Thread: Delimbed Branch frustrated

KFFL
Patriots | Branch paying the price for his five-year contract
Sun, 16 Jul 2006 06:28:42 -0700

Jerome Solomon, of the Boston Globe, reports New England Patriots WR Deion Branch is paying the price of signing a five-year contract when he was a rookie. While other wide receivers drafted that same year, like WRs David Givens and Antwaan Randle El, have landed big free agent contracts this year Branch is still under contract for one more season. With training camp two weeks away the Patriots don't seem willing to work a new deal with Branch. The Patriots don't believe Branch has outplayed his contract. They say he has performed up to what they expected. Because of his play, he has hit escalator clauses in his contract that basically double his base pay for this season to a little more than $1 million, an amount the Patriots gladly will fork over. Branch feels the time is right for a new deal from the team. For Branch, the league's most underpaid receiver, the timing might not be right for him to pick up the money he deserves.

I say he plays this season like it is his last, then cash in on a big payday with another team next season.. I also say that if the Pats try and talk with him later on that he shrugs them off, and just splits town..

Branch may be stumped as to why the Pat's won't pay him the green, but I'll go out on a limb & say he's barking up the wrong tree if he thinks he's worth that kind of seed.

The root of the dispute is he already signed the 5 year contract in his rookie season.

He should just count his rings & be happy he is with the Pats.

IMO, the Pats should stand tall as a mighty oak on this one.

"singersp" wrote:

Branch may be stumped as to why the Pat's won't pay him the green, but I'll go out on a limb & say he's barking up the wrong tree if he thinks he's worth that kind of seed.

The root of the dispute is he already signed the 5 year contract in his rookie season.

He should just count his rings & be happy he is with the Pats.

IMO, the Pats should stand tall as a mighty oak on this one.

Branch may have heart rot if the Pats stand firm like an oak. I wouldn't be surprised if Branch acts more like a weeping willow and consults with Treebeard ending up begging for a stand with the Browns.

He could hold out of training camp and try forcing the Pats to come up with a contract or he could be a cancer on the team and pout the whole season.

I think he is a good receiver but not a superstar like Smith or Johnson he has never gone over a 1,000 yards receiving and the most catches in a season he has had was last year with 78. I would give him about the same money as Nate Burleson 4 years with about 16 to 17 million guaranteed.

i dont see him holding out or anything this year, he'll play and get a new contract next year with a different team