Alan Branch signs with Bills

sutz

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
29,134
Reaction score
5,147
Location
Kent, WA
Kinda sorry to see him go, but it looks like we have it covered with the FA signings, some young kids up and coming and the draft just around the corner.
 

Rat

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
8,693
Reaction score
2,449
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Would have liked to have seen us match that. Oh well, can't get them all.
 

The Outfield

New member
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
2,547
Reaction score
0
$3M makes it seem worth keeping him, but at least he went to a team in the other conference.
 

pehawk

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
24,216
Reaction score
1,738
Rat":3p4wn6dk said:
Would have liked to have seen us match that. Oh well, can't get them all.

Yeah, I echo this thought. It sucks, but doesn't sting.

The fact they didn't match leads me to believe maybe there's hopes for Howard. Pete "redshirted" Tate his rookie year too, pretty much. Maybe thats part of it? I know this regime thinks in advanced like that at times.
 

Hamhawk

New member
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
2,166
Reaction score
0
Location
Kenmore WA
I guess I'm feeling ok with Branch leaving,...PC and JS could have signed him if they really wanted too and chose not to do so,...I'm good with their decision,...
 

mikeak

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
8,202
Reaction score
25
Location
Anchorage, AK
Yes and not to the above. Sometimes players makes it personal. If they were offered $3million here and $3million with the Bills they may hold a grudge against an organization they played in for not valuing them higher etc

Not sure if that happened but I am also in the camp that are surprised that he didn't get signed for $3million especially when some of the talk is about drafting to help this position........
 

WestcoastSteve

Active member
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Messages
2,719
Reaction score
0
The Outfield":3ororaee said:
$3M makes it seem worth keeping him, but at least he went to a team in the other conference.

Agree with those who said perhaps he was willing to take less from another team because we wouldn't give him a multi year deal. He's a solid tackle, but I don't think he was in our long-term plans.
 

OrFan

New member
Joined
Mar 4, 2007
Messages
3,424
Reaction score
0
Well I guess he will just have to miss the party at the end of this season. I'm sure the Bills will have one too :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

Rat

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
8,693
Reaction score
2,449
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
mikeak":1d3rdpob said:
Yes and not to the above. Sometimes players makes it personal. If they were offered $3million here and $3million with the Bills they may hold a grudge against an organization they played in for not valuing them higher etc.
I could see that if it wasn't Buffalo. Nobody goes to Buffalo if there's an option to not go to Buffalo.

I would think he'd have received more playing time here than with the Bills anyway. I thought the Bills already had a few decent run-stuffers, although I know Marcel Dareus has been a disappointment so far.
 

HawkFan72

Active member
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Messages
16,570
Reaction score
1
Location
Bay Area, CA
Dan Quinn must not have been a fan.

Branch was a good player for us and helped make our D one of the best in the NFL. He's still young and was good insurance for Red Bryant too. Wish he was coming back, but oh well.
 

jlwaters1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
2,986
Reaction score
86
I don't get all the Branch love. He was an ok player. But for a guy who specializes in run-stopping, he wasn't much of a factor when the run defense went down the tube the 2nd half of the year. Add to that he's completely worthless in terms of pass rushing. We certainly needed to find an upgrade for his spot. So I'm not sorry to see him go.
 

The Outfield

New member
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
2,547
Reaction score
0
jlwaters1":1o7yhlik said:
I don't get all the Branch love. He was an ok player. But for a guy who specializes in run-stopping, he wasn't much of a factor when the run defense went down the tube the 2nd half of the year. Add to that he's completely worthless in terms of pass rushing. We certainly needed to find an upgrade for his spot. So I'm not sorry to see him go.

That's a good point, maybe the FO discovered why exactly the run defense went down the tube and maybe Branch was a part of it.
 

Rat

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
8,693
Reaction score
2,449
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
jlwaters1":r6dvu25m said:
I don't get all the Branch love. He was an ok player. But for a guy who specializes in run-stopping, he wasn't much of a factor when the run defense went down the tube the 2nd half of the year. Add to that he's completely worthless in terms of pass rushing. We certainly needed to find an upgrade for his spot. So I'm not sorry to see him go.
Nobody is saying he's some All-Pro or anything like that. He plays what appears to currently be our weakest position, and an "ok player" is much better than anything else that's out there right now, and most likely better (for next season anyway) than anything we could land in the mid-rounds of the draft.

Losing him is very unlikely to be the ultimate difference in how far this team goes next season, but with how our DT group currently looks, I think keeping him would have been much better than not.
 

cacksman

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
765
Reaction score
0
I don't remember even noticing Branch until the Redskins? game. Maybe I'm not as perceptive as others but could his one strong game down the stretch be clouding everyone's judgment on the type of impact Branch had?
 

LawlessHawk

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
1,426
Reaction score
0
Location
Tonasket, WA to Temecula, CA
A player most of us would have liked to see retained for that price, but it also leads me to believe that with the FA moves on the DL made already that PC/JS have their eye on the draft to cover that spot at this point. With 10 or whatever picks, they'll probably draft a future pro-browler out of North West Oklahoma Pan Handle State University...
 

Bakergirl

New member
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
3,297
Reaction score
0
Location
Seattle
Good luck to you Mr. Branch and thanks for the good times. :th2thumbs:
 

jlwaters1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
2,986
Reaction score
86
Rat":j54jvaax said:
jlwaters1":j54jvaax said:
I don't get all the Branch love. He was an ok player. But for a guy who specializes in run-stopping, he wasn't much of a factor when the run defense went down the tube the 2nd half of the year. Add to that he's completely worthless in terms of pass rushing. We certainly needed to find an upgrade for his spot. So I'm not sorry to see him go.
Nobody is saying he's some All-Pro or anything like that. He plays what appears to currently be our weakest position, and an "ok player" is much better than anything else that's out there right now, and most likely better (for next season anyway) than anything we could land in the mid-rounds of the draft.

Losing him is very unlikely to be the ultimate difference in how far this team goes next season, but with how our DT group currently looks, I think keeping him would have been much better than not.

I don't agree. you can find run stuffers in this year's draft. It's not exactly a rare skillset to find. I don't think his value to this team was equivalent to 3million + . Furthermore, looking ahead to this coming year, pass rushing will be more important than run stuffing, IMO . The reason I say this is, let's suppose that RW and the offense take a step forward from where it left off last year and hits the ground running to start the season.

Than there's a very good chance this defense will be playing with a lead in the majority of the games (as opposed to last year were most of the first 8 games where tight affairs.). Which in turn will force opponents to abandon (or severly limit) their running game to keep up. Therefore, we'll have more teams passing on us than ever before. So it behooves us to tool up for a robust pass rush, even if that means sacrificing a little against the run.
 

Frozenropers

Active member
Joined
Mar 4, 2007
Messages
977
Reaction score
140
Location
Seattle, WA
Couple of points here.

1) Branch had to fire his prior agent and sign an new one didn't he? Quite possibly his former agent was asking for considerably more from the Hawks and from everyone else and he just flat priced himself out of his market.
2) The Hawks moved on to what looks to be a combination of McDaniels/Bennett/Jaye Howard at the 3-tech position. Between those three we should be good. As noted above, I wouldn't sleep on Howard. Quinn had him at Florida and he may have been just "redshirting" last season as he built up strength and got familiar with the pro game.
3) Branch signing now for that price, looks to be a bit of desparation. His new agent probably told him he missed the market and now better get on board with someone.

Really, our weakest position on the D-Line, IMO, appears to be depth behind Mebane. I imagine McDonald will play that role, but I'd really like us to draft a young space eater DT to backup Mebane in the draft.

Moving On!
 

Latest posts

Top