The New England Patriots did not gather any moss before replacing their top wideout.
Just six days after trading away Randy Moss, the Patriots traded for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch on Monday evening. ESPN reports that the Patriots sent Seattle a fourth-round pick in the 2011 draft in exchange for Branch.
Branch was a Patriot from 2002 to 2005, and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXIX.
It appears Deion Branch wanted to be back into New England as badly as Randy Moss wanted out. In a February interview, Branch told the Boston Herald, "I still talk with half of the (Patriots) team. To this day, I still talk with half of the guys that were on the team with me. It’s a special bond. For us to reunite, I don’t know. I would probably be crying at the press conference, if it happens."
Is that laying it on a little thick? Oh, Deion was just getting started. "I still love coach Belichick,” he said, “and if the opportunity presents itself to come back, I would love to be there."
"Look, I’ve enjoyed my time with the Seahawks," Branch continued. "I would love to stay in Seattle. But if it happens, if it presents itself, that would be great."
You'll notice that Branch was already referring to himself as a Seahawk in the past tense, even though it was eight months ago and he was still under contract with the Seahawks for the next three seasons.
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Sure, you could sit there and say that Branch has lost a few steps since 2005. Branch's numbers have declined steadily since the Patriots traded him just before the 2006 season.
But that's like saying there's no downgrade when going from Tom Brady to Matt Hasselbeck. Admit it, there probably is a downgrade when going from Tom Brady to Matt Hasselbeck.
There is some bellyaching that a fourth-round pick for Branch was a little pricey, considering the Patriots had only charged a third-rounder for a Hall of Famer like Randy Moss.
But when you consider that the Patriots had two picks in all of the first four rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft, well, the fourth-rounder is the one extra pick you'd miss the least.
And Branch, of course, has two rings and a Super Bowl MVP distinction on his resume. Moss, it can now not be pointed out frequently enough, has never won a Super Bowl.
Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who sees that during Branch's Seahawks tenure, they put his image on the label for a beverage called Perspiration Soda.
