Unofficial Deion Branch Thread (1 Viewer)

[BusterTBronco]

This is the unofficial Deion Branch thread.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

[stbugs]

This guy is clearly not worth the first round draft pick the Seahawks traded away to get him. He's the fourth best WR on the team.661 yards and 4 TD's on the seasonPathetic!The person in the Seahawks organization responsibile for that trade should be fired!

What, did you draft him instead of Brady?

 

[Enforcer]

Awesome post. Not so much for the actual content and all, but more for the entertainment we should get out of it.

I'm a Seattle fan. I'm VERY happy having Branch as opposed to Jackson. 4th best WR? I agree. Obomanu, Taylor, and Burleson are all better than Branch. Seattle has perhaps the building blocks for the greatest collection of WR talent in the history of the NFL.

Super.

 

[freelander]

Yeah, I was pleased to grab Engram off the WW mid-season. He was $$ in PPR.

Funny, if you were told at the beginning of the season of Seattle's '07 offensive philosophy change and how many passes Hasselbeck was going to throw, you would have thought that would have translated to a big year for Branch. Nope.

 

[Enforcer]

So, I can see why Seahawks fans would be thrilled to have a No. 4 WR the quality of Deion Branch.What I can't see, however, is how Seahawks fans aren't seething mad over the fact that they traded away a first round draft pick to get this guy.

Because I care about wins and losses more than your fantasy roster. We have a home playoff game this weekend that we're favored to win. We'll be heading to Green Bay (if we win) the following week and we feel we have a decent shot there. Overall, we feel we have a fighting chance to see our team in the Super Bowl again.In my world there's shades of grey. It doesn't have to be undefeated super bowl champ or absolute joke. There are degrees of success, and overall I'm happy with the success of my local team. They've just won their fourth consecutive NFC west crown.Seething mad?

 

[Smeagol]

So, I can see why Seahawks fans would be thrilled to have a No. 4 WR the quality of Deion Branch.What I can't see, however, is how Seahawks fans aren't seething mad over the fact that they traded away a first round draft pick to get this guy.

Because I care about wins and losses more than your fantasy roster. We have a home playoff game this weekend that we're favored to win. We'll be heading to Green Bay (if we win) the following week and we feel we have a decent shot there. Overall, we feel we have a fighting chance to see our team in the Super Bowl again.In my world there's shades of grey. It doesn't have to be undefeated super bowl champ or absolute joke. There are degrees of success, and overall I'm happy with the success of my local team. They've just won their fourth consecutive NFC west crown.Seething mad?

Well you could have used that first round pick to draft Robert Meachem

 

[The Man with the Plan]

At the time I thought it was too high of a price to pay for a good but not great wide receiver. Who did the Patriots end up drafting with that pick?

 

[mad sweeney]

I would say at this point that a first was a bit high to pay for him however I don't think Buyer's Remorse is in order. Last year he came in late from a completely different offense and took a while to learn it. His addition allowed us to get rid of Jackson. He's been hurt this year in what appears to be a fairly rare type of foot injury. He was held out of the Atlanta game to rest up for the playoffs. I don't think you can count being out for half the year from a freak injury as 'not worth it'. If he comes up flat in the playoffs then I'll start to rethink it, but as of now he's still in the judgement zone. Just like any 1st round pick, you can't judge him after a season and a half. When he's in and healthy, with Hackett and Engram also healthy, it's a whole different story. It just hasn't come together quite yet.

As for Branch being the #4 WR? You have to be kidding me. Engram is a slot receiver and although has had a great season and is essential, he only has those numbers becuase either Hackett or Branch were out for most of the season. He might be the most essential to Hass; confidence but he is not the best WR on the team by far. Branch is a much better outside WR than Engram ever was. Hackett has size on Branch and that's it. Burleson isn't as good or as smart a route runner as Deion. When healthy he's the clear #1, and Holmgren will adjust the game plan to get the ball to him.

Too early for remorse, though I'm sure he's not put up the numbers they expected. Still as a fan I am not disappointed to the point where I think it was a mistake. Needs more time to judge.

 

[NEUPJ]

Who did the Patriots end up drafting with that pick?

Pats took Merriweather with that pick, which then allowed them to flip their pick to San Fran, for SF's 1st this year (7th overall) and SF's 4th in 2007, which they then traded for Randy Moss.

He's been hurt this year in what appears to be a fairly rare type of foot injury. He was held out of the Atlanta game to rest up for the playoffs. I don't think you can count being out for half the year from a freak injury as 'not worth it'. If he comes up flat in the playoffs then I'll start to rethink it, but as of now he's still in the judgement zone.

Freak injury or not, this was a major issue when the Pats didn't re-sign him for what he wanted and franchised him. So far since he's been drafted he's started a full season once. Not to mention the guys only had more than 60 catches once. I loved Branch when he was in New England but the guy is a #2 receiver, when he's healthy.

 

[bcr8f]

Awesome post. Not so much for the actual content and all, but more for the entertainment we should get out of it.I'm a Seattle fan. I'm VERY happy having Branch as opposed to Jackson. 4th best WR? I agree. Obomanu, Taylor, and Burleson are all better than Branch. Seattle has perhaps the building blocks for the greatest collection of WR talent in the history of the NFL.Super.

Really. I like Driver, Jennings, James Jones, KRob and Martin plus the TE's.NE's are pretty good too. Branch is a good big game player. NE got Brandon Merriweather for the trade.

 

[mad sweeney]

Awesome post. Not so much for the actual content and all, but more for the entertainment we should get out of it.

I'm a Seattle fan. I'm VERY happy having Branch as opposed to Jackson. 4th best WR? I agree. Obomanu, Taylor, and Burleson are all better than Branch. Seattle has perhaps the building blocks for the greatest collection of WR talent in the history of the NFL.

Super.

Really. I like Driver, Jennings, James Jones, KRob and Martin plus the TE's.NE's are pretty good too.

Branch is a good big game player.

NE got Brandon Merriweather for the trade.

That'll change when he drops the game winner/tier a few times for you.

 

[tribecalledjeff]

Who did the Patriots end up drafting with that pick?

Pats took Merriweather with that pick, which then allowed them to flip their pick to San Fran, for SF's 1st this year (7th overall) and SF's 4th in 2007, which they then traded for Randy Moss.

 

[Bad_Mo]

Just goes to show you that Brady made Branch. Look what Brady has done with a superior WR (Moss). History records shattered. Branch is lucky he got his $$. Thanks, Seattle.

 

[bostonfred]

I like Branch and will continue to root for him, but I thought Seattle way overpaid for him. I'm not surprised that he hasn't lit the world on fire up in Seattle, or that he's shown some flashes, or that he got hurt. That's a pretty good description of his entire career in New England, actually.

 

[Phurfur]

So, I can see why Seahawks fans would be thrilled to have a No. 4 WR the quality of Deion Branch.

What I can't see, however, is how Seahawks fans aren't seething mad over the fact that they traded away a first round draft pick to get this guy.

Because I care about wins and losses more than your fantasy roster. We have a home playoff game this weekend that we're favored to win. We'll be heading to Green Bay (if we win) the following week and we feel we have a decent shot there. Overall, we feel we have a fighting chance to see our team in the Super Bowl again.In my world there's shades of grey. It doesn't have to be undefeated super bowl champ or absolute joke. There are degrees of success, and overall I'm happy with the success of my local team. They've just won their fourth consecutive NFC west crown.

Seething mad?

Are you saying they couldn't have done this without Branch? And to put your 4 NFC West crowns in perspective, in the last four years Seattle is the only team in the NFC West to finish above .500. You see, my world is in color.

 

[mad sweeney]

So, I can see why Seahawks fans would be thrilled to have a No. 4 WR the quality of Deion Branch.

What I can't see, however, is how Seahawks fans aren't seething mad over the fact that they traded away a first round draft pick to get this guy.

Because I care about wins and losses more than your fantasy roster. We have a home playoff game this weekend that we're favored to win. We'll be heading to Green Bay (if we win) the following week and we feel we have a decent shot there. Overall, we feel we have a fighting chance to see our team in the Super Bowl again.In my world there's shades of grey. It doesn't have to be undefeated super bowl champ or absolute joke. There are degrees of success, and overall I'm happy with the success of my local team. They've just won their fourth consecutive NFC west crown.

Seething mad?

Are you saying they couldn't have done this without Branch? And to put your 4 NFC West crowns in perspective, in the last four years Seattle is the only team in the NFC West to finish above .500. You see, my world is in color.

And in the last 5 years Seattle has the best record of any NFC team. Regardless of how good your division isn't, there are still 10 other games each year to play and that come to bear in who wins the division. Better adjust the tint and hue on your set.

 

[NeverEnough]

I also said 1st rounder = too much for him. I was right

 

[TommyGilmore]

So, I can see why Seahawks fans would be thrilled to have a No. 4 WR the quality of Deion Branch.

What I can't see, however, is how Seahawks fans aren't seething mad over the fact that they traded away a first round draft pick to get this guy.

It's not a question of whether Branch was worth a 1st rounder (I think it's debatable myself). It's a question of whether the Seahawks needed to make the trade when they already had Engram, Burleson, Hackett, etc. Not to mention the run-first mentality that they utilized throughout the first 10 games of the season.

 

[mad sweeney]

I also said 1st rounder = too much for him. I was right

That may end up being true, in the first 2 seasons he's certainly not put up great numbers. However, overpaying isn't always all bad. It certainly hasn't hurt the team.

 

[TitusIII]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

 

[mad sweeney]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

 

[Phurfur]

So, I can see why Seahawks fans would be thrilled to have a No. 4 WR the quality of Deion Branch.

What I can't see, however, is how Seahawks fans aren't seething mad over the fact that they traded away a first round draft pick to get this guy.

Because I care about wins and losses more than your fantasy roster. We have a home playoff game this weekend that we're favored to win. We'll be heading to Green Bay (if we win) the following week and we feel we have a decent shot there. Overall, we feel we have a fighting chance to see our team in the Super Bowl again.In my world there's shades of grey. It doesn't have to be undefeated super bowl champ or absolute joke. There are degrees of success, and overall I'm happy with the success of my local team. They've just won their fourth consecutive NFC west crown.

Seething mad?

Are you saying they couldn't have done this without Branch? And to put your 4 NFC West crowns in perspective, in the last four years Seattle is the only team in the NFC West to finish above .500. You see, my world is in color.

And in the last 5 years Seattle has the best record of any NFC team. Regardless of how good your division isn't, there are still 10 other games each year to play and that come to bear in who wins the division. Better adjust the tint and hue on your set.

You are right, in your "world there's shades of grey". Your Statement makes no sense. If nine wins takes the division and you can get 6 of those wins from weak division opponents that means you only have to go 3-7 against the rest of the league.

 

[VTjkru]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:v. tr. 1. To pay (a party) too much. 2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).v. intr. To pay too much. That's what's wrong.

 

[mad sweeney]

So, I can see why Seahawks fans would be thrilled to have a No. 4 WR the quality of Deion Branch.

What I can't see, however, is how Seahawks fans aren't seething mad over the fact that they traded away a first round draft pick to get this guy.

Because I care about wins and losses more than your fantasy roster. We have a home playoff game this weekend that we're favored to win. We'll be heading to Green Bay (if we win) the following week and we feel we have a decent shot there. Overall, we feel we have a fighting chance to see our team in the Super Bowl again.In my world there's shades of grey. It doesn't have to be undefeated super bowl champ or absolute joke. There are degrees of success, and overall I'm happy with the success of my local team. They've just won their fourth consecutive NFC west crown.

Seething mad?

Are you saying they couldn't have done this without Branch? And to put your 4 NFC West crowns in perspective, in the last four years Seattle is the only team in the NFC West to finish above .500. You see, my world is in color.

And in the last 5 years Seattle has the best record of any NFC team. Regardless of how good your division isn't, there are still 10 other games each year to play and that come to bear in who wins the division. Better adjust the tint and hue on your set.

You are right, in your "world there's shades of grey". Your Statement makes no sense. If nine wins takes the division and you can get 6 of those wins from weak division opponents that means you only have to go 3-7 against the rest of the league.

The Seahawks haven't taken 6 wins from their division in any of their 4 NFCW crowns. Maybe in 05 I'm not sure, but they were the best team in the NFC so mocking their division in that case is pointless.

 

[bostonfred]

ball dropping cancer

giggle

 

[mad sweeney]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

 

[Phurfur]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

You need a Business 101 class. Overpaying is bad business and if you do it enough you won't win. Example: What if they had used that money to keep their offensive line in tact?

 

[Borat]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

The Patriots got Randy Moss for a 4th round pick. The Seahawks got Deion Branch for a 1st. Does that clarify things for you?

 

[mad sweeney]

He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team

Best WR on the team?661 yards receiving and 4 TD's.

11 games Better stats doesn't equal best WR on a team Do you really think Bobby Engram is better than Housh, Steve Smith, Boldin and Burress? After all he has more yards than all of them. Or maybe he's better than Holt, Edwards, 85, TO and Ward. After all he has more receptions than all of them. Let me know when stats out of context directly relate to how good a player is.

 

[mad sweeney]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

The Patriots got Randy Moss for a 4th round pick. The Seahawks got Deion Branch for a 1st. Does that clarify things for you?

That either means that Welker is a better WR tan Moss or NE overpaid for him.

 

[Phurfur]

He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team

Best WR on the team?661 yards receiving and 4 TD's.

11 games Better stats doesn't equal best WR on a team Do you really think Bobby Engram is better than Housh, Steve Smith, Boldin and Burress? After all he has more yards than all of them. Or maybe he's better than Holt, Edwards, 85, TO and Ward. After all he has more receptions than all of them. Let me know when stats out of context directly relate to how good a player is.

No he isn't but he is better and more valuable than Branch.

 

[kevjones22]

The division has been stronger, the rams before the last two years were a very solid team, and the cards are up and coming. Keep in mind they have also been dominated by Seattle which adds 1-2 losses to each of the teams in the NFC West each season.

 

[Borat]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

The Patriots got Randy Moss for a 4th round pick. The Seahawks got Deion Branch for a 1st. Does that clarify things for you?

That either means that Welker is a better WR tan Moss or NE overpaid for him.

Not at all.The Pats got perhaps the best WR in the game for a song. That's a steal. Call it "underpaying."

The 'Hawks got a #2 receiver for their top pick in the draft. That's called getting

Welker for a 2nd round pick is about right.

One WR was a bargain, one was overpaid for, and one was had for a fair price.

 

[BoltBacker]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

You need a Business 101 class. Overpaying is bad business and if you do it enough you won't win. Example: What if they had used that money to keep their offensive line in tact?

If the pats had overpaid Branch last year they would probably be the defending SB champions.

 

[mad sweeney]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

You need a Business 101 class. Overpaying is bad business and if you do it enough you won't win. Example: What if they had used that money to keep their offensive line in tact?

Well since the OL hasn't changed since Branch joined the team I'm not sure what you mean. Hutch was already gone. Tobeck retired and his replacement was already on the team as was Hutch's.And yes, overpaying is not a good habit to get into, but since this a) is still up in the air as to how much they overpaid and b) hasn't hurt the team anyways I think they'll survive a minor incident of potential overpaying.

 

[mad sweeney]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

The Patriots got Randy Moss for a 4th round pick. The Seahawks got Deion Branch for a 1st. Does that clarify things for you?

That either means that Welker is a better WR tan Moss or NE overpaid for him.

Not at all.The Pats got perhaps the best WR in the game for a song. That's a steal. Call it "underpaying."

The 'Hawks got a #2 receiver for their top pick in the draft. That's called getting

Welker for a 2nd round pick is about right.

One WR was a bargain, one was overpaid for, and one was had for a fair price.

You're right, I guess they could have drafted one of those great WR1s: Meachem, Buster Davis or Gonzales.Oh wait, Gonzales has better stats than Harrison, so I guess that means that he's a better WR than Marvin. What were the Hawks thinking?!

 

[Borat]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

The Patriots got Randy Moss for a 4th round pick. The Seahawks got Deion Branch for a 1st. Does that clarify things for you?

That either means that Welker is a better WR tan Moss or NE overpaid for him.

Not at all.The Pats got perhaps the best WR in the game for a song. That's a steal. Call it "underpaying."

The 'Hawks got a #2 receiver for their top pick in the draft. That's called getting

Welker for a 2nd round pick is about right.

One WR was a bargain, one was overpaid for, and one was had for a fair price.

You're right, I guess they could have drafted one of those great WR1s: Meachem, Buster Davis or Gonzales.Oh wait, Gonzales has better stats than Harrison, so I guess that means that he's a better WR than Marvin. What were the Hawks thinking?!

What?Look, the bottom line is that yes, Seattle does regret trading their 1st round pick away for Deion Branch. Branch had health issues in New England, and it's really no surprise that he continues to have these issues in Seattle. And even if he had stayed healthy, he's just not a #1 receiver, plain and simple. He's been in the league six years now, and he still hasn't even topped 1,000 yards in a season. The Pats had two receivers this year that had better years than Branch has ever had.

To deny that Seattle would like to have that trade back is just plain silly.

A better question to ask:

Who regrets this trade more, Seattle or Deion Branch?

 

[mad sweeney]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

The Patriots got Randy Moss for a 4th round pick. The Seahawks got Deion Branch for a 1st. Does that clarify things for you?

That either means that Welker is a better WR tan Moss or NE overpaid for him.

Not at all.The Pats got perhaps the best WR in the game for a song. That's a steal. Call it "underpaying."

The 'Hawks got a #2 receiver for their top pick in the draft. That's called getting

Welker for a 2nd round pick is about right.

One WR was a bargain, one was overpaid for, and one was had for a fair price.

You're right, I guess they could have drafted one of those great WR1s: Meachem, Buster Davis or Gonzales.Oh wait, Gonzales has better stats than Harrison, so I guess that means that he's a better WR than Marvin. What were the Hawks thinking?!

What?Look, the bottom line is that yes, Seattle does regret trading their 1st round pick away for Deion Branch. Branch had health issues in New England, and it's really no surprise that he continues to have these issues in Seattle. And even if he had stayed healthy, he's just not a #1 receiver, plain and simple. He's been in the league six years now, and he still hasn't even topped 1,000 yards in a season. The Pats had two receivers this year that had better years than Branch has ever had.

To deny that Seattle would like to have that trade back is just plain silly.

A better question to ask:

Who regrets this trade more, Seattle or Deion Branch?

He was 2 yards away from 1000 in the past and was hurt for half this year plus he missed 4 games last year while being traded. That's not as bad as you make it sound. Plus Brady and company have set massive records this year so comparing WR production to the ones they have there now is out of proportion.I don't think Seattle regrets it at all is my point. At this point it looks like they may have overpaid, I'm still not convinced but the evidence is more on one side than the other right now. But so what? They were able to move Jackson by getting Branch, his foot injury isn't anything related to an injury in NE and he would've played this weekend if they needed the game. They didn't break the bank for him, put their team in cap hell for him or lose out on any coveted player for him. Even i it does end up that they overpaid for him, that happens. Few deals work out square and fair for both sides. But he's close enough to not worry about the trade anymore, provided he gets healthy next year and produces. If he doesn't then in hindsight it will have been a bad move. Big deal. Seattle doesn't have a gaping hole that the draft pick would've filled. At this point I don't see it as a bad thing. Certainly not enough to call it buyer's remorse. Ask again after the playoffs.

 

[PatsWillWin]

I don't watch many 'Hawks games, but I can say from watching Branch during his tenure in New England that his value cannot be measured by merely looking at the stats at the end of the year.

I think what they gave up for him might still be too much, but this is a pretty simplistic OP - the NFL is not a fantasy league.

 

[BoltBacker]

Okay, you want more objectivity in the stats? Let's look at Football Outsiders.

Branch's DPAR (Defense-adjusted Points Above Replacement) rating is 47th best among WR. That is a very poor rating for a player who is supposed to be one of the top 20 WR in the league.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr.php

I don't know why you persist with this delusion that Branch was a good acquisition by the Seahawks. Don't you have any concept of opportunity cost and what that first round draft pick represents which they gave up for him?

So according to that stat Bobby Engram is the seventh best WR... better than Fitz/Holt/Housh/Boldin? Sounds like a great stat to use to compare WR's. Spot on.

 

[Phurfur]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

You need a Business 101 class. Overpaying is bad business and if you do it enough you won't win. Example: What if they had used that money to keep their offensive line in tact?

If the pats had overpaid Branch last year they would probably be the defending SB champions.

Yes, his 725 yards and 4 TDs would have put them over the top. Nice call.

 

[BoltBacker]

He's a spread WR, I think Seattle moves toward this offense next year. They certainly over-paid...

Again, what's wrong with overpaying? They got him for free last year and made Jackson expendable so they got a 4th in return. He's a better WR than the other WRs on the team, his contract isn't too big and he has SB winning experience. I'd rather have him at #1 than Darrell the Dropper. If he can't stay healthy next year and isn't a good WR1 then I'll grant that he wasn't worth it, but too soon to be certain about it yet. What's the success rate of round 1 picks? There's no quarantee that whoever they would've chosen would make an impact by this point in his career and NE was able to steal a division rival's #1 pick in the process. So a 4th back, a ball dropping cancer-to-be to SF along with SF giving away their #1 next year in return for a guy that took awhile to learn the system and has been hurt this season. It wasn't overpaying to the point of hurting the team, so overpaying isn't always a bad thing.

What's wrong with the definition of overpaying!? From the American Heritage Dictionary:

v. tr.

1. To pay (a party) too much.

2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due).

v. intr.

To pay too much.

That's what's wrong.

Thanks for the definition of it, although I'm pretty sure I knew what it meant beforehand. My point is, even if you do overpay, if it doesn't hurt you to do so, it isn't that bad. It's not like Branch is a complete bum who's ruined the team's chemistry and cap. He's underperformed due to injury and learning a new system, wow I'm sure that's never happened before. But when he's in there he's usually a good player. So where's the problem? What would/could they have done with that 1st round pick and DJax that they haven't done without them?

You need a Business 101 class. Overpaying is bad business and if you do it enough you won't win. Example: What if they had used that money to keep their offensive line in tact?

If the pats had overpaid Branch last year they would probably be the defending SB champions.

Yes, his 725 yards and 4 TDs would have put them over the top. Nice call.

Did you watch the game where they got eliminated from the playoffs?I'm not sure what last years regular season has to do with how Branch would have helped them in the playoffs... they were in position to win last year. The only reason they lost to IND is because of a bunch of dropped passes by the WR's.

 

[Mr Capicollo]

This guy is clearly not worth the first round draft pick the Seahawks traded away to get him. He's the fourth best WR on the team.

661 yards and 4 TD's on the season

Pathetic!

The person in the Seahawks organization responsibile for that trade should be fired!

All things that come after are irrelevant.

 

[Mr Capicollo]

Okay, you want more objectivity in the stats? Let's look at Football Outsiders.

Branch's DPAR (Defense-adjusted Points Above Replacement) rating is 47th best among WR. That is a very poor rating for a player who is supposed to be one of the top 20 WR in the league.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr.php

I don't know why you persist with this delusion that Branch was a good acquisition by the Seahawks. Don't you have any concept of opportunity cost and what that first round draft pick represents which they gave up for him?

You have no idea what opportunity cost means. Here are the picks between the Seahawks first rounder and the Seahawks second rounder. Which player has a higher value than Branch? Didnt think of this did you? Really bad argument, congratulations.

24 New England Patriots (from Seattle) [11] Meriweather, BrandonBrandon Meriweather Safety Miami (Florida)

25 Carolina Panthers (from New York Jets) [8] Beason, JonJon Beason Linebacker Miami (Florida)

26 Dallas Cowboys (from Philadelphia) [12] Spencer, AnthonyAnthony Spencer Defensive end Purdue

27 New Orleans Saints Meachem, RobertRobert Meachem Wide receiver Tennessee

28 San Francisco 49ers (from New England) [13] Staley, JoeJoe Staley Offensive tackle Central Michigan

29 Baltimore Ravens Grubbs, BenBen Grubbs Offensive guard Auburn

30 San Diego Chargers Davis, CraigCraig Davis Wide receiver LSU

31 Chicago Bears Olsen, GregGreg Olsen Tight end Miami (Florida)

32 Indianapolis Colts Gonzalez, AnthonyAnthony Gonzalez Wide receiver Ohio State

[edit] Round two

Pick # NFL Team Player Position College

33 Arizona Cardinals (from Oakland) [14] Branch, AlanAlan Branch Defensive tackle Michigan

34 Buffalo Bills (from Detroit) [15] Poslusny, PaulPaul Posluszny Linebacker Penn State

35 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arron Sears Offensive tackle Tennessee

36 Philadelphia Eagles (from Cleveland through Dallas) [10] [12] Kolb, KevinKevin Kolb Quarterback Houston

37 San Diego Chargers (from Washington through Chicago via New York Jets) [16] Weddle, EricEric Weddle Safety Utah

38 Oakland Raiders (from Arizona) [14] Miller, ZachZach Miller Tight end Arizona State

39 Atlanta Falcons (from Houston) [7] Blalock, JustinJustin Blalock Offensive guard Texas

40 Miami Dolphins Beck, JohnJohn Beck Quarterback BYU

41 Atlanta Falcons (from Minnesota) [17] Houston, ChrisChris Houston Cornerback Arkansas

42 Indianapolis Colts (from San Francisco) [18] Ugoh, TonyTony Ugoh Offensive tackle Arkansas

43 Detroit Lions (from Buffalo) [15] Stanton, DrewDrew Stanton Quarterback Michigan State

44 Minnesota Vikings (from Atlanta) [17] Rice, SidneySidney Rice Wide receiver South Carolina

45 Carolina Panthers Jarrett, DwayneDwayne Jarrett Wide receiver USC

46 Pittsburgh Steelers Woodley, LaMarrLaMarr Woodley Defensive end Michigan

47 New York Jets (from Green Bay) [19] Harris, DavidDavid Harris Linebacker Michigan

48 Jacksonville Jaguars Durant, JustinJustin Durant Linebacker Hampton

49 Cincinnati Bengals Irons, KennyKenny Irons Running back Auburn

50 Tennessee Titans Henry, ChrisChris Henry Running back Arizona

51 New York Giants Smith, SteveSteve Smith Wide receiver USC

52 St. Louis Rams Leonard, BrianBrian Leonard Fullback Rutgers

53 Cleveland Browns (from Dallas) [20] Wright, EricEric Wright Cornerback UNLV

54 Kansas City Chiefs McBride, TurkTurk McBride Defensive end Tennessee

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Season Team Receiving Rushing Fumbles G GS Rec Yds Avg Long TD 2007 Seattle Seahawks 11 11 49 661 13.5 65 4 16 game average: 16 16 71 976 7Calvin Johnson the #2 pick:

Season Team  Receiving Rushing Fumbles 					 G GS Rec Yds Avg Long TD 2007  Detroit Lions  15  10  48 756 15.8 49 4

Bobby Meachem the first Wr taken after the Seahawks pick:

ZERO, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO

Craig Davis the second Wr taken after Seahawks pick:

Season Team  Receiving Rushing Fumbles 						  G GS Rec Yds Avg Long TD 2007  San Diego Chargers  14  1  20 188 9.4 18 1

Here's what I'll say: There are a lot of people who don't understand prospects, the draft, or really the NFL. Some post here. Some think a 24th pick in the first round is more valuable than a proven player and in some cases that may be true. But in the end the late first round guys are far from guaranteed and comparing subsequent moves by the teams in question like the Moss trade is essentially 4th grade material. Was it a good trade? It takes years to figure this stuff out and you have to look beyond the actual pick and the player involved. You have to include the Meachems and the Davis' in the argument which the OP probably doesn't even know exists. Seattle has the win now mentality which likely makes no sense to the OP because that would make too much sense. This is a thread disguised as a look at me I lost my fantasy league this year so I'll blame Deion Branch because I have no idea what I'm talking about thread.

 

[eom]

branch wanted too much money --- how much did he end up getting?

I was sorry he had to leave, but thank christ the Pats cut him loose.

that's why I love that team.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

BusterTbronco=Ghost Rider alias? He cries a lot on this subject so that's why I guess.

 

[Ghost Rider]

I don't think not having Branch cost the Patriots the game last year vs. the Colts. They scored 34 points (albeit 7 of them were off of an INT return). The defense collapsing in the second half is why they lost to the Colts in the AFC title game.

Like I have said along, Branch is a pretty good player, but that is all. He is not a game breaker. He is not a number 1 WR. The fact that he has never gotten 1,000 yards in a season or caught more than 5 TDs in a season says it all. He is a pretty good number 2 NFL WR. Is that worth a first round pick? Maybe, maybe not.

What is funny is, too, is all we heard last year was how Branch never put up big numbers in New England because Tom Brady likes to spread the ball around, but this year blew that theory out of the water.

Branch has had the advantage of playing with two great QBs over the course of his entire career (Hasselbeck IS a great QB, I don't care what anyone else says), and in offenses that have no problem throwing the ball all over the place, yet his season average is 53-688-4, so it is not like his numbers have been stifled by playing in a run-first or conservative offense. I guess if you are happy having a first round pick who is a pretty good WR at best, then, yes, he was worth a first round pick.

And please note that there was no crying in my post whatsoever , not to mention that I was out all evening, so I couldn't have possibly started this thread with a supposed alias.

 

[BoltBacker]

I don't think not having Branch cost the Patriots the game last year vs. the Colts.

All I can tell you is NE had the game in hand and the WR's the Patriots were forced to play dropped a bunch of balls that ended up giving the ball right back to Manning/IND in the second half. If you think the WR's weren't a huge factor in NE's loss last season in IND I'll accept that as your view and a difference of opinion between us. It sure seems coincidental NE goes out and adds Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Donte Stallworth all in the same off season just months after that game though. They didn't just go out and get a #1 WR... they went out and got a new #1, #2 and #3 WR. BTW, the starting WR that dropped a lot of those balls didn't even make the roster this season. It's almost as if someone in the organization wasn't happy with the level of play at WR.

 

[Borat]

Here's what I'll say: There are a lot of people who don't understand prospects, the draft, or really the NFL. Some post here. Some think a 24th pick in the first round is more valuable than a proven player and in some cases that may be true. But in the end the late first round guys are far from guaranteed and comparing subsequent moves by the teams in question like the Moss trade is essentially 4th grade material.

Was it a good trade? It takes years to figure this stuff out and you have to look beyond the actual pick and the player involved. You have to include the Meachems and the Davis' in the argument which the OP probably doesn't even know exists. Seattle has the win now mentality which likely makes no sense to the OP because that would make too much sense. This is a thread disguised as a look at me I lost my fantasy league this year so I'll blame Deion Branch because I have no idea what I'm talking about thread.

Nonsense. You don't think other trades that happen around the league are a good indication of the value GMs see in draft picks versus established players? Seriously? You think they're irrelevant to the discussion?Chris Chambers was traded for a 2nd round pick

Wes Welker was traded for 2nd and 7th round picks

Randy Moss was traded for a 4th round pick

Willis McGahee was traded for 3rd and 7th round picks

Darrell Jackson was traded for a 4th round pick

Thomas Jones was included in a trade to swap 2nd round picks

Trent Green was traded for a 5th round pick

Pete Kendall was traded for a 4th round pick

You don't think Deion Branch for a 1st isn't a little out of whack with the rest of these recent player-for-a-pick trades? You don't think they are at least relavent to the discussion?

And seriously... you're going to say, "There are a lot of people who don't understand prospects, the draft, or really the NFL. Some post here. Some think a 24th pick in the first round is more valuable than a proven player and in some cases that may be true..." when clearly, to a great many NFL general managers, the 24th pick in the 1st round is clearly more valuable than a proven player?

We're obviously not talking someone like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady - guys who obviously would be well worth the 24th pick in the draft - we are talking about Deion Branch, a WR who will now be entering his 7th season in the league, who (blame it on learning new systems, injuries, whatever) has not even reached 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

I'm sorry, but it is foolish to think that any more than a very small handful of NFL GMs would value an established player of Branch's caliber more than they'd value the 24th pick in the NFL draft.

But you keep questioning everyone else's knowledge of prospects, the draft, and the NFL.