Patriots 2015 Free Agent Profile – Alan Branch
Alan Branch was signed by the Patriots in late October after the hip injury sustained by Chandler Jones put the Pats defensive end on the shelf for an extended time when it was learned that he’d be lost for at least a month.
Branch’s deal paid him $855,000 and he played in the final eight games of 2014, with two starts chipping in with 14 tackles, two quarterback hits and one pass defensed. It was a nice redemption for the 6’6, 325 pound defensive lineman who was released by the Buffalo Bills after being charged with a DUI this summer.
Branch was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2007 NFL Draft and played four seasons for the Cardinals before playing well in two seasons for the Seahawks. Branch spent 2013 as a member of the Buffalo Bills. After playing well for Buffalo last season, he was given a three-year contract extension and paid a $3.1 million dollar signing bonus.
Prior to his DUI arrest, Branch was already in hot water with the Bills, he skipped the voluntary off-season workouts and showed up for training camp well out of shape. After he was released, it may have meant the end of the line for the lineman but the Patriots came calling and it helped him revitalize his career.
But prior to the Super Bowl in Arizona, he wasn’t asked about Buffalo but his loss of four dogs in a boarding facility in Phoenix this summer as well as his time with Seattle. Branch and his family had boarded five of his family’s pets while attending a family funeral and during the night an air conditioning unit failed and four of his beloved dogs died of heat stroke. He said, he’d be playing with a heavy heart.
But playing against his former team he waxed philosophic, "It was good during my two years there," Branch said of playing for the Seahawks. "It kind of broke me out from being a player in the background, a backup. I enjoyed my time there."
“In Arizona, I never really had the opportunity to play, even though I thought I was a good enough player to be on the field,” Branch said prior to the Super Bowl. “I’m just thankful for being in Seattle, having them have the trust in me to go out there and play ball. My main focus was just to help this team as much as I could to get this team to where it wanted to go," he said. "So we just have another game and hopefully I can do my role in that, too."
On former coach Pete Carroll, “He’s just a high-energy coach,” Branch said. “He’s one of those types of coaches that go out there and have good team bonding experiences and what-not.” But he added that there was no added motivation in facing his former team saying, "It's the Super Bowl, it doesn't get much bigger than that," he said. "So if you need more motivation than that there might be something wrong."
Branch played sparingly in the two playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl notching four tackles in the wins over Baltimore and Indianapolis. In the Super Bowl, he played a total of 19 snaps on defense, chipping in with 3 tackles.
Branch was on the field at the final big moment when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass said he was shocked like many were when the Seahawks threw the ball, but loved the outcome.
“I was like this is odd,” said Branch. “Are they really about to throw the ball. I saw Malcolm go over there and steal the ball from the receiver. I was so excited man I ran a 4.2 40 all the way to the 50 yard line.”
Why Branch Will Return: Depth. The Patriots got a great year out of Vince Wilfork, but the big man is 33 years old and he can’t keep up the rigors of playing inside forever. The team drafted Dominique Easley in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft but he was limited all season after undergoing off-season knee surgery for a blown out ACL. We’re still not sure Easley will even be ready to go once OTAs, mini-camp and training camp begins.
Sealver Siliga is another big run stuffer in the middle, but he too suffered a myriad of injuries in 2014. Beyond that the team has Chris Jones and Joe Vellano who is on the practice squad. Neither of them are particularly stout against the run.
One factor in his favor are the numbers, the Patriots struggled to stop the run early in 2014. Once Wilfork rounded into form after recovering from his Achilles injury, the team got back Siliga from injury and signed Branch. With a trio of 325+ pounders in the middle, the Patriots allowed only 79 yards per game down the stretch.
If the money is right, (he signed for the veteran minimum in 2014), Branch could continue to produce for the Patriots as they look to limit the snaps Wilfork will be asked to play.
Why Branch Won’t Return: A few factors would play into the Patriots deciding against bringing Branch back into the fold. Money being the primary one, the team signed Branch for the veterans’ minimum ($855,000) in 2014. It is doubtful that he’d be willing to accept that low-ball amount again.
With the Patriots winning the Super Bowl and Branch being a part of that, other teams may be willing to take a chance on the big man who has been effective in his career. Branch will probably be looking for a multi-season deal, something the Patriots may not want to risk.
The last time Branch signed a long-term deal in December of 2013, he skipped all of the voluntary workouts and showed up for camp very out-of-shape. That’s the kind of red flag that may give the team pause to risk a long-term deal for the 30-year old.
Chances of Branch returning in 2015 are less than 50/50, look for them to dip into the draft for some younger talent in the interior.
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