Professor

The agent for Deion Branch said yesterday that the wide receiver would report to camp without a new deal if the Patriots promise not to use the franchise tag on him in 2007.

Branch is entering the final year of his five-year rookie contract and likely will miss the start of today's training camp because he's unhappy with the Patriots' efforts to give him a new contract.

His New York-based agent, Jason Chayut, said: "If (the Patriots) came to me and said, 'Jason, we won't franchise Deion,' I would talk with them every day of the season in good faith to get a long-term deal done."

The franchise tag allows teams to maintain control over one player whose contract expires. A franchised player must be paid the average of the top five salaries at his position, but the player gets no bonus money. The franchise number for wide receivers this season is about $6 million. The Patriots' current offer is reported as being just under $6 million over four years.

http://www.projo.com/patriots/conten...jo.f300bc.html

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Potatoking

what a baby, i'm sure he just fell through when he heard the penalty of holding out through training camp

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NEFan

Deion wants the money of a front line receiver, but he hasn't produced the numbers of a top flight receiver.

Last year he played in 15 games which was, by far, his healthiest year. While tom brady may like him and appreciate him as a target, he's just not in there enough to make a huge difference.

MickeyG

exactly, sure he was Super Bowl MVP, but that doesn't make you an elite player. Maybe after he has a few elite seasons he can get that kind of money.

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