Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Well, Randy Moss is gone, so it's time to start thinking about how this New England offense can recover and regroup.
And it could all start with the return of old friend, Deion Branch.
Remember, the same Branch that was a favorite weapon of Tom Brady from 2002-05.
But Branch was quickly traded away to Seattle over a nasty contact dispute.
But now, hopefully, the Seahawks can trade him back and for a lot less (hopefully it'll only cost a 5th-round pick, instead of how the Pats got a first-rounder from Seattle in 05).
Branch isn't a legit No. 1 receiver, but I would never expect him to post the numbers that Randy Moss did, either. But Branch is smart, he runs great routes, can help the younger players, is a security blanket for Brady and is good enough that teams must respect him on the outside and will hopefully not allow other teams to double-cover Wes Welker in the slot.
But perhaps his biggest plus is that he's a total team player. He knows how to play in a team concept and isn't worried about being the featured guy in this offense. He knows Brady spreads the ball around to the open receiver, too. He's not a full-blown diva, either.
See, these are some things that Randy Moss never understood. The sad part is, as good as Moss is as a receiver, he's simply too selfish and that's a major negative in New England.
So it could be a great addition for New England. Branch is not a 1,000-yard receiver (he did have 998 in 2005) but he could be in the right situation.
The Patriots need a proven veteran receiver on the outside to take some heat off of Welker. The young kids (Brandon Tate, Julian Edelman, Taylor Price) aren't the answer right now, but the Super Bowl XXXIX MVP is. Make the right decision, and bring back Branch.
