Branch Expendable?

another name that is expendable as we have mentioned previously is Lo-Jack. i think this stat taken from the seattle times says it all:

1. Will Lawrence Jackson, Seattle's first-round pick in 2008, become an impact player? On Saturday he had more penalties (one, for jumping offside) than tackles (none).

Branch and Lo-Jack for some Line or Corner stability. Do it now!

5mil for 3rd WR is alot of dough and don't forget the 1st rounder we traded gave away to NE for this busto..another fantastic move by Ruskell. Yay~!

I think there could be a market for Branch with Denver. With Marshall out indefinitely, and McDaniel's ties with NE's playbook, it could be reasonable that they would want Branch.

I don't think cutting Branch is sensible. If we have one injury We are then depending on a Rookie even though Butler looks good it usually takes some time. Cutting branch surely saves some money but we don't have a cap problem so what does that do to make the Hawks more competitive? When Branch has been on the field for more extended PT he has been productive and he looks healthy for the first time in a long time. I see no reason to let him go in order to keep Ben Obamanu. It's a gamble but the upside might well be worth it after waiting all this time for a healthy Branch.

No,no,no. Do you guys remember the injuries we had at WR at all last year? Branch provides good depth as he could easly be a starter on the team. He will be a quality 3rd reciever. Our best passing formation will be three wides, Carlson and a HB(Edge most likely for blocking purposes). That will be a tough formation for opposing D's to handle. Branch when healthy is just good at playing football. There is no way we will get any decent value for him. This isn't Madden. He is far more valuable to us then he is to any other team. Branch 09, FTW!

I think we should try to entertain the idea of a trade with the Broncos for Marshall.

I know Marshall has an attitude problem but that problem is with the broncos not Ruskell. I think if TR puts it strait to this guy he will be very productive opposite Housh and give the Hawks a real deep threat as Branch can no longer be viewed as a deep threat and Burleson is still a flanker at best. Housh and Carlson are our best receivers and Burleson showed on Saturday that he can still make DB's miss.

Get rid of Branch and get another WR. Dump Obamanu, Kent, Payne and Bumpus. Then go get a DB or O-lineman.

If you can get something in a trade with Denver or somewhere else that values Branch's skills, do it. However, my nightmares of Keary Colbert, Billy McMullen, Samie Parker, K-Rob, etc. are fresh in the mind still.

If you can get a 4th or 3rd round pick for Branch lets do it. But I don't see that happening. He makes too much money to be traded for.

Also worth noting: Branch isn't hurt!

Branch may not be hurt but he hasn't shown me anything in preseason to make me feel good about his skills.

I think the amount of time he has spent away from game situations has hurt his abilities.

Branch is simply not showing up....

Get your value out of him now before we can't get a Keary Colbert for him....

Branch has been uberproductive when healthy. And now that he is not relied on as the #1 guy, our offense finally has a shot at becoming good again. Branch is by far better than anything we could possibly get to bolster our OL our Secondary. Cutting him now would only hurt our team. Does anyone know the Cap ramifications? I don't think that we would save much by cutting him anyway.

What's more important at this point.... keeping Branch or beefing up the OL or getting a half decent CB? (if a trade was possible). If the other Deon can hold his own and we can bring along one of the other younger wr's, then wouldn't it be in our best interest to get help in another position -- esp. if Trufant sits out???

I think that we should either try to renegotiate his contract, or at the worst trade him. If we just cut him, then it'll just be a waste cause we won't get ANYTHING out of it at all, right?

I think Branch is an asset in 3 WR sets and is good insurance in case Burly or Housh go down. I still have not seen enough from the other young receivers (except Butler) that make me believe they could step in as a #3 receiver. I also don't know that we would be able to fill a need (OL or CB)in a trade for him.

Somebody that is definitely expendable is LoJack. He has been a huge disappointment and has shown me ZERO this year. Maybe there is a team out there in need of a DE that is desperate enough to make a trade for him. One can only hope.

Branch accounts for 5Million dollars this season....

Branch is not uberproductive when healthy either...He has been somewhat productive but as I said before...his lack of game time situations because of injury has hurt his abilities....

Plain and simple, if we can get a good trade for Branch, do it....

Back up tight end Joe newton had more snap counts in the Chiefs game than Branch did...what does that tell you about what Branch is bringing to the table?

If Branch is 100% healthy then why the hell are they not playing him that much?

I don't think that cutting him would help the salary cap that much. Remember that a long hard season is about to begin, and then a run deep into the playoffs(how's that for thinking positive). Having Branch around will pay dividends, especially if there are other injuries at WR. I'd like to give him the chance for a Superbowl MVP repeat.

Branch for Brandon Marshall... Talent wise it is a steal by far, but characteristic it is a nightmare... i would not want Marshall overloading our Media coverage, just hearing he abused a woman over and over again. I think when you do something once people can forgive and maybe forget, but doing the same thing twice... that's just plain idiotic.

so my take is keep Branch for the season, unless by week 6 he shows promise and we can get some value for a trade improving our OL or CB (unless they are performing well enough), doing a trade this early is to risky, because teams wouldn't want to trade their prospects or talents away, so we will never get equal value or even close to what we think our value is about Branch.

Branch came into Seattle as a hope that he would become our No.1 Receiver, i believe that's the main reason why we are paying him loads of $$$, I agree completely with people saying that he would be an asset playing 3 wide and 1 TE and it's hard to cover experience WR rather then relaying on a rookie WR (Deon Butler) who is good and has tons of upside.

I have always been a fan of Mr. Branch, but this season will be his chance to gain back some respect and credibility that he still can perform and prove that he wasn't a one hit wonder.

I think it would be completely unwise to part ways with Branch, especially given how decimated our offense was last year.

Why settle for 3 weapons on offense when you could have 4? If we loose the 4th piece then that means more pressure on Housh, Carlson and Burley....but with another WR out there that must be respected, then it helps free up all 4 of them to make plays.

I like the Branch for Marshall deal.

Here's the deal. He is not trade bait simply because he is not playing. He would be showcased for all to see, and that hasn't happened. Maybe Thursday will be a different story. I, myself, am not a Branch fan. You have to ask yourself, "What is the risk versus reward". The risk of keeping him is that he plays sparingly, contributing as he has so far with a good game here or there. (Remember he saved a Rams game with extra effort to cause a fumble after a pick?!) The reward of trading him is not much. He hasn't done enough to excite any GM's out there. Matt Millen is a broadcaster now, and he is the only GM that would trade for him now. Bottom line, although I dont like it: He holds more value on the team than off it, as $$$ is not the issue.

branch for marshall deal wont happen.
Branch for a oline or draft picks sounds good.

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has been relieved of his duties as the team's offensive coordinator.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/08/31/chiefs-announce-that-chan-has-been-relieved-of-his-duties/

Let's hope our defense can do this to more teams...

Marshall is the pinnacle of douchebaggery. Not only a repeat violent offender, also a repeat NFL drug rules offender and part of that program. Also the guy who got into it with the gangbangers that escalated into the shooting and death of Darrent Williams. That's right, he's the guy who made that happen as well. Nothin' but quality, that's Brandon Marshall. The highest quality douchebag you can find.

Just say NO the Marshall on the Seahawks.

Branch for marshall will not happen for sure but it would be nice.

Marshall has his faults but the guy can play some football.

If healthy I consider Branch and elite 3rd wide reciever. Why trade him? What value could be get? Someones dime back? I'll take Kelly Jennings over another teams dime. A backup LT? I'll go with our srub(Kyle Williams) over another teams scrub. Look at how productive Branch was at the end of last season. Imagine him as Hasselbacks 4th option. 3 wides and 1 TE is gonna be a killer formation for us this year.

what is it with everyones affinity for character?

THIS IS FOOTBALL NOT CRICKET.....

I DON'T GIVE A RATS ASS WHAT SOMEONE DOES OFF THE FIELD....

The NFL needs to get back to the gritty old dirty tough guy ways that used to make me love watching football period (not just the hawks).

Too many pussies out there....Vick killed dogs, Dante Hall killed a man, and Marshall is a woman beater.....WHO CARES.....ITS FOOTBALL....NOT A SEWING CIRCLE....

You probably don't have kids durtee.

As a father I value the upstanding character that the Hawks have in their personnel. Role models and atheletes. Atheletes I am PROUD to cheer on on Sundays.

The front office has a tough job to do, especially at the wide receiver position. Branch is a case of old, broken knees, married to proven NFL talent. As opposed to less proven, young healthy knees. Makes for a tough choice. Whatever they decide to do, I figure they know best. Having seen the guy every day.

From what I've seen, Branch has already been paid $3 million this year, and there's $2 million more on the table if/when he makes the team. Not a huge factor in the decision, I'm guessing. It's all about football now.

"I think Branch is an asset in 3 WR sets and is good insurance in case Burly or Housh go down."

Of course ! After weakening what is our worse part of the O game by cutting Duckett, just don't do the same with our strongest ones ... while there is nobody in the market that could truly contribute !!! Nobody wants to part with a good CB or OL at this time of the season. What we could catch is just a guy in trouble.
If so, it would also and only be a huge waste ... of all the time Branch had spent here. No return on asset at all.
Besides and IMO, Butler didn't show up any ability to run after the catch (just a good student so far ...)
I think we should all keep the last NE game in mind ...

Sanity, I do have a daughter...

personally, I understand the high value of character for pro athletes but My Daughter will understand that personal character does not reflect the players abilities on the field, court, etc....

Hating someone for their actions in real life is like hating an actor not because of his/her acting skills but his/her personal views....just stupid.

I don't condone Marshall's behavior but I won't hold it against him when it comes to football.

I would never let my daughter be babysat by Marshall but I would let her watch him play football.....

censorship is not a viable alternative to good old fashioned parenting....

censor everything...learn nothing....

i dont know why some of you out there are missing the big picture. we have huge deficiencies at O-line and Secondary. we have what 10? receivers on the current roster. Its pretty obvious that Matt has picked out his favorite targets for the year, and it appears that Branch is the odd man out. couple Branch with an underwhelming Lo-jack, we have some leverage in trade bait NOW. Wait until game 6 when Branch aka the glassman gets hurt again, and then we have no leverage. a couple of good games late in last season when most teams rest their starter does not make Branch a stud.

Censorship? Please explain. Where is the censorship in not signing a bad character person for a football team.

Not really getting your point.

We better not cut Branch, this guys is just way to good when healthy and like said above we will only get a dime back for Branch. His value to us far outweighs his value to another team. How long do you think it will take him to learn a new playbook for another team? I like Butler, but whats the worse that happens? He sits a season or two as the 4th WR insted of the 3rd, I'd take Branch over Butler for this season. It should not even be an issue this season, make the call on Branch next season.

the censorship is the underlying tone in your statement.

"As a father I value the upstanding character that the Hawks have in their personnel. Role models and atheletes. Atheletes I am PROUD to cheer on on Sundays".

Your saying, strictly because you are a father you wouldn't want your kids cheering on a man that plays great football but makes bad decisions in his personal life because you value high character. If you don't subject your children to the bad along with the good then that is censorship. Additionally, if you don't subject them to the bad along with the good they will never fully learn the difference between the two.

Finally, this was started by you...Assuming I don't have children because I don't care about a Football players personal life, I feel was a personal attack.

That is exactly what I am saying. I'll go further than that. I believe that as a parent you have the responsibility to shield your children from the riffraff of life, like Marshall or Vick. Just because they can run fast is no reason to celebrate this human debris. Or at the very least explain why their actions are wrong.

No personal attack from me. Just an observation on the lack of parental skills of this generation.

I'd rather have TO than Marshall and I haven't noticed any evidence that Branch is going to steal time from Butler. If we could trade someone for real OL help that would make sense but Marshall would just be a ploy for ESPN (possibly more?) coverage. Maybe we should have grabbed TO? The TO show is surprisingly mediocre and anything is better with a Seahawks logo. Damn you Ruskell!!!

How can we possibly, believe keeping the man of glass as security for WR depth is an actual possibility? Branch is one of WR's we constantly need depth to cover. We gave up a number one and pay him between #2 and #3 WR money, to do nothing besides show up big in games that didn't matter anyways.


If Burly, Housh, and Carlson all go down do to injury, no amount of the old Branch "magic" is going to make a difference. I say we dump him for a 4th and save money on his roster bonus.

yeah lets shield our children from everything bad in life...I believe, as a parent you have the responsibility to teach your children, not avoid teaching them.

We breed weakness by coddling the weak....Shielding our children from riffraff of life is taking the easy way out by not having to explain why someones actions were wrong rather than just dealing with it.

Not a personal attack huh? How is saying "I don't care about a football players personal life" show my lack of parental skills?

that's two thus far Sanity....you want to keep going?

I don't want to support the salary of wife-beaters, drunk drivers, druggies, etc. with my ticket, clothing, and TV rating dollars. I would much rather them be removed from the league so I can cheer for guys that don't consider themselves to be larger than life and above the law.

And yeah, I too consider it a parent's responsiblity to shield their kids from dirtbags until they're mature enough to make good judgment.

No one is going to trade for him before the final cuts they will see what they can pick up without giving anything in return also they will be looking to see who we cut.I think he stays.

I guess you are winning this battle in your mind durtee. Good luck with that.

Funny stuff today.

Hey Manimal,

Don't look now but you already do support a couple of drunk drivers....Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu both had DUI's so should we kick them off the team?

How about giving children the guidance to make good judgment. Where does that come from....Proactive parenting...not shielding and coddling....Both your kids and Sanity's kids can get together and play with safe non invasive toddler toys to keep them out of harms way....

Your guys' logic is like that of your childrens....immature and weak....

If my cap math is roughly correct then it would cost $7.5 million to keep Branch and $6.5 million to cut him. It really isn't worth cutting him, then, unless you have big future expectations of Obomanu or Taylor. Since that isn't the case, might as well keep Branch another year.

Durtee,
The reason that everyone is talking about Marshall's character is that RUSKELL values character in the players he brings in, and it's RUSKELL that would be pulling the trigger on any deal....therefore, it won't happen. Sure, you can speculate and hope, but you may as we;; speculate and hope on us being able to trade Moore to Minn for Peterson...at least Ruskell would pull the trigger on that...

Dude who cares what a jackass Marshall is. The dude can play, and thats what football is about. There are guys way worse than him currently in the league, and their were worse guys before him.

That said he won't be a seahawk, he is Denver's best player and they would be out of their mind to trade their two best players in the same season.

For the record, Im on the fence about Branch. I think he's lost some agility and quickness, and he had none to spare due to his short stature. Plus, Hasselbeck is not that accurate a qb--he gets the ball in the general area of his recievers, but not usually "on the money". Branch needs it on the money.

I remember all too well the injury madness of last season. For that reason alone, I would be inclined to keep Branch. We can afford the 5 million, though its grossly overpaying per catch. What we cant afford is another season with scrubs like Colbert running 5-yard in routes all day.

However, our line is still a hodge-podge needing one final piece, and we could use a physical corner over 5'-9" tall. If we could trade Branch for a starter-quality player at either position, it would be tempting.

I am excited about Deion Butler, but he is a rookie and is making rookie mistakes. He isnt ready to be a third WR, and what about those injuries? Courtney Taylor has made this team--mark my words. He is ready to be the number 4 WR, maybe the number 3, but again--can he step up if Nate or God Forbid, Housh, gets hurt?! I doubt it. Loaded at the position or not, unless we are desperate to keep Mike Hass or Kent or Obomanu, it makes more sense to pay Branch his ridiculous salary as insurance and let him play as needed...regardless of how much he earns to ride the pine.

I think Taylor and Butler make the team, and possibly Hass. Bumpus hasnt played in the preseason (maybe 3 snaps) which tells me they plan on stashing him on the PS. Kent is gone, and so is Logan Payne. The only way Payne makes it is if Ruskells ego gets involved and they overvalue Paynes special teams skills. Hass is a better WR, hands down.

Going over our roster changed my mind. We need to keep Branch regardless of his production, just in case. Call it 5 million dollar insurance we dont repeat last season.

I would trade Brach for a starter quality CB or OL but it aint gonna happen. Period. The value for Branch would be less then he is worth. Would you trade him for a dime back? That is what we would get. Do you really think a team is gonna trade a starter quality tackle for often injured WR? And you think adding LoJack will make a differance? Keep Branch and use him as our 3rd wide out. If he get's injured then you loose your 3rd reciever, which sux but won't kill you. If he stays healthy(think Pork Chop last year) then our WR corps is the tits. Next year is a totally different story, though.

slave, i agree with a hundred percent in regards to your comments on Taylor, i too think he has solidified a spot in the receiving core. he is certainly a very serviceable 3-4 wideout, and has done enough this preseason and camp to warrant the spot. its true butler is a rookie, but so was eddie royal last yr and he killed it for denver. dont see us needing to short receivers on the roster, i have to go with youth over a oft-injured branch.

If you all think Branch sux so bad then why would a team trade a starter quilty player for him? The only deal I could see would be the Raiders trading us Micheal Huff for him. I would probally pull the trigger on that but Huff has looked like a bust so far. Could just be the hell hole that Oakland is, though. And sure, Branch is injury prone but do you really think that Taylor is better on the field then him? Eddie Royal is the exption to rookie wide outs playing well, not the rule. Butler would most likely struggle if put in an important role. Let's get what we can out of Deon this year and cut him next year.

Nightwulf, everyone is talking about his character because people in seattle think the seahawks are a Mormon team.

Ruskell's hairy bean bags may taste like chocolate truffles but I am not going to suck on them just because he values character....get someone in here that can produce and get rid of the crap.

I pose this question to every person on here.....

Would you rather have a high character player with mediocre skills or a person with questionable character and excellent skills?

If you choose the ladder then you don't care if this team wins....

STTBM,

I agree about the insurance policy side of Branch, but Butler is absolutely ready to be the third, and Butler is in my mind far above Taylor in terms of talent. Plus you've seen enough of Hass to know that when you catch on the run like he did against Denver, Hass rewards you by going ot you over and over again. Housh, Carlson, Burleson, Forsett, and Butler will be the ones seeing the catches this year. Taylor will deffinitely make the team over the "mystery men," or what ever they call themselves these days, and Branch...well he'll put up one game of two TD's on 7 catches totaling 132 yards, and then battle turf-toe, writer's cramp, or tennis elbow for 9 out of 16 games.

Durtee, I pose this question to you.

Why is your view the right one? What makes you think that you are our moral authority, or immoral authority on this site.

Get over yourself.

If Marshall's only crime is that he is being a big league baby, then maybe you consider making the move. However, Marshall was suspended last year for two games for being an idiot and has in general been a first class idiot before.

I don't move to get that guy. He would not work here in Seattle.

Moving Branch to me is worth it only if the Patriots overpay. He is worth something significant to the hawks- as a 3rd receiver. The guy is good in space, has above average hands and can be counted on to be a pro. Taylor, Obi-wan, Payne and Hass have not made me feel that way about them. Kent is a special teamer at best who can sprint fast. So none of them are Deion.

Word has it that NE is talking about trading for him. That they are unhappy with Joey Contract Galloway because he doesn't run precise routes. So maybe there's a chance the Hawks value Mr. Grey beard, but I don't think Seattle has forgotten his holdout or his issues.

We'll need Branch this year to make some plays to win games.

We can't really rely on a rookie. Jackson was a fluke and Royal only produced because he just happens to play opposite Marshall.

Also if you guys want Huff, my money is on the Raiders cutting him. Hes not even a starter, he lost his job mid season last year for poor tackling. Not sure if he is much of an upgrade over Russell.

Oh god, the Pats will give us a 5th for Branch and he will end up ripping it up for them. I can just see it. If the Pats really do want him then keep him for gods sake! The Pats win every freakin trade they make!

Do you have a link to this N.E. talk of a trade for Branch?

branch for a 5th rounder, heck no! we need instant return on investment in the form of a O-line or corner.

Sanity, plain and simple this is about football not character...that's why my view is right.


Get a clue and stop this weekend warrior crap you call being a football fan and go back to commenting on democratic websites bashing Dino Rossi.

Leave the football to the real men.

Durtee,
you are so totally right, man. Who cares about character for a football team? I mean, look how could teams do who don't care about character. Man, I wish the hawks could be as succesfull as the Bengels or the Raiders. Man, that would be great. You know, T.O really turns teams into winners. Look at the Cowboys! You have such a understanding of football. Football is for big strong men who shoot themselves in the foot at clubs and drive drunk. Who needs brains or character in football? Post me a reply in an hour when the Glen Beck show is over. I want to learn more from you.

If you were drafted by Ruskell then you get second chances in terms of the "character" issue as we have seen with Leroy and Lofa..if you weren't then your a "problem" to the team until either you or the person that drafted you are gone.

People questioning Marshall's character because he has been having a hissy fit in camp seems to be forgetting that Branch was also a holdout when Seattle traded for him. At least Marshall showed up to camp, Branch didn't even bother.

Durtee,

You're right: it's about football (for the most part) but there is a practical side to this Marshall question as well. He would be an extremely hi-risk aquisition, in that in addition to the risk of injury (something every football player has to contend with) he's liable to do something and end up in jail (ala Plax) and contribute nothing to the team. Or he does something stupid in the locker room or on the field and gets suspended (like what is happening now in Denver). Sure, he might like a new team better, for awhile (ala T.O.) but character goes whereever he goes, so why take that on? Yes, exceptions exist (Moss made a great move going from Oakland to NE), and word has it that Ochocinco is doing well for the Bengals, but when everything gets said and done, why take the risk? Is the potential reward worth it?

Ah, DurteeHawk, I don't think Dante Hall killed a man as you referenced in an earlier post on this thread? Perhaps you're referring to Donte Stallworth?

WR's making the Seahawk 53 squad

Burleson
Housh
Branch
Butler
Taylor
Kent

practice squad
Hass
Payne
Bumpus

Durtee. I am a conservative in the mold of Buckley. So that slam was a bit off IMO.

What this is really about is your fetish for the bad boys. These bad boys are not known to buck up under pressure, like the guys with...wait for it....character.

Branch held out over money not because his coach hurt his va jay jay. And yes, Ruskell does give second chances to his guys but holds the players he brings in to a higher standard. We all know this and this is why discussing a trade for Marshall is useless. I the hawks to trade Jordan Kent for Albert Haynesworth but it ain't gonna happen so I'm not gonna waste time writing about it.
And Durtee. I want to see your birth certificate. Long form.

sanity and durtee... i see both sides of the argument,
but hot damn brandon marshall is freaking stud, if his head is on right. and who is to say that new environment would not invoke change in a man. worked for Moss and maybe for Vick.

It would take an idiot of epic millenesk proportions to trade Brandon Marshall for Deon Branch, And say what you will abou the idiocy of Denvers front office but I don't believe they are quite that stupid so that is one trade that i regret to say will not happen.

ok Brainy...I can safely say that my arguments seem like I only care about talent...this is untrue as I know character is a big deal too.

The argument I was making is that just because a guy has off-field character issues doesn't mean he shouldn't play for the Hawks. In addition, I was speaking in terms of accepting someone for what and who they are as football players not men...

I'm not saying TR should be like Al Davis but I think he passes on talent too much because of his affinity for character...

Every time a player like Marshall is in trouble and people make a statement about them coming to play for the Hawks, everybody bashes them for not having character and being assclowns. My thing is; I want the Hawks to win and if they have to go get TO or Brandon Marshall to do it so be it.

not to mention that everyone holds such high standards of our players but I don't hear anyone calling for Lofa or Leroys head for their DWI charges.

Get off your high horse people. Yes Plaxico Burress is a douche and so are many other guys in this league but humans make mistakes and yet the punishment never seems to be enough unless they are already a Seahawk when they commit their offense.

Your all hypocrites.....

Marshall is pretty good tam, but I am sick of the WRs with the dropsies. Marshall and that guy from Cleveland both fit in that category. I had enough of that as a Seahawks fan over the years.

I like what we got right now. Good hands and an assortment of skills that I believe will balance out well for our team.

your right frontstreet it was Stallworth, thanks for the correction.

Brainy,
My birth certificate? you have a fetish with baby foot prints or something.

I am 30, born and raised in seattle; anything else you wanna know?

I bet the Broncos would take LoJack and Branch for Marshall. LoJack can improve their defense and Branch can provide the character that locker room needs, because we all know character beats out talent any day...

Durtee,
What it is is that Ruskell doesn't want to take chances on guys with known character issues...If they've been on the team a while, and have proven to be solid locker room guys, then he cuts them a bit of slack. Marshall's little hissy fit was during practice...this makes it an on field issue...Granted, once Moss got out of the black hole that is Oakland, he started to play football again...but that was an exception to the rule...TO is TO wherever he goes, as are most prima donnas...TO's a damn good receiver, but I wouldn't want him on my team...same for Marshall..

Durtee,
On Character-
I don't give a poop about the kids or anything. I don't want a guy who disrupts the locker room or gets suspended. Football is the most team oriented of any sport and you really need coheason. A guy who gets suspended is as bad as an often injured player. I think Marshal has anger managment problems as shown by his hand injury a while back(he claims to have slipped on a mcdonalds wrapper and fallen into a TV. I think he was pissed about something a punched the TV. He missed game time for it).
On Branch/Lojack for Marshal-
No. Denver would not do that. Lojack it too much of a tweener to fit thier3/4 defense. He's not big enough to be a 3/4 DE and not agile or fast enought to be a rush linebacker. And Branch is the same player as Brandon Stokely(but more injury prone). They will trade Marshall for a pick
On your birth certificate-
Joking with ya. You said Sanity should go back to bashing Rossi on democratic websites so I figured you are a conservitive and probally a birther.

Brainy, nightwulf,

I know all this. I do truly, I just have to stick up for the bad guys because nobody else will, besides that I like to have one guy on the team making headlines. I agree with the whole being a douche and having it affect the other players thing but if it is purely off field antics being displayed then fine.

I am not a hard core conservative either but I just hate the liberal movement, that is the reason for the Rossi bash...

You guys gave me something to do today with a tiny workload at work....thanks.....

If you want to "stick up for the bad guys" why stop at football players. Any good words for Charles Manson. How about Dahmer.

Your logic is astounding.

sanity, i dont remember so much the dropsies, but i do recall a game where marshall had something ridiculous like 17 catches, dont quote me on that. i just remember getting my tailed kicked in fantasy because my opponent that week had marshall. so you know he has some skills. honestly, think about guys, who wouldnt want out of denver right now if you are wide receiver.

Don't you dare mention Charles Manson to me that man was a saint....

It's not my logic that's astounding.....trust me....

As far as Jeffrey Dahmer is concerned, the guy just liked to eat...

JOKING OK COURSE....

I just meant that everyone on here and in the media are so quick to bash a player for doing something stupid that it seems no one lets them live it down, unless they are already a hawk then they just made a mistake...

If I recall correctly Marshall and Braylon Edwards were up there along with TO for most dropped passes. Could be wrong.

Trade for Branch is extremely unlikely given that any team that gets him will have to pay the rest of his giant salary. Cutting him only saves 1.1 mil against the cap. If we do cut him, it's because Ruskell has engineered a deal for a marquee player that will command every available dime. Hope so...

As this will be fairly unlikely for the positions of need - no team let's stud Tackles or Corners walk - I expect to see him in the 3 and 4 wide sets. Hoosh, Burly, Branch, Butler, Carlson, Edge or JJ or JForce - you'd need 16 defenders to cover all that. It will be WAAAY better than the 2007 offense because any one of our backs can run better than the has-beens and never-weres of the '07 season.

To weigh in on the other hot issue of this thread (thanks for stirrin' it up again, durtee) character counts a lot, and is sometimes overrated. You can put a questionable guy in with a bunch of solid citizens, and if the citizens are solid enough and the culture is strong enough, the questionable guy becomes solid and contributes his considerable talents to an otherwise less-than-stellar program. Think Moss in New England. He was a problem child on the Raiders and has become a huge contributor once he left. Happy to have the occasional problem child reclamation project if it pays off that good.

The flipside of that is named Jerramy Stevens, or TO punching his teammate, or any number of douchebags in uniform that were exciting to watch as individuals, but their teams didn't win championships. Marshall is Stevens times 10 - multiple violent offenses AND he's not even prepared to produce on the field. Showed up out of shape without learning the playbook. I'll bet my left nut that a lot of people who wouldn't have Vick would welcome Marshall. No thanks. He's not prepared to play, never mind all the douchebaggery. And when you're in jail on Sunday, you can't suit up and contribute.

New England has proven that a bunch of marginal talents functioning with excellent execution and team unity will outproduce a few primadonna problem children with a bunch of teammates having to put up with it in their locker room every day. Look at all the trades the Pats win - players produce great in their system that puts a premium on team execution over individual stats, and when they leave, they never put up stats that good elsewhere. So character does matter, and if the team's character is strong enough, bad apples can get rehabilitated - Moss was a cancer on the RAIDERS for F*** SAKE. But he was never the arrogant thug that Marshall is.

And, since no posting is complete without tips on child rearing, allow me to weigh in: It is my responsibility as a parent to protect my children and at the same time prepare them to meet threats in the real world where I am not able to protect them myself. If they are not prepared to make intelligent choices when confronted with difficult decisions, I have failed as a parent, and no amount of micromanagement of their every move will prepare them for how to deal with the Brandon Marshalls of the world.

America is raising the weenies of the world when we remove personal accountability for one's actions from the equation. If you play with fire, you burn. Lesson learned. If you never let them learn how to handle it appropriately, then pretty soon my Barbecue will be outlawed because some pansy of a parent never bothered to teach their child how to handle it properly and now everyone pays the price for nobody being accountable.

There's no such thing as an illegitimate child, but there are lots of illegitimate parents. Shanahan should have been fired for stocking his team with that many douchebags. Marshall has ZERO trade value, he's not even in shape. And, I have used the likes of Vick as a valuable parenting tool since everyone is good for something, even if it's only a bad example.

I'd rather sign Pacman to a league minimum, behavior incentive laden contract like Koren had last year than have to cheer an unrepentant douchebag like Marshall. Which, if he made plays for my team, I would then declare him rehabilitated. Huh.

Not sure about Marshall, the guy had over 100 catches so I don't think he could have been droping the ball that often to still manage to haul in 100.

But Edwards especially could not catch a cold. That guy must like the highlight reel becuase he only seems able to make insane one handed catches but drops the ones thrown right to him.

Dropped passes 2008 courtesy of

http://sports.iwon.com/nfl/stats/league/passesdropped.html

1) Braylon Edwards 16 drops in 16 games played
2) Dwayne Bowe 13 drops in 16 games played
3) Brandon Marshall 12 drops in 15 games played
4) Terrell Owens 10 drops in 16 games played

not too bad for the fact that these four guys are the the most productive receivers on their teams and they get thrown to about 60% of the time...(except maybe TO)

durtee, there is no aspect of life that should be immune from the responsibility of our conduct, football or not. i love good 'ol timey football as well, with all the attendant smash mouth style, but the approach to life you advocate is the very reasoning behind why we find ourselves in such a heathenous, crime ridden merciless nightmare in society today. people feel they have the right to carry out whatever against whomever they desire, and it's o.k., because we live in a "free" society. i wish you and your daughter well, but hurt for you both. we will be judged for how we live in this life...if not in this present world, in the one to come. "blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see GOD".

Bobby sims, Sorry man but your religious babbleings don't hold water on the internet.

Don't for one second hurt for me and my daughter because I don't advocate heathenous behavior or crime at all. If you would read the post I made earlier you would know I was joking.

Go tell it on the mountain preacher man. God can't save you from us heathens.

THAT SHIT PISSES ME OFF.

Nice Durtee, You have shown your true self.

Keep preaching Mr. Sims.

Jesus, when did this page become a jesus page. No, i don't want dudes with character issues on the team b/c that does not win football games. Yeah, the media poops on some guys too much but other guys deserve it. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm with Durtee on this one. Check your Charlie Church Boy routine at the door and let's talk some football. How bout we trade branch to the Broncos for Ryan Clady? Jeez, I know long for the days of dumb trade ideas...

Free country boys, free country. I will talk church all I want, in the confines of football and how I see it effecting the Hawks.

Lots of Christians on our team, are you going to stop being a fan because of that?

Dude come on...

I'd be alright with Marshall as long as he wears 666.

seriously guys, this thread has taken a turn for the worst and not because its about Christians or Christianity but anytime you start bring religion into a discussion, no good can come out of it, especially on a sports blog guys. i went to a private christian university, but i will not be bringing my religious to this forum. let's talk hawks football men and women.

I don't know why Marshall is in the comments section so much. There's no way he's traded for anyone unless it's a few starters and a 1st.

And nobody values him that high because of his detrimental conduct and looming suspension probability.

It's not about that if you can play on the field then who cares what you do off the field, because the NFL suspends players for what they do off the field. Therefore those ARE team issues.

He's misdemeanor away from a 6 game suspension, and 2 away from a one year suspension.

Deion Branch, Lawrence Jackson, and Denver's 1st that we own would be a STARTING point in an offer for Marshall. AND we'd have to invest 50+mil towards a contract extension.

Not possible, not worth entertaining the idea.

Back on subject, I do think we have to keep Branch. I know I'm not confident starting the season with a Rookie #3 WR with how plagued the position was last year.

The only way we get value in return for him is for a player entering the final year of their deal that the other team doesn't intend to resign and wants to get something while they can. I don't know a player who fits that bill that we'd need more than Branch.

Branch for Calvin Johnson LOL. Man THAT would be a trade. I can dream right?

Is it bad that I answered the door naked the other day when Jahovas witness' came to my house?

They didn't seem to want to talk but I was all for it. Where's the love from my christian bretheran?

I am stuck in Baltimore and have heard the Ravens fans speak of wanting a receiver for Flaco. There are many possibilities for a Branch trade but we need to get the guy to show up to get people to salivate. Maybe as the season starts we can get a read on Butler, get Branch some time and then make a move. Who knows?

Yea I'm also living out in Baltimore and every time I mention Branch to my buddies they go wild over the thought of him. Probably can't get Oher but maybe a decent defensive back.

End this.

We do not visit this site to discuss politics OR religion. If you wish to do this, I'm sure that Jon Kitna or Shaun Alexander would want a piece of it. Good luck.

Tam, than you for your Sanity!

that's ok. this site sucks anyway. I will just follow fieldgulls from now on....

How about that !?! Too much wonderful comments in that thread for an insomniac french guy like me

Well, when did this page become a jesus page ? Maybe when some guys started to see Butler as a solid n°3 after 3 preseason catches.
Blindness ? A kind of a reverse miracle Mr. Sims ?
Thus main questions ... Butler could still be judged as a bust in this life ? Can some people recover sight after the dark ?

Mr. Sims, Am I responsible for that, but let me give you some terrible updates. Not only french people have killed God for a long time, but their babies are still reading Nietzsche at birth !!!
But I've to confess I prefer Spinoza. Especially when he pointed out that what is good for you, isn't necessarily good for me (ouf!). Fight to find out your own foods and poisons, cause nothing is given in advence, even in big playbooks !

We should trade Branch and JoJack, if we cna get a reasonable starter CB or O-Line. Doubt that will happen, but who knowa. I say this only because this is an area of team need, and I beleive these are areas of strength (not strenth) that we have on staff right now.
I think Marshall is an exceptional talent, but I don't want him simply because he is broken china. Can't fix dudes like him. Actually, what a waste of talent that guy is.... just think if J Kent had one ounce of his football skills.. *tsk-tsk*

Rearing children, I am fully qualified to comment, as I have none, so I'm not tainted.

Parents need to take an active role and teach right from wrong, and to spare the rod, will definately spoil the child. In the wild, when a lioness takes the cubs out for a hunt, they are all crouched in the bush waiting for the surprise attack. When the over exuberant cub rushes out a hair too early and scares the prey away, the lioness beats the cub to within an inch of its life. That cub NEVER makes the mistake of that error again, and grows up to be the king of the jungle, and bangs every lioness he sees until he gets old and some youngster kills him.

anyways... what were we talking about again...????

Branch has no value at all, one of the biggest Hawk mistakes in team history. Get rid of this waste of money fast just in case Curry becomes the next big payroll liability. Do you really think the Hawks would get a bite in Denver for Brandon Marshall? Marshall's talent is bigger than Housh and Branch combined. I would love to see Marshall here. Housh is primarily a short yardage receiver who had the luxury of a grade A QB in Carson Palmer when Chad Johnson was double covered and Chris Henry was in jail! Hass is a not a grade A elite QB IMO and in the eyes of most unbiased logical NFL fans, Housh will eventually realize that Hass is a step down from Palmer even during Hass's prime (time to get attacked from the Matt can do no wrong groupies...lol). Seattle was the best choice for Housh to sign a fat contract and walk right into the WR1 spot. Housh would be #2 on most NFL teams. Hass is still a top 20 QB though respectively and should connect with #84 at least 80+ times in 2009.

Unless Ruskell gets a killer offer for Branch I would keep him. He will have his moments this year. Someone will get hurt. It always happens. He is cheap insurance. At the end of the year after he demonstrates he is clearly healthy, we can work a trade.

I doubt Marshall will be available for a straight trade for Branch. I would think that would do more harm than good at this late date. Matt needs time to mesh with the WR's. I think Branch would be a better fit that Marshall without a training camp.

Pricey insurance, but not much of a cap hit at 1.1 mil. And a very effective player, even now. Paul Skansi wasn't all that in the raw numbers he put up, but any supergeek can look it up and tell us his astronimically high clutch 3rd down conversion percentage. The big question is: Are Kent/Taylor/Obo/Bumpus/etc. are really better than him against strating calibe3r NFL defensive backs?

And to all who whine about how it was a terrible trade, he has better hands than Koren and Jerramy Stevens, who were first round picks, and he'd missed about the same number of games as Tru in his career before he got here. And owns 2 Superbowl rings. And a Superbowl MVP award, unlike Koren, Stevens, Mirer, McGwire, Lamar King, Ryan Leaf or any of the other first round picks that bust every single year - about half of them never have significant careers. He's produced more in his career than 80% of ALL 1st round picks in the history of the draft. So, at the time, it was a decent trade.

Now, he's an overpaid role player serving as quality depth without a huge hit on the cap. There are worse scenarios, and in a 3 WR set, there will be plenty of production, even as a decoy, as you HAVE to cover him or he'll make you pay every time.

And Marshall is still a douchenozzle - suit 'em up and play 'em only works if the player bothers to get into game shape and at least crack open the playbook. Marshall has done neither. Douchenozzle.

Branch is a Seahawk Fu, lame thread be real.

Wow. All hell broke loose on this site tonight.

1. Did some of you forget about last year already? At least one of our WR's is going to get injured in some capacity this season. I am very confident that Branch could step in and be productive if that happens. He is a solid #3 WR to have. He has been productive in games that matter over the course of his career. I will take him over the Pre-season All Stars.

2. Too many Madden trade talks going on here. Does anyone really think a GM is going to trade a starting OL or CB for Branch? O-line and CB are two of the most important positions in the NFL. A GM would be crazy to even trade one of his two deeps for Branch. I am confident in Branch being a #3 but no GM in their right mind makes that trade.

3. No way I want to see Brandon Marshall as a Hawk. The guy completely quit on his teammates and his organization. He came into camp out of shape and had no knowledge of the playbook. We don't need divas on this team.

Hey Addicts writers, can you post something new, doesn't matter what it is, so long as it is something new about the Hawks so everyone can get focused back on the season at hand.

We're not trading branch, we're not signing Brandon Marshall, we might pick up a lineman from the upcoming cuts and EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN OPINION SO LONG AS THAT OPINION DOES NOT INCRIMINATE SOMEONE ELSE.

Now shut your political, religious, non-productive, outlandish mouths and start talking FOOTBALL!

People keep asking why we haven't seen anything out of Branch this pre season...here's your answer: The coaching staff know what they have with Branch...A very good receiver who is as fragile as eggshells. They know he's in football shape, they know that he and Matt are on the same page, they know that his knee can explode at any time...so they're saving him for when they need him...like clutch situations in a real game...when the O needs a boost to propel them to victory, and the "other" Deion isn't experienced enough to deliver...he'll be a "secret weapon" sorta guy, only used in case of emergency...and who knows, used that way, he may last, not only the season, but through the playoffs too...

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