Where does ESPN dig these guys up..

[Va_Pats_Fan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeffri&id=2864062

maybe its Borges.....

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

We'll find out this year weather or not they should've kept Branch. He and Moss will be compared quite a bit this year but as it stands now, the Pats got the better end of it IMO.

 

[zippo59]

The writer is completely uninformed. Branch is one of the top five highest paid WRs in the league while the players they have brought in are playing for peanuts and are better (Moss at least.)

And the truth is that every player they have signed has taken less to come here. Whereas Branch wanted to be paid the absolute maximum he could get.

 

[Kdo5]

We'll find out this year weather or not they should've kept Branch. He and Moss will be compared quite a bit this year but as it stands now, the Pats got the better end of it IMO.

I'm pretty sure that we didnt need to have kept Branch. We got to the AFC Title game and a hair away from the SB without him. Caldwell should be blamed a terrible drop but you cant blame our recievers for losing to Indy. Our Defense blew it in the second half. They just rolled over and died.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

I'm pretty sure that we didnt need to have kept Branch. We got to the AFC Title game and a hair away from the SB without him. Caldwell should be blamed a terrible drop but you cant blame our recievers for losing to Indy. Our Defense blew it in the second half. They just rolled over and died.

Yeah but how far would you have gone with him?

 

[zippo59]

Hmmmm, which would you rather have........Deion Branch had a huge salary or Wes Welker, Donte' Stallworth, Randy Moss, Kelly Washington, all at reasonable prices, and a first round pick.

Hmmm.......

This is a tough one....

 

[TeamFirst]

We'll find out this year weather or not they should've kept Branch. He and Moss will be compared quite a bit this year but as it stands now, the Pats got the better end of it IMO.

Whether not weather.

 

[Kdo5]

Yeah but how far would you have gone with him?

We'll never know, but I can tell you we still could have lost that game because of our defense, even with Deion. But we were still a hair away from the SB and had we advanced there was a good chance we would have won the SB against the team we had already beat. Against the QB we had already owned.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

Hmmmm, which would you rather have........Deion Branch had a huge salary or Wes Welker, Donte' Stallworth, Randy Moss, Kelly Washington, all at reasonable prices, and a first round pick.

This is a tough one....

You forgot to mention that you got robbed for Welker. 2nd round pick there was well worth it for the Dolphins. Also, I'll be shocked if Kelly Washington does anything for you guys.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

We'll never know, but I can tell you we still could have lost that game because of our defense, even with Deion. But we were still a hair away from the SB and had we advanced there was a good chance we would have won the SB against the team we had already beat. Against the QB we had already owned.

That's true. But you just never know how things could've been differnt with him in the lineup. He would've been hands down your best receiver. Maybe if he was in the lineup throughout the regular season you guys would've been playing the Colts at home.

 

[zippo59]

You forgot to mention that you got robbed for Welker. 2nd round pick there was well worth it for the Dolphins. Also, I'll be shocked if Kelly Washington does anything for you guys.

I think we need to reserve judgement on who got the better end of the deal until we actually see what Welker does in the Patriots offense.

But either way, "robbed"? In your dreams.

 

[Kdo5]

That's true. But you just never know how things could've been differnt with him in the lineup. He would've been hands down your best receiver. Maybe if he was in the lineup throughout the regular season you guys would've been playing the Colts at home.

Yeah I am sure that a 5'9 reciever would be THAT big of an impact on our team. Whos to say he wouldnt have gotten injured anyways?

 

[TeamFirst]

We'll find out this year weather or not they should've kept Branch. He and Moss will be compared quite a bit this year but as it stands now, the Pats got the better end of it IMO.

You forgot to mention that you got robbed for Welker. 2nd round pick there was well worth it for the Dolphins. Also, I'll be shocked if Kelly Washington does anything for you guys.

Robbed LOL. Kinda like drafting a injured Ginn Jr instead of a franchise QB. LOL Have fun in the bowels of the AFC EAST again this year pal.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

Yeah I am sure that a 5'9 reciever would be THAT big of an impact on our team. Whos to say he wouldnt have gotten injured anyways?

Well heighth isn't really everything man. Branch was the Pats receiver for a while.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

I think we need to reserve judgement on who got the better end of the deal until we actually see what Welker does in the Patriots offense.

But either way, "robbed"? In your dreams.

Welker was a UDFA. He is a 3rd WR and an average return man. I'll take a 2nd round pick for that any day.

Now we have Ginn who will be twice the receiver Welker can ever dream of being.

 

[zippo59]

Welker was a UDFA. He is a 3rd WR and an average return man. I'll take a 2nd round pick for that any day.

He creates mismatches and Rodney Harrison said he was one of the most difficult guys to cover that he has played against.

And we get to see what he can do when playing with a competent QB and in an offense that knows how to utilize players strengths. And Welker's strengths fit this offense very well and is something we really needed last year.

And where a player was drfated (or not drafted) has little imapct on the players value after he has been in the league for a few years.

 

[BadMoFo]

Chadiha was at Sports Illustrated before coming to ESPN, I think he must have just started with them. I agree with some of what he says, but I think losing Branch was not all the Pats fault. I think it was both Branch's and the front office's fault. I agree with him in part because I would have much rather have kept a happy Branch on the team and possibly pick up one more guy this year, instead of scooping up four new receivers. Losing Branch might also have a lot to do with how things are headed with Asante Samuel's future with the team.

 

[Kdo5]

Welker was a UDFA. He is a 3rd WR and an average return man. I'll take a 2nd round pick for that any day.

Now we have Ginn who will be twice the receiver Welker can ever dream of being.

Yeah and he also had more receptions than your home boy, Chambers. And Booker.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

Yeah and he also had more receptions than your home boy, Chambers. And Booker.

But was the 3rd best receiver on our team. And also had the 3rd most production on our team as well. Receiving is a lot more than catches. Look at yards and TDs, those are way more important.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

He creates mismatches and Rodney Harrison said he was one of the most difficult guys to cover that he has played against.

And we get to see what he can do when playing with a competent QB and in an offense that knows how to utilize players strengths. And Welker's strengths fit this offense very well and is something we really needed last year.

And where a player was drfated (or not drafted) has little imapct on the players value after he has been in the league for a few years.

His only strength is running 6 yard slant routes to bail the QB out on blitzes. I've herd knocks on Ginn for running only a few routes, Welker runs far fewer routes than Ginn.