Schefter: Branch to New England for 4th round pick

[bigcountry75]

I have been reserved on the trades but after watching Moss last night, I am glad that if he wanted to leave we got rid of him....He looks real stiff and only runs fade routes and wasn't getting his normal separation from the CB as he used to.....I think that branch will give us more than just a deep ball along with the shiftiness of welker, edelman and tate....I also don't know why everyone is so worried about giving up a 4th round pick, it's not like we gave up a 1st or 2nd.....we still have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds which is ridiculous and we will probably make 3-4 of those picks and gain picks in 2012....So giving up 1 of our 2 4th round picks for a guy that brady is familiar with and knows the offense, it really can't be anything but good for the Pats.....

 

[emoney_33]

Exactly, it's an intangible one... This team won three rings based on a lot of players whose intangible skills clearly outstripped their measurable or tangible skills. That's why championship teambuilding is as much art as science. Otherwise guys like Snyder and Jones and Paul Allen and AJ Smith and Woody Johnson and Zigi Wulf would have a collection of rings.

It's not a SKILL at all. If the defense doesn't play well in 2003 there is no chance for Branch to play well in the superbowl. if it were a SKILL, Branch wouldn't have played poorly in 2 playoff games and then played well in the superbowl.

it's NOT a skill, tangible or intangible. Just like "winning" is not an individual skill.

 

[ctpatsfan1]

I have been reserved on the trades but after watching Moss last night, I am glad that if he wanted to leave we got rid of him....He looks real stiff and only runs fade routes and wasn't getting his normal separation from the CB as he used to.....I think that branch will give us more than just a deep ball along with the shiftiness of welker, edelman and tate....I also don't know why everyone is so worried about giving up a 4th round pick, it's not like we gave up a 1st or 2nd.....we still have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds which is ridiculous and we will probably make 3-4 of those picks and gain picks in 2012....So giving up 1 of our 2 4th round picks for a guy that brady is familiar with and knows the offense, it really can't be anything but good for the Pats.....

I think Branch just took the focus of the D off of Welker and Tate(who is now the deep threat) more than if he wasn't traded for.

 

[upstater1]

I have been reserved on the trades but after watching Moss last night, I am glad that if he wanted to leave we got rid of him....He looks real stiff and only runs fade routes and wasn't getting his normal separation from the CB as he used to.....I think that branch will give us more than just a deep ball along with the shiftiness of welker, edelman and tate....I also don't know why everyone is so worried about giving up a 4th round pick, it's not like we gave up a 1st or 2nd.....we still have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds which is ridiculous and we will probably make 3-4 of those picks and gain picks in 2012....So giving up 1 of our 2 4th round picks for a guy that brady is familiar with and knows the offense, it really can't be anything but good for the Pats.....

You know something, I'm sick of watching the Jets DBs molesting WRs all the way down the field.

I wish the Jets were forced to play the Colts early so that Polian could give the refs an earful!!!!!

 

[NE39]

Anyone hear who they cut? I would guess Ojinnaka since they already cut him once and was brought back after Moss was released, but I haven't heard who is gone to make room.

 

[D-Money]

In this league your DBs need to play man on man coverage.Right now the jets have a nice duo.We need to do more of that and not play safe zone coverage!

 

[Off The Grid]

"Branch replacing MOSS???"

Shouldn't it be "Moss replacing BRANCH??"

* Branch: 3 Rings.

* Moss: ZERO.

* It is NOT a coincidence, as I have said, many times.

***

That does NOT mean that tossing away a 4th for Branch is a SMART move.

My GOD.

The Top 10-30% around here are exceptional...

But when the Ugly 80 rear their ugly heads...

***

As mistakes go, dropping a 4th on Branch is small...

The important thing is: We've got Branch.

Once, AGAIN:

 

[MoLewisrocks]

It's not a SKILL at all. If the defense doesn't play well in 2003 there is no chance for Branch to play well in the superbowl. if it were a SKILL, Branch wouldn't have played poorly in 2 playoff games and then played well in the superbowl.

It is a skill, just not one easily quantified. If the defense doesn't play well in 2003 there is no chance for any of them to play well in the superbowl regardless of tangibles or intangibles. Lots of players with off the charts tangible skills play poorly in playoff games...

 

[bigcountry75]

You know something, I'm sick of watching the Jets DBs molesting WRs all the way down the field.

I wish the Jets were forced to play the Colts early so that Polian could give the refs an earful!!!!!

This is totally true....On the first deep ball to Moss on the left side, Cromartie had a hand full of Moss's jersey the whole time until the ball got there and he went up and batted it away.....that was ridiculous....

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

This is totally true....On the first deep ball to Moss on the left side, Cromartie had a hand full of Moss's jersey the whole time until the ball got there and he went up and batted it away.....that was ridiculous....

Gotta say I was surprised at the number of non-calls the Jets escaped on PI. Reminded me of the Giants in the 60s when they'd commit infractions with no calls.

 

[emoney_33]

It is a skill, just not one easily quantified. If the defense doesn't play well in 2003 there is no chance for any of them to play well in the superbowl regardless of tangibles or intangibles. Lots of players with off the charts tangible skills play poorly in playoff games...

I know you love to paint rosy pictures of the championship years but it's simply a false statement to say that Branch possesses a skill that makes him produce high in the playoffs.

Being "clutch" is not a reproducible skill. A single player "winning" is not a reproducible skill. For example, Tom Brady's stats in the playoffs are just about identical to his regular season stats.

 

[Its_The_Patriots]

Anyone hear who they cut? I would guess Ojinnaka since they already cut him once and was brought back after Moss was released, but I haven't heard who is gone to make room.

I would think since the Browns picked up Brett Ratcliff yesterday, there would be an open spot on the roster for Branch, and no need for any of the players to be cut? Correct me if I'm wrong guys.

 

[Kontradiction]

People are saying that Branch has been effective this year.. Umm.. I didn't realize that an 8.6 YPC was being effective... Especially when your career avg is 12.6..

When he's actually gotten the ball thrown to him on anything more than a slant, he's displayed some pretty impressive quickness that I haven't seen out of him since 2004. Take that for what it's worth. I know you won't, though, since you already have a predisposed dislike for the guy over taking his departure far too personally, but it is what it is.

 

[102 Pat]

I would think since the Browns picked up Brett Ratcliff yesterday, there would be an open spot on the roster for Branch? Correct me if I'm wrong guys.

I think Ratcliff was on the practice squad.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I would think since the Browns picked up Brett Ratcliff yesterday, there would be an open spot on the roster for Branch? Correct me if I'm wrong guys.

Your wrong. Consider yourself corrected.

Browns signed Ratcliff off of our PS. We need to cut some one from the active 53 to make room for Branch.

Granted there is space to sign said cut player to the PS, w/o cutting a PS player b/c of Brett. But it still means cutting a player from the 53.

 

[WhiteWesWelker88]

soooooo....... who is going through waivers?

 

[upstater1]

I know you love to paint rosy pictures of the championship years but it's simply a false statement to say that Branch possesses a skill that makes him produce high in the playoffs.

Being "clutch" is not a reproducible skill. A single player "winning" is not a reproducible skill. For example, Tom Brady's stats in the playoffs are just about identical to his regular season stats.

This is an impossible argument.

Seems to me that when you're on a 20 game winning streak during the regular season, you don't rely on your top gun at WR as much. You're ahead of the other team, you spread the ball around, and then when the playoffs come, you go to your bread & butter. Maybe the Steelers thought all the Patriot WRs were interchangeable in 2004. Apparently not. Branch burned them.

 

[Kontradiction]

I have been reserved on the trades but after watching Moss last night, I am glad that if he wanted to leave we got rid of him....He looks real stiff and only runs fade routes and wasn't getting his normal separation from the CB as he used to.....I think that branch will give us more than just a deep ball along with the shiftiness of welker, edelman and tate....I also don't know why everyone is so worried about giving up a 4th round pick, it's not like we gave up a 1st or 2nd.....we still have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds which is ridiculous and we will probably make 3-4 of those picks and gain picks in 2012....So giving up 1 of our 2 4th round picks for a guy that brady is familiar with and knows the offense, it really can't be anything but good for the Pats.....

Yes, he was never able to get any real separation except for the TD route in which Moss finally boxed him out at the end. However, that doesn't mean that letting Moss go was a good trade, either.

"Branch replacing MOSS???"

Shouldn't it be "Moss replacing BRANCH??"

* Branch: 3 Rings.

* Moss: ZERO.

* It is NOT a coincidence, as I have said, many times.

***

That does NOT mean that tossing away a 4th for Branch is a SMART move.

My GOD.

The Top 10-30% around here are exceptional...

But when the Ugly 80 rear their ugly heads...

***

As mistakes go, dropping a 4th on Branch is small...

The important thing is: We've got Branch.

Once, AGAIN:

Branch won two Super Bowls, not three.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

"Branch replacing MOSS???"

Shouldn't it be "Moss replacing BRANCH??"

* Branch: 3 Rings.

* Moss: ZERO.

* It is NOT a coincidence, as I have said, many times.

***

That does NOT mean that tossing away a 4th for Branch is a SMART move.

My GOD.

The Top 10-30% around here are exceptional...

But when the Ugly 80 rear their ugly heads...

***

As mistakes go, dropping a 4th on Branch is small...

The important thing is: We've got Branch.

Once, AGAIN:

As far as your signature goes (Ball Control + Tenacious D Win Championships), I really don't see how these guys will help us win a championship.


Regarding Branch, a 4th for him is high but not the end of the world.
Rotoworld put it well.

"He's 31, averaging 9.47 yards per catch since the 2008 season, and has undergone three knee surgeries in the last three years. A fourth-round pick is at least two rounds too high."

 

[Its_The_Patriots]

Your wrong. Consider yourself corrected.

Browns signed Ratcliff off of our PS. We need to cut some one from the active 53 to make room for Branch.

Granted there is space to sign said cut player to the PS, w/o cutting a PS player b/c of Brett. But it still means cutting a player from the 53.

Thanks for clarifying that for me.