Let's see, a 22 yr old person graduating college today would have to make an average salary of just over $139,000/year for 43 years to earn $6M dollars. Branch doesn't think that is enough?

I don't think it's enough. True it's more than what the AVERAGE person makes. But this is business and he's entitled to go after whatever the market will bear. NFL contracts are not guaranteed, and the average NFL career is only four years. I think it's only smart for him to try to get as much money as possible while he has some leverage.

Another example of sports greed, these athletes have absolutely no perception of reality. And as long as we keep buying tix, jerseys, t-shirts, magazines, fantasy football junk, we dont either.

Maybe they should make a TV show about average 22 year old graduates --making copies, filing, sending email. I wonder if anyone would watch. Or read Web sites that cover the show.

Deion Branch is slightly above average reciever playing in a good system on a good team. I think that $6M/yr. is overpaying him as is. He is easily replaceable. He has no leverage because the Patriots know they can trade for, sign, or draft someone better.

i think the NFL has created a financial nightmare with the contracts that these guys are getting.I think that there should be a maximum salary for each position played on the field.

Remember, unlike our careers, these athletes have only a short window to make these enormous sums. He could suffer a career-ending injury tomorrow and not see a penny.

Put yourself in his position. If you think you're vastly under-paid, you can quit and go to another company; he cannot. In relation to the other receivers in the NFL, Deion Branch is under-paid.

Pro NFL Athletes = superior physical talent compared to the average people - that is why only the select few make it to the NFL.
I think D.Branch deserves and should ask for the most money possible. I would and like many others would do the same given the opportunity.

the patriots front office recognizes that this is a business. They know what they will spend for a certain position and will not over spend in their budget, thus keeping them competitive over the entire field. I am impressed by that and it is because of their attention to detail, player evaluation and fiscal vision and responsibility that will keep them a perenniel playoff team for years to come.

ycs,
i think your generalization of others doing what branch doing is untrue. i do not have the funds to sit out my job as i don't get paid if i don't work. i would beg my boss to come back after a day and a half of sleeping in my truck.
he's a spoiled athlete like 90% of the others. unfortunately, we are the ones spoiling him.

Deion is an exciting player to watch, but his stats (for 2005) make him middle of the pack at best. He was 21st in yards, 16th in receptions and didn't crack the top 30 in TD's. I know an NFL player's career is short and they want the $$ sooner rather than later, but $6M a year for 5 years (what the Pats offerred) seems fair for a mid-tier NFL receiver. I wonder how much his agent is brain-washing him into holding out for more $$ just to try to pad his own pocket a bit more. If the Pats had made him an obviously low-ball offer this would be another story. By all reports they didn't...

BTW, just heard a report that the Jets are willing to offer $36M for 6 years, and Seattle $39M for 6 years.

As a vested veteran, Branch's base salary for the current year would have been guaranteed if he made the roster on the first day of the regular season.

All that's moot, the bigger question is whether the Patriots will go after Branch for the the fines that adding up since the training camp?

To call athletes spoiled and whiny because they refuse to accept salaries much, much greater than the average person is ludicrous. NFL players generate billions of dollars of economic activity and are watched by millions of people. The average 22 year old doesn't compare. Having said this, $6 million a year is fair for a talented - but not yet superstar - receiver such as Branch.

The Patriots front office recognizes that this is a business, but they are under budget by almost $10 million. What exactly are they saving their money for? What do they expect to get when he is gone? Another Monty Beisel or Chad Brown? Deion Branch helps WIN Super Bowls, the other guys help them make the playoffs.

In 2001 the Pats won it all with David Patten and Troy Brown. Now they have Ben Watson, Daniel Graham, Cory Dillon, Maroney, Brown, Faulk and some other nice receivers in the wings including their #2 draft pick many thought was the steal of the draft in the second round. I dont see what Branch brings to the table they cant get somewhere else. And what if they gave him his huge money and he got hutr? He doesnt have the best health track record...

I think he oughta take $6M per year. Thats more than what Hines Ward makes who signed a new contract last offseason. I agree he is underpaid, but if you wanna get paid like Randy Moss, then go to some bad team and lose 10 games a year.

Deion is relatively underpaid, so he should take the $6M and give thanks he's in a position to get paid like that by a championship caliber team. He may be the best receiver NE has (we'll see for sure by mid-season), but he's not in the top two dozen wideouts in the league right now. And he doesn't bring the same leadership qualities Hines Ward brings to the table.

What I want to know is the amount that is guaranteed? In the NFL, it is not about how much $$ you will earn over a # of years, it is about how much of that money is guaranteed. The NFL stands for--Not for Long.

Branch should hold out until he gets what he thinks is fair. Just imagine how much money Kraft is stuffing in his pockets. The Patriots are worth more than 1 billion dollars, but no one says that they are greedy.

Gentlemen, the contract is NOT for $6M a year. As with all NFL contracts, only signing bonuses and salary is guaranteed. Branch was offered a $4M bonus and a base salary of $1.045M for the 2006 season. There was also a 2007 option bonus of $4M that he was more than likely to get since I seriously doubt they'd cut him next year if he performs well this year.

The rest of his contract would have backloaded (like most NFL contracts) so that he'd make $1.4M in 2007, $4.3M in 2008, and $4.75M in 2009. Aging and/or circumstances almost always guarantee that a player will be cut or his deal restructured by the time his huge payoff comes.

All told, he'd make off with about $5M this year and next year. Not a bad take.

Unfortunately, players that get big contracts have a knack for taking the year off by not performing even close to their potential. Who works harder? The overpaid mercenary who gets his money or the up-and-coming guy that knows he can get a big contract. Take a look at the NFL in recent years and more often than not (which is quite a bit), NFL players don't perform as well after they sign a big contract.

The Pats know this and realize that coaching makes a team much better than talent does in the NFL where the difference in talent between teams is nearly intangible. The offer they made was generous enough, and though he might squeeze out a couple million more in the first 2 years of a contract somewhere else, he'll probably make the same amount.

The Pats are notorious for taking little-known players and turning them into superstars. They can let Branch go and still be fine as long as Brady keeps throwing strikes.

I think the players do have a right to look for more money, however, if you sign a contract then follow through. You can re-negotiate a higher price for the next one. Maybe his agent should have initially gone for a shorter length contract.

to Bob: How has the NFL created a financial nightmare with large contracts? They really haven't. Like anything there are ways around the salary cap restriction like backloading the contracts. And considering that NFL has by far the largest increase in revenue of any sport over the last 15 years AND the best financial model (with tv contracts as well as profit sharing), setting a max salary would REALLY kill the sport, as well as its business model.

to K-Fed Up: wanting a big contract is not greed. Everyone wants to be compensated for their perceived worth. And considering that playing in the NFL takes more years off of one's life than smoking, let em have it. Along with the massive taxes these guys pay as well as most of their money not being guaranteed, they don't make nearly as much as the media frenzied reports fueled by agents that want publicity will have you think.

HE IS UNDER CONTRACT! He signed a contract and now wants more money than he AGREED to play for. He should play for the amount he AGREED to play for this year and then seek a new contract elsewhere when his current contract expires. Remember, the Patriots did not assign him some arbitrary salry for this year, he signed a contract knowing full well what he was to be paid.

Live up to your word you spoiled little brat.

Look, Deion is a good wide receiver. Not a great one. He thinks that because the Pats system spreads the ball around so much that he is a Reggie Wayne or Tory Holt in another system and should be paid like one. I think Brady deserves some of Deion's credit as well though. It never hurts to have a futuer HOF QB throwing the ball to you. Let Branch go to the Jets and have the ever ailing Pennington throwing him the ball and have to split time with Coles and McReins (sp?).

Bottom line is he feels slighted because of the system he is in. The Patriots would rather have him here, as they did Glenn when not a nutcase. But they are not built around Branch, nor were they around Glenn. They will still score points, they will still run the ball well and they will still throw the ball well. Brady's favorite target is the open receiver. He will find him regardless of what number he is wearing.

Branch - thank you for 5 years of nice action (mixed with injury time). I hope you get everything you've ever wanted.

I for one,am sick of hearing how an average NFL career is only four years. Why should they earn more in one year,than a median income person would earn in 120 years. Deion try being grateful for what you have, and be a MAN and live up to the contract you signed.

I'm glad the NFL has not gone the way of baseball! The Pats and Branch are haggling over a few million $$. If this was baseball, add a decimal point. What a mess!

Having watched and listened to "60 minutes" sometime ago about sacrifices that Tom Brady has made to ensure the Patriots remain competitive and a dynasty; it is mind-boggling to learn of Dieon Branch holding out on $6m/a year offer. If there is anything to learn from being too greedy for money as a professional athlete, it is that you not only fall out of favor from the organization that pays your salary, you also might lose the support from the public. Just look at people like Latrell Sprewell, Terrell Owens, Javon Walker and LaVar Arrington.

My advice to Dieon Branch is to take the offer on the table while it is still available. That might just be his last chance at a lucrative offer like that. Forget MVP of the Super-Bowl title two years ago, that's in the past. With the emergence of guys like tight-end Benjamin Watson, the Pats may not have a spot for Dieon. Currently, he is not even on their roster. (see NFL.com)

Branch was offered $18 million over 3 years and $31 million over 5 years. The first offer had $8 million guaranteed. He is not worth more than $6 million a year. He should take the 3 year deal. Patriot receivers are like Denver running backs, they will just plug in another and they will be fine. Branch needs to wake up and realize he is not T.O.

He was actually offered $4M bonus and a base salary of $1.045M for the 2006 season. There was also a 2007 option bonus of $4M that he was more than likely to get since I seriously doubt they'd cut him next year if he performs well this year.

All told, he probably is only guaranteed the signing bonus, the salary for this year, the roster bonus, and the salary for next year--a little more than $10M before NE would either cut him or ask him, politely, to restructure his contract.

See my post above about the true salary figures (which are guaranteed). Probably most of the other salary in later years was roster bonus and performance bonus, neither of which are guaranteed. It averages out to $6M/year for 3-5 years but he probably would only see $10M of it.

He did sign a contract. Doesn't he have any obligation? If he wants to be a free agent, let him play this year and fulfil his contract. My sentiment is buyer beware.