From Patriots Football Weekly: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>A league source tells us that the reports of a contract offer to Pats receiver Deion Branch are true, and that in fact two teams have ponied up a six-year, $36 million package. One of the two teams, per the source, is the New York Jets. If a deal goes through, the Pats will receive (we're told) a second-round draft pick and a "pretty good player." But the source told us that perhaps there's been a snag, because the deal was supposed to be done as of Thursday night. The other team in the running for the Super Bowl XXIX MVP is presently unknown to us. We're working on finding out who it is, but the Jets are considered to be favorite to land him.</div> I believe the other teams in the running for Deion's services are the Vikings & Seahawks. Today is the deadline put forth by the Patriots to Branch in order to get a deal done.
Also from Newsday: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Patriots gave their holdout receiver until today to find another team willing to trade for him, and Branch found two ? the Jets and an undisclosed NFC team. Newsday has learned that both teams have agreed on the parameters of a long-term contract with Branch, but that neither club has so far been able to agree on draft-choice compensation with the Patriots to complete a trade, according to multiple league sources. The Jets acted almost immediately when the Patriots allowed Branch permission to seek a trade, and a contract agreement was reached late Monday. The NFC team reached agreement on a similar deal yesterday. Terms of the contract were not available, but league sources said the deals far exceeded what the Patriots had offered.</div>
Branch would be a good fit for the Jets, I think. I'd like to see Branch play for Green Bay so we could cut Ferguson and go with Greg Jennings at #3, but Ted Thompson would rather eat razor blades than give up a draft pick or spend money, so there goes that idea.
Apparently the other team offering a new deal for Branch is the Seahawks. However the Pats may be holding out for too much in compensation for a deal to get done. 4pm EST is the exact deadline set by New England.
this may get ugly....as I understand it, the Patriots thought Branch was asking for an unreasonable deal and allowed him to seek a trade to prove to him that he wasnt worth what he was seeking....now it turns out that teams are lining up to give him the contract he wants, but the Patriots never had any intention of trading him, and therefore, are asking for more than anyone would ever offer(2 1sts is a joke unless its a QB named Manning)....the Patriots lost whatever leverage they had now...Branch knows what other teams will give him, so hes not going to give the Patriots a big discount....I predict one of 3 outcomes: Hes a Seahawk today, the Patriots increase thier offer signifigantly, or you wont see him until week 10....
Yeah I'm not liking the way they are jerking him around right now. unless it was all in an attempt to get both sides back on the renogating table. The last thing I wanna see is the Pats lose this guy for nothing next offseason. Although the option to franchise tag him is still out there, but it would only hurt their chances of any resigning future FAs to be.
I will say this I don't think the offers are THAT much more significant to what the Pat's have offered. The biggest difference being that the Pat's deal wouldn't take affect until next season when his current one is up.
It's now being reported that Branch's agent is filing a grievance with the NFLPA http://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/56907/detail.html
