Branch and Moss

[mgteich]

I suspect that the issues were relatively simple. Branch was available. Brady and Belichick wanted Branch back. Moss was then excess, since Belichick had no intention to extend his contract.

 

[TB=TD]

They would make one hell of a tree.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

They would make one hell of a tree.

Pierre Woods feels left out from this joke.

 

[TB=TD]

Pierre Woods feels left out from this joke.

Pierre Woods=Pear Tree?

 

[Ring 6]

I suspect that the issues were relatively simple. Branch was available. Brady and Belichick wanted Branch back. Moss was then excess, since Belichick had no intention to extend his contract.

Do you really think elichick feels Branch is a better WR than Moss?

 

[Kontradiction]

I suspect that the issues were relatively simple. Branch was available. Brady and Belichick wanted Branch back. Moss was then excess, since Belichick had no intention to extend his contract.

If this was the case, the team should have known to make the Branch move before sending Moss to Minnesota. That way we could have parted with a lot less than a 4th rounder. Seattle knew how desperate we were for a receiver like Branch and squeezed us for a 4th. With Moss, the perception of desperation doesn't exist.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I suspect that the issues were relatively simple. Branch was available. Brady and Belichick wanted Branch back. Moss was then excess, since Belichick had no intention to extend his contract.

I think you have it reversed. Moss was disgruntled and it was in the best interest of everyone that he go. Branch was available as a veteran stabilizing WR.

 

[BradyMossWelker]

Sorry, mgteich, but why is this a thread?

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Sorry, mgteich, but why is this a thread?

After three dozen Moss threads and a dozen Branch threads. It was time for a Moss Branch thread.

 

[fumbrunner]

Do you really think elichick feels Branch is a better WR than Moss?

Better WR? Probably not. Better fit? Probably yes

 

[MassPats38]

With no salary cap, why not simply trade for Branch and keep Moss? The two represent distinctly different receivers, so plays could be designed to use both. If the Pats wanted Branch, he probably could have been grabbed during the offseason when it was a buyer's market and the team did not have a demonstrable need. Branch would then have time with the offense before the season started and wouldn't need to readjust.

Even given Belichick's general intelligence and planning capabilities, I cannot see this as a scripted sequence of events. For whatever reason, Moss had to be moved now and the Pats then had a need that Branch filled.

While fans are running an elaborate scenario on how Belichick parlayed the original Branch trade into the draft equivalent of a timely purchase of IBM, Yahoo! or Google stock, there are way too many uncontrollable variables for this to be other than the product of a current personnel assessment.

 

[tajapandu]

Pierre Woods feels left out from this joke.

....is Ryan Leaf available?

[booooo, get off the stage]

 

[BlueThunder]

Is there any Moss on that Branch? :bricks:

 

[Grizzafted]

i dunno but i'm looking forward to having a no.1 receiver who can actually run a slant or short crossing route every now and then.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I suspect that the issues were relatively simple. Branch was available. Brady and Belichick wanted Branch back. Moss was then excess, since Belichick had no intention to extend his contract.

Branch and Moss are really incomparable.

I think Branch has fewer catches of passes thrown 20 yards or more in the last 2 years than Moss does this season alone.

Branch gives the Patriots some insurance and another option on the field for a dink and dunk offense that relies on YAC of some pretty crafty runners (like Welker) to keep defenses honest.

That, plus the fact that Hernandez and Tate can catch the occasional deep route pass and/or pick up big YACs might be enough to keep the field a bit more open than in the Reche Caldwell era.

Although I'm typically of a "you need a deep threat" mindset I'm actually optimistic that this new look offense is going to give some teams some major challenges and keep DBs playing deeper than they might normally against a team without a deep threat.

In an odd way this makes the Jets major investment in CBs to respond to a Randy Moss offense look like a waste of money. I think Revis and Cromartie do better against a guy like Moss than shifty guys like Welker, Branch, Tate and Hernandez.

This may be the biggest under-appreciated aspects of the trade. The Jets defense was unquestionably built to respond to a Randy Moss lead attack. That's no longer what the Patriots are and they may have some difficulty adapting.

Branch's post season production is nothing to sneeze at either. His overall numbers might not be eyepopping but we all know that when crunch time comes he can make the big catch.

 

[Teenuh]

I suspect that the issues were relatively simple. Branch was available. Brady and Belichick wanted Branch back. Moss was then excess, since Belichick had no intention to extend his contract.

Oh good, when I saw the title I thought someone was actually going to try to say Branch is better than Moss.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Do you really think elichick feels Branch is a better WR than Moss?

Oh here we go again ............. :bricks:

 

[Teenuh]

Oh here we go again ............. :bricks:

I doubt it, I can't imagine anyone actually believing that. Its like saying Chad Henne is better than Dan Marino.

 

[emoney_33]

Branch's post season production is nothing to sneeze at either. His overall numbers might not be eyepopping but we all know that when crunch time comes he can make the big catch.

His post season production is a byproduct of preparation meeting opportunity, not a specific trait or skill. Despite what people believe, we did "need" him to help more than he did in the Titans playoff game in 2003. Luckily for us the titans bobbled a pass late in that game, otherwise he never gets that opportunity in the SB in 2003.

 

[stinkypete]

Do you really think elichick feels Branch is a better WR than Moss?

God no.

But Branch might be a better fit for the team's offensive philosophy. For the last 3rd of the 2009 season plus his 4 games here, Moss was a one trick pony...not to mention a very low percentage trick.

Branch at least gives them more routes and higher percentage routes.