Thoughts on the Branch trade anyone?

Th · Post by Th » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:20 am

I will chime in with more on the topic later but 1st and foremost I believe that it is impossible to run a consistently succesful NFL team by overpaying players - just ask the Redskins. The next few seasons will prove if Branch was worth what the Skunks forked over to him and the Patriots for his services.

Thoughts?

BBMarley · Post by **BBMarley** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:16 pm

Giving up a first round pick for him was too much. WAY too much

jiminphilly · Post by **jiminphilly** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:53 pm

Raiders want a #1 for Porter.
Denver gave a #2 for Walker.
Seattle gave a #1 for Branch
Philly gave a #4 for Stallworth.

It'll be every interesting to see who has the best year of the 4.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:27 pm

#1 for Branch is way too much, but then again, it will probably be the 31st or 32nd pick in the 1st round.

Still, Branch was worth a #2 at best, most likely a #3. I'd say the Pats came out WAY ahead on this one.

orcinus · Post by **orcinus** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:54 pm

IndyFrisco wrote:#1 for Branch is way too much, but then again, it will probably be the 31st or 32nd pick in the 1st round.

Still, Branch was worth a #2 at best, most likely a #3. I'd say the Pats came out WAY ahead on this one.

You guys are looking at this from the wrong angle.

It's not what you perceive Branch to be worth on the open market versus other players. It's what he's worth right now, today, to the Seattle Seahawks.

With an aging Darrel Jackson nursing injuries that could linger well into the season, Seattle's hand was forced into paying the premium for Branch.

If he's able to step in, give Hasselbeck some relief in the passing game and continue developing as a young receiver on the rise, then he's absolutely worth a number one pick to the Seahawks.

Potentially a win-wiin for both teams.

Moorese · Post by **Moorese** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:13 pm

orcinus wrote:Potentially a win-win for both teams.

Yep. While a first rounder is tough to lose, it will (hopefully) be a late pick. Brady is such a force at spreading the ball around that I doubt Branch's loss will be determinative for the Pats. However, Branch is now the best receiver the Hawks have. DJack dropped more balls last year than Branch has his entire career. It wouldn't make much sense for the Pats to give Branch what he asked for, but the Seahawks are a different story.

The Hawks' question mark is the absence of Hutch and what that does for both pass protection and getting Alexander through the left side. (I still think the Hawks fucked up by not franchising Hutch.) I don't expect the running game to be as impressive this year so the receiving corps must step up and catch the fucking ball. Pork Chop Womack? Ah geez... Hope Hasselbeck likes his view of the sky.

Th · Post by Th » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:11 pm

Moorese wrote: Hope Hasselbeck likes his view of the sky.

I hope you are correct - for the Patriots' sake regarding the pick they got for Branch. The next 6 weeks could be very telling for the Seattle season:

Week 2 - Arizona at home - Division opponent not quite the walk-thru team they once were.

Week 3 - Giants at home - Eli & company come to town, COULD be a game worth watching.

Week 4 - @ Chicago - Speaks for itself along with bad blood thru recent offseason dealings between the two teams. Again, COULD be interesting viewing.

Week 5 - BYE - Good timing for the Skunks

Week 6 - @ St. Louis - A division road game against a resurgent Lams squad.

Week 7 - Home vs the Vikings. Who knows where Minnesota will be by then but they looked half alive at FedEx Monday night.

This should be fun to watch for Pats AND Skunks fans alike!

Joe in PB · Post by **Joe in PB** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:50 pm

Seattles problem is they just gave a lot of money to Burleson, Branch will pan out, at least until he's cut in a few years for salary cap reasons.

The Patriots fucked up period. As in their plan to let Branch "shop" himself to set a market value then realizing it ended up being much more than what they expected. Not having a viable WR is going to be their Achilles heel this season. Caldwell (career where he hasn’t been able to stay healthy), Brown (aging) Gabriel (many TC drops), & Jackson (only 3 TC practices) are inconsistent as any WR's in the NFL & aren't going to get it done. Also Branch told the team during the summer he would participate in TC and finish his contract if the Patriots promised they would not saddle him with the franchise tag next season. The Pats balked....

The bottom line is if NE told Branch they were going to renegotiate his contract this year, they should have. They probably could have signed him for less. Now NE is just another also ran........

Neely8 · Post by **Neely8** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:12 pm

Joe in PB wrote:Seattles problem is they just gave a lot of money to Burleson, Branch will pan out, at least until he's cut in a few years for salary cap reasons.

The Patriots fucked up period. As in their plan to let Branch "shop" himself to set a market value then realizing it ended up being much more than what they expected. Not having a viable WR is going to be their Achilles heel this season. Caldwell (career where he hasn’t been able to stay healthy), Brown (aging) Gabriel (many TC drops), & Jackson (only 3 TC practices) are inconsistent as any WR's in the NFL & aren't going to get it done. Also Branch told the team during the summer he would participate in TC and finish his contract if the Patriots promised they would not saddle him with the franchise tag next season. The Pats balked....

The bottom line is if NE told Branch they were going to renegotiate his contract this year, they should have. They probably could have signed him for less. Now NE is just another also ran........

NE never said they would re-negotiate his contract. Branch took it upon himself to demand that they do it.

If the Patriots agreed to have Deion play out his deal this year and not franchise him then he would have walked after this year and they would have gotten nothing for him. Not a smart move.

The Patriots offered Deion 6 million dollars a year. Deion wanted the last year of his rookie contract ripped up and to start his new deal immediately. The Patriots said no way.

So please explain to me how the Patriots are stupid? Because they played hardball with a guy who was still under contract? Because they got a first round pick for a guy who was worth a 2 or 3 at the most?

Joe in PB · Post by **Joe in PB** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:07 am

Stop drinking the Kool Aid & think.

Giving up a good player to draft a player who might be good is never a good deal Neely. It's only a good deal if you believe Branch wouldn't be any more a difference maker than the current NE WR crop.

Th · Post by Th » Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:53 am

Joe in PB wrote:Stop drinking the Kool Aid & think.

Giving up a good player to draft a player who might be good is never a good deal Neely. It's only a good deal if you believe Branch wouldn't be any more a difference maker than the current NE WR crop.

I think that the Patriots will do just as well or better in the regular season without Branch as the Seahawks do with him. SOOOOO - Sig bet time! My proposition is that the Patriots will have the same regular season record or better than the Skunks do at the end of the regular season. Loser(s) have to wear the winner(s) sig for a month after all other NFL related sig bets are done at the end of the season. Any takers?

Neely8 · Post by **Neely8** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:23 pm

Joe in PB wrote:Stop drinking the Kool Aid & think.

Giving up a good player to draft a player who might be good is never a good deal Neely. It's only a good deal if you believe Branch wouldn't be any more a difference maker than the current NE WR crop.

Last season, he caught 78 passes for 998 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs. In his four seasons, he has 213 receptions for 2,744 yards and 14 touchdowns.

WOW!!! A guy who averages 53 catches, 686 yards, and 3.5 TD's per season. Damn I don't know how the Patriots will survive without him. I mean they only won their first Superbowl with David Patten, Troy Brown, and Fred Coleman as their receivers. How will they ever compete?? Do those numbers equate to a first round pick in your opinion? Worth 6 million a year? Not even close.....

Tom Brady makes ordinary receivers look good. The Pats will be just fine.......