52 replies to this topic

[krunk]

http://www.nfl.com/n...ngalnd-patriots


I didn't expect them to make this move this weekend. Strange.


Looks like he's been replaced by Greg Salas. I know some of you were saying we should pick up Salas from the Patriots practice squad.

[PrincetonTiger]

wow

[ManningToCollie]

Meh, not surprised really. He's been very limited this season.

[krunk]

Didn't think it would happen a day before the game though!

[PrincetonTiger]

Didn't think it would happen a day before the game though!

agreed

[SteelCityColt]

Odd timing certainly, it will be interesting to see what Salas is like.

Do we need the obligatory "Should we sign Branch" thread now?

[Andy]

Funny, he was targeted a lot the past few weeks.

Not classy to release him the day before the game.

[Stephen]

patriots are cruel

[Smonroe]

Odd timing certainly, it will be interesting to see what Salas is like.

Do we need the obligatory "Should we sign Branch" thread now?

Please no. Although I'm sure someone will start one...

[coltsrule91]

this was an injury move. welker, llyod, and branch were all questionable going into tomorrows game.

[PrincetonTiger]

the move is just cruel

[PrincetonTiger]

this was an injury move. welker, llyod, and branch were all questionable going into tomorrows game.

the move must mean Welker and/or Lloyd are out Sunday.

[Indy3117]

Didn't think it would happen a day before the game though!

Remember who we are talking about. This is the same team that got rid of Tiquan Underwood the day before the Super Bowl.

[-JJ-]

he was released earlier and came back.

[ReMeDy]

Funny, he was targeted a lot the past few weeks.

Not classy to release him the day before the game.

Remember Underwood?
http://sports.yahoo....-004651704.html

They cut him the day before the Superbowl. Ironically, he even got the team's logo shaved into his head before the cut. The Patriots have no respect for their players, including their veterans (ie. Vrabel, Bruschi, etc.) Of course, the Patriot faithful will inhumanely counter that this disrespect to their players doesn't mean anything and that football is a business. I got into a shouting match with a Pats fan on this forum over this.

It wouldn't shock me if Tom Brady gets traded as he reaches his decline.

[Andy]

Remember Underwood?
http://sports.yahoo....-004651704.html

They cut him the day before the Superbowl. Ironically, he even got the team's logo shaved into his head before the cut. The Patriots have no respect for their players, including their veterans (ie. Vrabel, Bruschi, etc.) Of course, the Patriot faithful will inhumanely counter that this disrespect to their players doesn't mean anything and that football is a business. I got into a shouting match with a Pats fan on this forum over this.

It wouldn't shock me if Tom Brady gets traded as he reaches his decline.

I mean, to do that to a guy like Deion, who has a history with New England, is just not right.

Maybe they're a step above a lot of organizations, but it seems like that's one place I wouldn't want to be apart of.

[PrincetonTiger]

A Sad move

[Flying Elvis]

Remember who we are talking about. This is the same team that got rid of Tiquan Underwood the day before the Super Bowl.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4727775/underwood-thrilled-to-receive-ring

[Smonroe]

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4727775/underwood-thrilled-to-receive-ring

Why did they cut him then? Was it to save money?

[chad72]

They didn't want Butler picking on Branch, LOL.

[emac]

I think New England is scared......bring in the Hybrid Monster. People in Vegas will lose money on Sunday.

[Pombi9]

http://espn.go.com/b...to-receive-ring

Ask Edje it is not the same. And no article on ESPN no matter how cutesy can make it the same as being there. He does not even look excited in that picture....

[BradyMVPMontana]

His replacement is Greg Salas... All time leading receiver from Hawaii, did alot of damage from the slot position.. He is kind of like a Danny Amendola, Tim Dwight, or Brandon Stokley type but has an outside game as well.

[emac]

In the slightly altered words of the Russian from Rocky IV........"they (New England) will lose."

[Indy3117]

http://espn.go.com/b...to-receive-ring

Sure, that is great and all, but it's not the same thing. If I told you you had a chance to play in a Super Bowl or to get a ring no matter what, I think you'd take playing in the Super Bowl.

[Gavin]

The Patriots releasing a once very good receiver (but not great) because of injury and lack of production and the simple fact is he is past his prime? How dare they! This should come as no surprise, ya wanna be a winner? ya make hard and sometimes cold and calculated decisions no matter the time of year, This decision wasnt a hard one from an outsider looking in, he was injured, passed his prime and didnt produce at a high level except when he had Brady throwing to him (certainly helped didn't it), He was good but replaceable

[Chicago-Colts Fan1287]

Wow

[QwizBoy]

I'm sure they thought long and hard about it and made the right decision.

[Jason_S]

I mean, to do that to a guy like Deion, who has a history with New England, is just not right.

Maybe they're a step above a lot of organizations, but it seems like that's one place I wouldn't want to be apart of.

How is it "just not right"? Football is a business right? They had to do what gave them the best chance to win. The fact that the release came so late tells me that they were holding out every hope that he'd be ready to play, but when he wasn't, they simply couldn't afford to keep him on the roster just for sentimental reasons. They had to make sure they had a full set of weapons for Brady to give them the best chance to win. Should they have simply kept Branch on the roster, knowing he would not be able to contribue, and therefore go into the game short-handed? That might have been the sentimental thing to do but wouldn't be good business.

And how can anyone say that it was "classless"? For all we know, Belicheck spoke to Branch throughout the week telling them what the options were. Maybe he talked to Branch just before the release and told him that once he's healthy again, they'd be more than willing to re-sign him. Without all the possible information, there's no way for anyone to accurately say it was a classless move.

[GoColts8818]

Didn't think it would happen a day before the game though!

this is the same team that cut a guy the night before the Super Bowl. Short of benching Tom Brady no personal move the pats make shocks me and heck if Brady was having an awful day I wouldn't put it past bb to bench him.

[GoColts8818]

I mean, to do that to a guy like Deion, who has a history with New England, is just not right.

Maybe they're a step above a lot of organizations, but it seems like that's one place I wouldn't want to be apart of.

we cut Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison when we felt it was best for our team to move on from them if we can do that I fail to see how cutting branch is just not right.

[Andy]

we cut Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison when we felt it was best for our team to move on from them if we can do that I fail to see how cutting branch is just not right.

I'm not upset at the fact that he's been there for a long time and he's cut, I'm upset and calling it "not classy" because they did it the night before a game.

[Andy]

How is it "just not right"? Football is a business right? They had to do what gave them the best chance to win. The fact that the release came so late tells me that they were holding out every hope that he'd be ready to play, but when he wasn't, they simply couldn't afford to keep him on the roster just for sentimental reasons. They had to make sure they had a full set of weapons for Brady to give them the best chance to win. Should they have simply kept Branch on the roster, knowing he would not be able to contribue, and therefore go into the game short-handed? That might have been the sentimental thing to do but wouldn't be good business.

And how can anyone say that it was "classless"? For all we know, Belicheck spoke to Branch throughout the week telling them what the options were. Maybe he talked to Branch just before the release and told him that once he's healthy again, they'd be more than willing to re-sign him. Without all the possible information, there's no way for anyone to accurately say it was a classless move.

As I said to GoColts1888, I should have clarified and said that it wasn't classy to release a vet like him the night before hte game.

[Gavin]

Business decisions dont require class they simple require a smart move, Deion is 32, injured, now last year he did have 5 touchdowns so he is still capable of producing with the right QB, But when you have a younger player ready to play and have to release a player that is simply replaceable at this stage in his career then you make the move

[Jason_S]

As I said to GoColts1888, I should have clarified and said that it wasn't classy to release a vet like him the night before hte game.

Eh, like i said, to me that sounds more like they were holding out hope he'd be ready to play, but when saturday came and he still wasnt physically ready they did what they had to do. I can see your point but still think its very unfair to call it a classless move without all the information

[Andy]

Eh, like i said, to me that sounds more like they were holding out hope he'd be ready to play, but when saturday came and he still wasnt physically ready they did what they had to do. I can see your point but still think its very unfair to call it a classless move without all the information

Yes, I don't have all the info, but still, you're gonna need a heck of an excuse to cut a guy that's been a fan favourite for awhile (and still being somewhat targeted by Brady).

[Jason_S]

Yes, I don't have all the info, but still, you're gonna need a heck of an excuse to cut a guy that's been a fan favourite for awhile (and still being somewhat targeted by Brady).

And the fact that he was not healthy enough to play and they needed another healthy receiver wasnt a good enough excuse? And again, who's to say branch wont be brought back once he is healthy again? And again, whos to say belicheck and branch didnt have a discussion before the announcement was made? Regardless, its a business. The pats, just like the colts, have to do whatever it takes to give them the best chance to win. Cutting a guy who wont be physically able to take the field in favor of a guy who can is hardly lacking class....imo.

[04DarkShadowGT]

I'm not upset at the fact that he's been there for a long time and he's cut, I'm upset and calling it "not classy" because they did it the night before a game.

Who cares if it is before a game? So it would be better for them to do it Monday instead?

No one on here would give two rips if this was any other team. I guess you should send a memo to all NFL teams and let them know when the appropropriate time to release a player is. That and make them aware that your tenure on the team makes it not ok to do so before a game day.

Ridiculous.

People on here were talkiing how classless it was for Irsay to let Manning go and that they would never be Colts fans again, wonder how many of those folks are posting here again? Seems like it turned out to be a pretty good decision and Manning was a far bigger piece to the colts history than Branch. Although it wasnt before game day lol.

[SLILLINGTON10]

while i think as a colts fan i would like to throw this on the fire of my hatered of the pats, as a football fan and to a lesser extent a FF player i understand the need to cut dead weight. only so many roster spots and they like every team needs to field the best team each week.

[ell_chrisso]

Is Talib good to go today, or is he still banned?