Alan Branch signs with Bills

Happypuppy

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
1,975
Reaction score
0
"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. "

I agree it probably played out much like outlined. We are weak behind Mebane and that is a draft target I suspect.
 

Recon_Hawk

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
3,294
Reaction score
448
Location
Vancouver, Wa
I have to agree with most of what everyone has said so far.

I'd like to have brought him back, but I always figured this team wanted/needed to get younger and cheaper along the defensive line.

I think not signing him to only a one year deal either means this is a pretty darn good defensive tackle draft class or that Jaye Howard has a shot to be the starter. Both possibilities are good things for the hawks.
 

mikeak

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
8,202
Reaction score
25
Location
Anchorage, AK
Rat":2atimb91 said:
mikeak":2atimb91 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.
.

Very valid point I did ignore the fact that he is going to Buffalo. On the other hand it seems like every year they convince people that they are about to turn it around :)

I know Mario Williams went there purely for the chance to win a superbowl :D :sarcasm_off:
 

DavidSeven

New member
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
5,742
Reaction score
0
I guess I'm still not seeing a great argument from anyone on what Branch brought to the table last year. Our run defense sucked in the 2nd half of the year, an he was a non-entity in the pass rush. $3 million is a lot to pay for "just a guy."
 

The Yugoslavian

New member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
879
Reaction score
0
Location
Bellevue, WA
Bummer... What was left of my off season free agent period wish list is pretty much now. Resign Branch and add Fed Davis. Too bad
 

jlwaters1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
2,986
Reaction score
86
DavidSeven":1qdfbug4 said:
I guess I'm still not seeing a great argument from anyone on what Branch brought to the table last year. Our run defense sucked in the 2nd half of the year, an he was a non-entity in the pass rush. $3 million is a lot to pay for "just a guy."

I agree
 

Largent80

New member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
36,653
Reaction score
5
Location
The Tex-ASS
Ok. I will say it. He is an idiot for not wanting a ring, 'cause he sure ain't gettin' it there.
 

McGruff

New member
Joined
Mar 2, 2007
Messages
5,260
Reaction score
0
Location
Elma, WA
Using the GB model, Brnach was one of those bottom 70% of the roster players that has to fit into 30% of the salary structure. 3million doesn't fit that, so its next man up.
 

Perfundle

New member
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Messages
194
Reaction score
0
jlwaters1":1n3ixhjv said:
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.
While I agree that someone like Branch is probably replaceable through the draft, I wouldn't sell short the need for an above-average run defense. A good test case is Green Bay, whose defense is in many ways built like Seattle's. Capers' base defense is basically nickel, which improves the pass defense while sacrificing the run. This worked well in 2010, because most of their playoff opponents were not good at running (the exception was Philadelphia, but they jumped out to an early lead and didn't get run on much). It didn't work as well this year (I'm skipping 2011 because even the pass defense was awful that year). First Peterson destroyed them in the last regular season game, costing them a 2-seed. Then Gore and especially Kaepernick obliterated them in the run game at SF.

My point is that although your theory that a great offense will neutralize the need to have a good run offense is true on average, and is probably enough to get a top-2 seed, it might not work against specific teams. SF is the most obvious one, and there's also Washington and NY.
 

The Yugoslavian

New member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
879
Reaction score
0
Location
Bellevue, WA
Branch was a middle of the pack run stuffing DT last year, but the year prior he was in the top quarter. With Red being reduced to a shell of himself last year thanks to the linsfranc fracture, opposing offensive linemen could devote considerably more attention with double teams etc. Branch's way. I think he is under valued by our community a little bit.

Is his loss going to mean our defense won't stop anyone next year? No, but his retention would have meant we stop more people, more often. One year 3 mil isn't too much for us to afford especially since the trade of Flynn. The only thing I can see as a financial hurdle is the suspected imminent signing of Kam to that long term deal. I don't know for sure, but I do know I would of love to have seen Branch hang around for another couple years
 

Hawks46

New member
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
7,498
Reaction score
0
jlwaters brings up a good point.

Our offense was on all cylinders at the end of the year, and by adding Harvin, it looks to be one of the premier units in the league now.

I remember reading a stat on the Rams SB team with the Greatest show on Turf. Their defense was good, not elite, but they were the #1 defense against the run in the league that year. They didn't have a bunch of space eaters, and the theory was that after the 1st quarter, the other team was down by 21 points, so the opposing team abandoned the run and tried to pass to keep up.

Seems like they are tooling the defense up with that theory in mind.
 

CANHawk

New member
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
12,041
Reaction score
0
Location
PoCompton, BC Canada
The Yugoslavian":3puk2m8z said:
Branch was a middle of the pack run stuffing DT last year, but the year prior he was in the top quarter. With Red being reduced to a shell of himself last year thanks to the linsfranc fracture, opposing offensive linemen could devote considerably more attention with double teams etc. Branch's way. I think he is under valued by our community a little bit.

Is his loss going to mean our defense won't stop anyone next year? No, but his retention would have meant we stop more people, more often. One year 3 mil isn't too much for us to afford especially since the trade of Flynn. The only thing I can see as a financial hurdle is the suspected imminent signing of Kam to that long term deal. I don't know for sure, but I do know I would of love to have seen Branch hang around for another couple years

Sure feels that way, don't it? What McGruff said about the GB model probably rings pretty true about Branch. That and maybe they feel Howard is ready to step up and take the job, so $3m wasn't a worth while investment. Draft seems to have a lot of potential run stuffers too.

Either way, godspeed Alan Branch. You did alright by us. Good luck in Buffalo.
 

themunn

Well-known member
Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
3,946
Reaction score
463
I'm telling ya all signs point to Bryant moving to DT

Although has anybody considered we may be considering a 3-4 Defense next year?
I haven't seen it explicitly ruled out, but Bryant and Bennett are ideally built as 3-4 DEs, Mebane as the NT, Avril and Clemons and Irvin as 3-4 LBs and KJ and Wagner as our MLBs.

No?
 

Rat

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
8,693
Reaction score
2,450
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Not sure how this thread isn't Seahawks related, but that's how it goes I guess.
 

XxxZagnutxxX

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2009
Messages
942
Reaction score
5
Location
Kennewick, Wa
OrFan":2xaxabnv said:
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:

Well I'm sure the Bills could present him with a participation trophy after the season.
 

pehawk

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
24,216
Reaction score
1,738
The Yugoslavian":3m3flvwu said:
Branch was a middle of the pack run stuffing DT last year, but the year prior he was in the top quarter. With Red being reduced to a shell of himself last year thanks to the linsfranc fracture, opposing offensive linemen could devote considerably more attention with double teams etc. Branch's way. I think he is under valued by our community a little bit.

Is his loss going to mean our defense won't stop anyone next year? No, but his retention would have meant we stop more people, more often. One year 3 mil isn't too much for us to afford especially since the trade of Flynn. The only thing I can see as a financial hurdle is the suspected imminent signing of Kam to that long term deal. I don't know for sure, but I do know I would of love to have seen Branch hang around for another couple years

Good stuff!
 

Frozenropers

Active member
Joined
Mar 4, 2007
Messages
977
Reaction score
140
Location
Seattle, WA
themunn":dgz7rt92 said:
I'm telling ya all signs point to Bryant moving to DT

Although has anybody considered we may be considering a 3-4 Defense next year?
I haven't seen it explicitly ruled out, but Bryant and Bennett are ideally built as 3-4 DEs, Mebane as the NT, Avril and Clemons and Irvin as 3-4 LBs and KJ and Wagner as our MLBs.

No?



No.

We already run a hybrid version of the 3-4, where our Leo is basically a LBer with his hand in the dirt and our other three D-Linemen run 300+ lbs. Bennett is closer to the ideal build for a 4-3 DE than he is for a 3-4 DE. He's tough against the run, but he's not big enough to hold up as a 3-4 DE.
 

Latest posts

Top