pat it is a huge concession by the Pats that would encourage more players to hold out in the future.

It simply makes no sense for the Pats to give this to Branch for nothing in return.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Not in the way this would be shocking.

This would be shocking in a "did you think they would ever make such a horrible business decision" way.

If there is no agreement for him to come in on 9/2 if he is still a Pat it is a huge concession by the Pats that would encourage more players to hold out in the future.

It simply makes no sense for the Pats to give this to Branch for nothing in return.

Exactly. Evidently those who think this was just something thrown out to Branch's agent, have no business experience. It just isn't done that way.

 

[flutie2phelan]

I don't think this was done as something that was not talked over with Branch (via his agent). I think the sides sat down and went over it.

....

The simplest approach would be to scale the Pats compensation
to the amount or percentage by which the winning bid exceeds the Patriots' offer.
After all, this is the other team putting money where its mouth is ... about how great a WR Deion is.
Relate that to the draft value chart.

Abstractly valuing a player does pose a challenge.

ps - yes, BF, when i saw this news, i thought of your thread.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Decision Tree Analysis

Decision Tree Analysis:
We KNOW that BB has an academic bent. At the beginning of this scenario I'm certain that BB & co. constructed what's referred to as a decision tree, whch lists all possible outcomes and all the possible options of the Pats and Deion at that time. They MAY not have expected (probabilisticly) to arrive at this particular point back in May but they certainly anticipated the possibility and postulated their set of responses.

What they had was what's called a 'glare' situation in telecom engineering. Both ends had responded in a way that froze future actions. The Pats just intervened to break this glare by changing the rules and opening a trade in the existing market. They may or may not have discussed this with Branch's agent beforehand. Depends upon info I don't have. But EITHER WAY, they opened up a whole set of new scenarios, the results of which you can bet that the Pats have already mapped out and prepared their responses.

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Not in the way this would be shocking.

This would be shocking in a "did you think they would ever make such a horrible business decision" way.

If there is no agreement for him to come in on 9/2 if he is still a Pat it is a huge concession by the Pats that would encourage more players to hold out in the future.

It simply makes no sense for the Pats to give this to Branch for nothing in return.

I look at it as perhaps the only way that the pats can get something in return. After being burnt by AV not even calling them back, and signing with Indy, maybe they see the writing on the wall.

They realize that Branch will hold out till the end, play the last games he needs to get his year credit, and not even entertain offers from the pats in free agency, no matter how good. Then he's gone.

I don't know if there is a gentlemans agreement or not. I just disagree with your assertion that there "must" be cause it doesn't make business sense.

 

[dhamz]

I look at it as perhaps the only way that the pats can get something in return. After being burnt by AV not even calling them back, and signing with Indy, maybe they see the writing on the wall.

They realize that Branch will hold out till the end, play the last games he needs to get his year credit, and not even entertain offers from the pats in free agency, no matter how good. Then he's gone.

I don't know if there is a gentlemans agreement or not. I just disagree with your assertion that there "must" be cause it doesn't make business sense.

Here is where I disagree with your argument - they can simply trade him. Make the best deal they can and then move on. That would also get them something for him. They could also franchise him next year and trade him.

They didn't do that. They gave him the keys to drive the trade. If you want to get something now for him, it is on his terms. That is an enormous concession. If you put him on the market, you have will probably have interest at some level from the majority of teams and you take the best. Doing it this way, you'll get 1 - the one the player wants.