Schefter: Branch to New England for 4th round pick

[upstater1]

Laurence Maroney was being paid $825k by the Patriots and with his signing bonus amortized, the cap hit for 2010 was $1,077,000. The Broncos picked up their portion or close to $900k. While not a huge amount, still more than any other RB on the team. It was important to build some flexibility with Mankins hanging out there and likely to come back to get his year's seniority before the strike year and to afford options to increase depth at OL and RB (now at WR).

OK I'll say it: There is no salary cap this year.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Laurence Maroney was being paid $825k by the Patriots and with his signing bonus amortized, the cap hit for 2010 was $1,077,000. The Broncos picked up their portion or close to $900k. While not a huge amount, still more than any other RB on the team. It was important to build some flexibility with Mankins hanging out there and likely to come back to get his year's seniority before the strike year and to afford options to increase depth at OL and RB (now at WR).

You don't know how the cap works. Maroney's cap hit this year was scheduled to be $2M. $1M+ of that was dead cap amortization (already paid to him as part of his signing and any other amortized bonuses), that remains on the cap here in 2010. All Denver is paying Maroney that would count on their 2010 cap if the year were capped is $766K or so of remaining salary after week 1. That is the "cash" NE saved in trading the player. The Patriots cap hit for Maroney post trade remained around $1.24M (his prior amortization plus workout bonus earned plus 1/17th of his 2010 salary).

Maroney's trade had NOTHING to do with Mankins. They were prepared to pay him $7M per or $3.2M as an RFA or $1.5M or so after cutting his tender to the 110% minimum level as a result of his not reporting for months before trading Maroney even became an option...

The only RB NOT making more salary than Maroney this year was BKGE. Taylor's salary is $2M, Faulk's was $1M, Morris' was $900K. If anything Maroney's cost presented the best reason not to trade him...ergo, that they did was telling - though about him and not the budget in an uncapped year.

 

[eagle eye]

The more I think about this trade the more ridiculous it appears to give up a 4th rounder for a 31 year old jag.

 

[jmt57]

Maroney was signed only through 2010. There would be no cap hit next year, so Belichick et al were getting something for a player who would have become an UFA.

Yes, I know. Hence the 'or maybe not' comment and smiley face. Next time I'll be more obvious and use "/sarcasm" instead.

As others have mentioned there is no cap in 2010; the trade has zero effect on the 2011 cap assuming a new CBA is agreed upon; the only cost savings were the portion of the 2010 salary; the salary was relatively low so it was not about money; the cost savings were so minimal it doesn't have an affect on Mankins' potential contract.

I do agree that getting a 2011 pick is better than waiting for a possible compensatory pick in 2011, but even that would seem to be relatively minor in terms of priorities.

I think the main reason Maroney was traded was simply that Belichick had lost faith in him - and he had reached a point he felt more comfortable with BJGE. If money was the reason for a decision then Maroney would still be on the roster due to his low salary; money would be about the last reason for trading him.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

OMG IS THIS MOVING COMING BACK TO HAUNT the pats YouTube - Dallas Cowboys Draft 2010: Dez Bryant

This may have been a mistake

I can just imagine this board after we trade Moss and keep the diva that refused to carry Moss's pads.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

The more I think about this trade the more ridiculous it appears to give up a 4th rounder for a 31 year old jag.

Guys like you were saying Tomlinson was just a JAG anymore too :bricks:

 

[VJCPatriot]

The more I think about this trade the more ridiculous it appears to give up a 4th rounder for a 31 year old jag.

The Pats basically traded away a JAG RB and got a JAG WR in return. What's so hard to figure out? Maroney was never going to see snaps on this offense, he couldn't even get on the active game day roster. After the Pats traded away Moss, WR became a need and they got one who knows the system and can step in and play right away. It was just a resource shuffle.

Obviously the Pats lost talent in this move because they exchanged Moss for Branch at wideout. But Maroney was a nonfactor in the running game in 2010 so that trade didn't affect us at all. Hopefully Branch is more than a JAG for us though. Branch has been real productive in the Pats system and he needs to contribute for the Pats right away.

OMG IS THIS MOVING COMING BACK TO HAUNT the pats YouTube - Dallas Cowboys Draft 2010: Dez Bryant

This may have been a mistake

LOL, you should be a comedian. McCourty is the Pats #1 CB right now. Without taking McCourty, they Pats secondary would be in even worse shape than it is now. Nobody predicted that Bodden would get hurt. Drafting McCourty in round 1 instead of Dez Bryant saved their bacon defensively. McCourty is playing at a high level for a rookie in one of the toughest jobs in the NFL - #1 CB.

 

[eagle eye]

Guys like you were saying Tomlinson was just a JAG anymore too :bricks:

I don't know why I'm even bothering to explain this to you because the next time it happens you will just post something stupid and defensive like you just did but here goes.

I do hope that Branch is great here and he was great here before but over the last couple of years he has been nothing more than a jag ergo we just gave away a 4th round pick for a jag.

Oh and I never said LT was a jag.

 

[sbpatfan]

Most fourth round picks have trouble even becoming JAGs.

 

[eagle eye]

Most fourth round picks have trouble even becoming JAGs.

Hernandez is our latest 4th round pick, we also got Gostkowski in the 4th and Asante Samuel too.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

I don't know why I'm even bothering to explain this to you because the next time it happens you will just post something stupid and defensive like you just did but here goes.

I do hope that Branch is great here and he was great here before but over the last couple of years he has been nothing more than a jag ergo we just gave away a 4th round pick for a jag.

Oh and I never said LT was a jag.

The comment was most likely posted to make fun of you.

OR

I guess you go by "eagle eye" in reference to the hours of personal film study and live scouting you have conducted on Deion Branch and the Seattle franchise.

The hours of study combined with superior to Belichick football knowledge makes you uniquely qualified to determine the minimal intelligence of the trade.

 

[sbpatfan]

Hernandez is our latest 4th round pick, we also got Gostkowski in the 4th and Asante Samuel too.

We also got Kareem Brown, Garrett Mills, and Dexter Reid.

 

[eagle eye]

The comment was most likely posted to make fun of you.

OR

I guess you go by "eagle eye" in reference to the hours of personal film study and live scouting you have conducted on Deion Branch and the Seattle franchise.

The hours of study combined with superior to Belichick football knowledge makes you uniquely qualified to determine the minimal intelligence of the trade.

You think you are really smart hiding behind BB but it just puts you out there as somebody who can't think for themselves. I'd never claim to know anything even remotely as much as the greatest coach in NFL history but he does make mistakes like everybody else. There is a chance this works out good but I'm just pointing out that the more I think about it the more it seems like a bad piece of business. I don't think he would have commanded the same price going to any other franchise.

 

[eagle eye]

We also got Kareem Brown, Garrett Mills, and Dexter Reid.

You said 'most' and I named 3 and you name 3 so thats not 'most'. And none of them would be on money even close to what Branch is on. In fact you would have them for 3 years at way less than what Branch is getting for one year.

 

[RobertWeathers]

We also got Kareem Brown, Garrett Mills, and Dexter Reid.

If the Pats get 40 catches from Deion this year and next, it's worth it and then some.

If the Pats get 2 catches and nothing next year its a bad deal.

Every round after the 1st is more of the crap shoot than the prior one.

 

[sbpatfan]

You said 'most' and I named 3 and you name 3 so thats not 'most'. And none of them would be on money even close to what Branch is on. In fact you would have them for 3 years at way less than what Branch is getting for one year.

We still have a fourth rounder and 6 more picks before it that will probably net atleast another fourth from wheeling and dealing. Honestly, what are you complaining about? The fact of the matter is the majority of fourth round picks amount to jack squat. Most fourth round picks =/= Hernandez, Gostkowski, or Samuel.

 

[Patsrock]

I think some people here way over value 4th rd picks.

From 2000-2009 Draft
363 players drafted
avg game played 42
Total Pro Bowls=22 by 16 guys
Total All Pro 1st team= 10 by 8 guys

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

You think you are really smart hiding behind BB but it just puts you out there as somebody who can't think for themselves. I'd never claim to know anything even remotely as much as the greatest coach in NFL history but he does make mistakes like everybody else. There is a chance this works out good but I'm just pointing out that the more I think about it the more it seems like a bad piece of business. I don't think he would have commanded the same price going to any other franchise.

I don't think I'm really smart, I think your posts are....we.....

Review kontradiction's post on Branch this year. I would recommend them because he's like the only guy who claims to have actually seen him play in 2010.

I highly doubt kontradiction would claim I am a kontradiction homer.

I suspect you have barely seen Branch play since well.....2005.

Review Molewisrocks review of insight of Branch in a Holgrem west coast system with a corpse QB.

We paid "more" for Branch because...well...he is worth more to us. How many guys out there have a history of excellence in our offensive system and have displayed unique chemistry with Tom Brady?
Likewise, how many teams can say they have a need because Branch has a history of excellence with their QB, Tom Brady?

Please name one 4th round bust?

 

[West Philly Patriot]

You said 'most' and I named 3 and you name 3 so thats not 'most'. And none of them would be on money even close to what Branch is on. In fact you would have them for 3 years at way less than what Branch is getting for one year.

Using your logic we should never deal a 6th round pick to try and upgrade the team immediately because we drafted Tom Brady in that round 10 years ago.

He is right most 4th round picks don't amount to much. For every Aaron Hernandez you name there are 2 dexter reid's. If you wanna make this a long drawn out contest to see who can pull up the most bad vs. good 4th rounders than be my guest but you and I both know how that will end.....

Branch can contribute and fill a need we are obviously the more needy in this deal so of course you will pay when you show your hand. But a 4th isn't very steep as some here have said. There are several variables that soften the blow.....
A) We have 6 picks before the 4th rd.
B) This is supposedly a shallow draft year.
C) this is a SB MVP who has had a great report with our all-pro QB.

Just a few quick questions that I'd like your take on or anyone opposed to bringing in branch for the 4th rounder:

If it was a 5th rounder than would that have made it a good trade?
If Tate goes down w/o branch here would you really feel comfortable with price @ this juncture as the guy on the outside?

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Don't know if this was stated in 60 pages on the topic but I was listening to Sirius on the way home from work this afternoon...Pete Caroll was on. He stated that the Patriots were agressive in their desire to get Branch.

What he did not say, or maybe I never caught it, was that if that this strong desire to get him was after the Moss trade or any time before it.

I found these comments interesting...