BREAKING NEWS: Phins re-sign Andre Branch to multi-year deal

No $ announced yet.  I'll wait to see what the contract is, but my initial reaction is "meh".  I just hope the Phins don't think they're now set at DE...

Just saw it as well. it suppose to be between $7 to $9 million

Damn, that's a lot of money for a player that really should be a back-up.

Don't know the guaranteed money yet, but Ian Rapoport said 3 years, $27 million. Damn, that's a bad number for the Dolphins.

So, if we give Alonso a long-term deal too, how exactly is this defense going to improve?? Embracing mediocrity...that's the Dolphin way.

I think this season's FA is going to redefine crazy for some of the money we'll see paid to average players.

I guess I'm fine with this move, but we'll need a lot more production out of him. I honestly didn't see him as that much of an impact player at all.

The only thing I can think of is that Miami didn't want to spend a lot of time with the FA

Well, it's looking like the run defense is still going to be an issue. Hopefully we can at least add a legit MLB at some point, which will certainly help, but teams will still be able to run outside on us with Branch and Wake starting at DE.

I have no idea how all of a sudden average players started getting paid superstar money, it really does baffle, befuddle and bewilder me

I don't like this move. I love it!

Hey, I went into last offseason playing the role of optimist. The result? Our first playoff berth in many years, featuring a sweep of both the Bills and the Jets. So why change?

First of all, this is a clear sign that our front office is learning. Free agency is crap. Retain your own players, that's the best bet. You realize we paid nearly the same contract to Mario Williams last offseason, except it was a two year deal. And this was on last year's cap, before it increased yet again by a significant amount. What did we get for it? Damn near nothing. Healthy scratch for some games late in the year.

Like all moves, this one cannot be evaluated in a vacuum. What were our alternatives? Of the "top 100" free agents the top 4 defensive ends were retained by their teams. There was no one better than Branch out there, and they all have the risk that Mario had last year. Will they work in our scheme? Are they washed up?

I don't believe for one second that the Fins are "done" at defensive end with this signing. We could add an additional, cheap journeyman (just like Branch last year). We could draft one in the top 3 rounds, in a draft deep at the position. And this is key. This front office is NOT going to allow the team to enter a draft with glaring weaknesses and wide open holes at starting positions. Need I remind everyone of the winfamous trade-up one spot for Vernon Carey, because we did not have a starting caliber RT on the roster? Before this signing, We ran the same exact risk at RDE, with our only starting caliber end being Cameron Wake. Now, if there is a run at defensive end, and value at another position of need, we don't HAVE to pull the trigger. Instead, we can draft the best available player, and look to improve our talent level across the board - not just at positions of need. That, in my opinion, is the right way to build the roster. If we have to pay a couple million more per season than we want for a solid player who is less than "dynamic", well so be it. It's not our money, and we are not in cap hell we have plenty of space. Use it and use it wisely.

The contract Branch got says that he's a starter...meaning that any other DE we bring in will be a backup. So, maybe we can still improve our bench...but we certainly haven't improved our horrifically bad run defense. Branch is absolutely awful against the run...just awful. He's supposed to be a better pass rusher, yet on a line with Suh and Wake taking all the pressure off him he managed just 5.5 sacks. And we reward this clown with a $9 million a year contract?? It's the same crap Fireland used to do: overpay for mediocre players, and then wonder why you get mediocre results.

This Branch contract is nothing more than keeping "continuity" on a historically-bad defense. Once again - the motto for this team is "embrace mediocrity". The more things change...

The reports about the Phins not wanting to throw FA money around are a load of crap...instead of signing superstar players to big contracts, they are throwing stupid money at their own mediocre players. First Branch, and next Alonso. Tannenbaum gonna Tannenbaum.

His contract does not guarantee a starting spot at all.

If a rookie DE is drafted the best way for him to start is to earn the job - by beating out Branch. It's that simple. Nothing handed to anyone.

The same goes for any player we bring in. In fact, Williams was supposed to start in 2016 due to the contract he signed and what happened? Branch was starting instead by week 6, because clearly Mario just didn't have it anymore.

white1 wrote:His contract does not guarantee a starting spot at all.

If a rookie DE is drafted the best way for him to start is to earn the job - by beating out Branch.  It's that simple.  Nothing handed to anyone.

The same goes for any player we bring in.  In fact, Williams was supposed to start in 2016 due to the contract he signed and what happened? Branch was starting instead by week 6, because clearly Mario just didn't have it anymore.

If Branch doesn't start or loses his starting job at some point, then this signing will end up being Mario Williams Part 2. You don't pay a DE that much money to be a rotational player.

Armando said it's 3 years, $24 million. No word on guaranteed money yet. $8 million a year is better, but still too much for a mediocre, limited player IMO. This team never learns.

white1 wrote:What were our alternatives?

that nails it right there. while i am more "okay" with this deal than "in love" with it, i understand it. the Phins were in a corner and had to make this deal to buy themselves some breathing room. but to make this deal successful, Branch is also going to have to up his production as well. the Phins showed him love, now he needs to return it. i also think the Phins absolutely have to draft a true 4-3 pass rushing threat to begin working into the rotation now to eventually replace Wake.

This makes me a little more comfortable drafting Tanoh Kpassagnon in the first round.

the Phins absolutely have to draft a true 4-3 pass rushing threat

Given the state of our roster at this critical position, I would not be surprised at all to see the Fins "double down" in the draft and select two defensive ends. It is a deep position this year, which is lucky for us since it matches our need so well.

I think we could have gotten a much better DE than Branch in the first two rounds of the draft, at a fraction of the cost. Now, any DE we draft is going to be nothing more than a bench/rotational player for the near future. I'd rather take a chance on the potential greatness of a rookie than stick with a known mediocre veteran.

Honestly, I'm not sure I would even use an early pick on a DE now, knowing that he's not going to get many reps behind our two high-priced veterans.

IMO, maybe they will go after another DE since they got rid of Mario Williams. Branch isn't a three down DE and will need another to make it up

rightchea wrote:IMO, maybe they will go after another DE since they got rid of Mario Williams. Branch isn't a three down DE and will need another to make it up

Branch is supposed to be a 3-down player...but the problem is, he's not an edge-setter against the run. And even though he's better at rushing the passer than he is at stopping the run, he's not good enough to be a pass rush specialist. I'm not really sure what the Phins see in him - I see a player that really isn't that good, despite playing on the same line as two great players that allow him to see one-on-ones all day.

Just another player that fills the holes that Miami doesn't need