No end in sight to Branch-Pats stalemate
By Michael Felger
Boston Herald Patriots Beat Columnist
Tuesday, September 5, 2006 - Updated: 04:20 PM EST
The Deion Branch legal situation continues to spin, and none of it points to the holdout receiver rejoining the Patriots any time soon.
According to one of Branch’s attorneys, Jeffrey Kessler, the NFL has filed a motion today to combine Branch’s two grievances into a single grievance to be heard at one sitting. If the NFL wins the motion, which should be decided on Wednesday, that combined grievance will be heard a week from Thursday and Friday, Sept. 14 and 15.
Furthermore, Kessler revealed today that if Branch loses both grievances, he will then seek damages against the Patriots for extra compensation this year. Kessler said Branch will seek to be paid the difference between what the Pats are scheduled to pay him this season (just over $1 million, minus fines) and the first-year money being offered by Seattle and the New York Jets.
