Can Deion Branch Fulfill His Promise?

by John Morgan on Sep 9, 2010 11:57 AM PDT

Maybe it was the catch. Deion reaching cross-body to snag a pass against his momentum. Maybe, if you strip away recent health and production, it's just that Branch is among the most talented wide receivers to play in Seattle in some years. Maybe Pete Carroll, John Schneider and Jeremy Bates afforded him the fresh start he has so desperately needed. Mora worked under Holmgren and both may be forgiven for kinda of giving up on Deion. Most of us have.

Whatever it was, we are on the verge of the start of the regular season and despite 181 roster moves, the most obvious roster move was never made. Deion Branch is still a Seattle Seahawk. Branch not only survived the clear cutting, he stands among saplings, a veteran, a starter. This is his season, step up or be gone.

Mike Williams is Brandon Marshall. Branch is Eddie Royal. He lacks Royal's top end speed, but he is equal in agility and as a route runner. He may not, as Royal did not, survive the high volume of targets, but unlike Royal, Seattle has backups. Branch falters and Golden Tate or Deon Butler can fill his role.

Apart from being healthy and developing timing with Hasselbeck, Seattle needs Branch to create run after the catch on short passes and wide receiver screens. He must create separation on mid-range curls and outs, and navigate zones on option routes. Most of all, he must, through a combination of separation and hands, convert a high-percentage of targets into receptions. As long as Matt's in, Seattle will not have a prolific deep attack, and that means for drives to click, they can't waste snaps with dropped passes and deflections.

It's been a long go. One that's produced mixed feelings. Branch has been spectacular in spurts, never consistent, and often injured. The Seahawks need him this season and maybe this season, he can fulfill the potential he has often teased but never delivered on.

Tweet Comment 17 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I think this was one of Tim Ruskells better moves

despite the lack of production out of it.

Punks jump up to get beat down.

by Lo Pann on Sep 9, 2010 12:06 PM PDT reply actions

I disagree completely.

I’d rather have seen us with the draft pick we gave up for him.

by lackskill on Sep 9, 2010 12:26 PM PDT reply actions

supposed to be a reply

to the post above… Oops.

by lackskill on Sep 9, 2010 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions

LOL yeah I heard

Brandon Meriweather ain’t a bad safety…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZDUh9yboqI

Your culture is primitive; yet so funky!

by jubelthebear on Sep 9, 2010 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions

In hindsight we didn't get much out of it

but at the time it was a logical move. We needed a WR and figured we’d be back in the SB so why not trade that for a SB MVP play maker. Nobody knew he would get hurt or would have Tim even draft Meriweather.

Punks jump up to get beat down.

by Lo Pann on Sep 9, 2010 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed. I dont remember even one person

at the time claiming it was a bad move.
I seem to recall everyone being pretty stoked.

by Strictnine on Sep 9, 2010 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Me and the dozen Seahawk fans on About.com's football forum were all very wary of the trade from the beginning.

We basically convinced ourselves that it must be worth it, it must be a good trade, he has so much ability and Tom Brady is so mad that he was traded, even though none of us saw anything significant except for the Super Bowl.

by jacobstevens on Sep 9, 2010 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, I don't know what forums you went to back then...

I’ve said from the birth of the rumor it was stupid to give up a first.
The only rumored competition was the NYJ, who reportedly offered a 2nd. We should have offered a 2nd, or none.
Ugh. I hate making sucker trades. I was one person who was against it, and said so on the old Seahawk.net forum (before it went through all it’s mergers, renames, new servers, and splits).

by Kryten on Sep 9, 2010 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions

I hated it.

Not that I was against acquiring Branch, but not at the expense of a first round draft pick. And it only cost that much because the Jets got involved and it turned into a bidding war.

Golden!

by Carl Shinyama on Sep 9, 2010 10:06 PM PDT up reply actions

to be honest

At the end of the day I didn’t complain even thought I vaguely understood that a 1st round pick is a steep price for…well…anything. I didn’t know much about football back then, especially from the standpoint of personnel decisions. But after consideration I thought: “OK well they know what they’re doing up there (in the front office). So I trust that this is a fair deal.” My brother however; he was cursing like Ruskell had ball tortured him or something

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZDUh9yboqI

Your culture is primitive; yet so funky!

by jubelthebear on Sep 10, 2010 7:07 AM PDT up reply actions

I never felt like the guy couldn't play when he was on the field

When he first got here he had a case of dropsies, along with the standard timing and familiarity issues. But, he just hasn’t been able to stay healthy.

Not living out west I really don’t see much Denver. So my question is, if Branch is Eddie Royal is it fair to ask if he is also Steve Smith in this offense? (That’s the USC Steve Smith, not the Utah/Carolina Steve Smith.)

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Sep 9, 2010 1:34 PM PDT reply actions

I think that like Spencer, he has received undue criticism, a lightning rod for fan frustration during a time of perpetual blowouts

It isn’t completely his fault the injuries have happened, and that Hass has sucked badly at times. For every drop from Deion, there is probably a bad over- or under-throw from Matt.

I think there is a good chance Deion has a breakout year this year, if he gets targeted appropriately.

Of course, he could get injured again, as he is a bit small and light in the age of chemically enhanced NFL monsters.

by IslandHawk on Sep 9, 2010 1:52 PM PDT reply actions

It still baffles me that the FO thinks Branch is ~$5 million better than Housh

Cut Branch, keep Housh = save $5.5 million
Cut Housh, keep Branch = save $0.8 million
Also shocked that they didn’t play hardball with Branch to cut his salary.
I posted this somewhere else as well, but cutting Housh instead of Branch tells you that there was something else to it other than money and playing time for young WRs. Was it as simple as him refusing to play the slot for the Seahawks (I assume he is playing slot for Ravens)?

by jpd2d on Sep 9, 2010 2:59 PM PDT reply actions

I argree, kind of a head scratcher

I remember being concerned last year during preseason when Branch was quoted as saying something to the effect that his knee was not the same, and he didn’t think it would ever feel right again.
Did Housh come off as a non- believer to Caroll and others? Could be. I give him credit for not addressing the elephant in the room publicly. Hass… his injuries, his failing accuracy, and his noodle arm. Housh is a possesion reciever who is not going to win games for you on four to six yard completions. If he was bitching, I could hardly fault him.

by BeaverBird on Sep 9, 2010 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions