Alan Branch

[Goodyear Card]

Underwhelming production caused defensive lineman Alan Branch, a former second-round pick, to be only a part-time player in four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
Or -- as Branch suggested -- maybe it was the other way around.
"Getting on the field, I guess," Branch told "Brock and Salk" last week when asked what changed from his time in Arizona to his first season with the Seahawks in 2011

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=292&sid=694494

 

[Chris_Sanders]

So...

He went from a part time player to a full time player and still didn't eclipse his career highs. Good investment there.

 

[Dr. Jones]

And we traded up in the 2nd round for a guy we wanted to put on the bench......

Good riddance.

 

[Mitch]

Plus, since he was drafted to play NT and didn't want any part of NT, we still have 3 DEs who are better: Dockett, Campbell and Carter.

 

[BigRedRage]

Underwhelming production caused defensive lineman Alan Branch, a former second-round pick, to be only a part-time player in four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
Or -- as Branch suggested -- maybe it was the other way around.
"Lack of talent in Seattle, I guess," Branch told "Brock and Salk" last week when asked what changed from his time in Arizona to his first season with the Seahawks in 2011

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=292&sid=694494

FTFH

 

[Goldfield]

Plus, since he was drafted to play NT and didn't want any part of NT, we still have 3 DEs who are better: Dockett, Campbell and Carter.

I keep seeing you list Carter as a DE. Isnt he our main back up DT? I do believe he could play a 3-4 DE for us but isnt he listed as a DT?

 

[jaguarpaw81]

Plus, since he was drafted to play NT and didn't want any part of NT, we still have 3 DEs who are better: Dockett, Campbell and Carter.

I think it was tremendously stupid and naive to draft Branch as a NT w/out gauging his interest in it first, but I don't think Carter is better.

 

[Shane]

I think it was tremendously stupid and naive to draft Branch as a NT w/out gauging his interest in it first, but I don't think Carter is better.

And you know they didn't do that how? Branch could have said hell yea. Just to make sure he got drafted as early as possible. He already fell out of 1st round. He would say whatever he needs to say to keep from sliding further. Every slot = $$$$$

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I think it was tremendously stupid and naive to draft Branch as a NT w/out gauging his interest in it first, but I don't think Carter is better.

You draft the best player by your scouts and leave it to the coach to figure out how to use him.

If the coach is not successful, then you determine if it is the employee that is failing or the manager. If it was the employee that failed, you then determine if your scouting was flawed.

Branch has first round talent and 5th round motivation. Everyone knew that going in, which is why he failed. You can't blame your scouts there. Ultimately the team has to decide is the player just not willing to live up to his expectations or is the coach not maximizing his potential. Clearly the Cardinals chose the former.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Branch has first round talent and 5th round motivation. Everyone knew that going in, which is why he failed. You can't blame your scouts there. Ultimately the team has to decide is the player just not willing to live up to his expectations or is the coach not maximizing his potential. Clearly the Cardinals chose the former.

+1

 

[Bodha]

Branch has first round talent and 5th round motivation.

Thats backwards if you think about it.


1st rounders are talented out the arse, but some are lazy because of it.

5th rounders will work themselves to the bone in order to make up for their lack of natural talent.


That philosophy is why I love 2nd & 3rd rounders more than anyone. They were all potential 1st round talents who fell for some reason and are now extremely motivated to outperform the 1st rounders. Q. Darnell. Historically, the Cards have been built off later rounds. Our 1st round picks are hit or miss.

 

[Duckjake]

Thats backwards if you think about it.


1st rounders are talented out the arse, but some are lazy because of it.

5th rounders will work themselves to the bone in order to make up for their lack of natural talent.


That philosophy is why I love 2nd & 3rd rounders more than anyone. They were all potential 1st round talents who fell for some reason and are now extremely motivated to outperform the 1st rounders. Q. Darnell. Historically, the Cards have been built off later rounds. Our 1st round picks are hit or miss.

Speaking of first round picks I think there were only 6 total that started or contributed a lot on defense in the NFC West last season.

Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith in SF
Earl Thomas in Seattle
Chris Long in STL (I guess you could also count Robert Quinn)
Patrick Peterson and Dan Williams in AZ

And only Long and Willis were drafted before 2010.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Alan Branch.

His most productive season for the Cardinals was in his contract year which was 4 years after he was drafted in the 2nd round.

He was EASILY replaced by a 6th round pick, who matched Branch's output (stats be damned) in his first year, with almost no training camp.

Good riddance to a player that could have been a dominant NT, and make millions upon millions.

 

[Duckjake]

Alan Branch.

His most productive season for the Cardinals was in his contract year which was 4 years after he was drafted in the 2nd round.

He was EASILY replaced by a 6th round pick, who matched Branch's output (stats be damned) in his first year, with almost no training camp.

Good riddance to a player that could have been a dominant NT, and make millions upon millions.

He just needed more time to learn the system.

I still don't buy dismissing a good year as only being a result of it being a contract year for the player. As one player said recently, the money in the NFL isn't guaranteed so every year is a contract year.

 

[kerouac9]

Alan Branch.

His most productive season for the Cardinals was in his contract year which was 4 years after he was drafted in the 2nd round.

He was EASILY replaced by a 6th round pick, who matched Branch's output (stats be damned) in his first year, with almost no training camp.

Good riddance to a player that could have been a dominant NT, and make millions upon millions.

I just don't think this is the case. And it never was. This is where Chris and others are wrong about Branch's career being entirely Alan Branch's fault.

At 6'6", Alan Branch was too tall to play anchor NT the way the Cards wanted him to. You can't get appropriate leverage at that height. If you're going to anchor against the run, you have to get under the pads of/lower than the guard and center across from you, and Branch was never able to do that.

Alan Branch often played DE in Michigan's defense. That's where he should have played here from jump street, and that's where he had whatever success he presented while in an Arizona Cardinals uniform. It takes a certain type of mentality to play NT at any level. That the Cards five years ago didn't understand or couldn't predict that mentality lead to us overdrafting Alan Branch and him playing out of position for three out of his five years with the team.

He would've been better off playing two-gap DT for a 4-3 defense, but that was never going to happen here. This marriage was doomed from the start, and that's the fault of the team who drafted him.

 

[Duckjake]

I just don't think this is the case. And it never was. This is where Chris and others are wrong about Branch's career being entirely Alan Branch's fault.

At 6'6", Alan Branch was too tall to play anchor NT the way the Cards wanted him to. You can't get appropriate leverage at that height. If you're going to anchor against the run, you have to get under the pads of/lower than the guard and center across from you, and Branch was never able to do that.

Alan Branch often played DE in Michigan's defense. That's where he should have played here from jump street, and that's where he had whatever success he presented while in an Arizona Cardinals uniform. It takes a certain type of mentality to play NT at any level. That the Cards five years ago didn't understand or couldn't predict that mentality lead to us overdrafting Alan Branch and him playing out of position for three out of his five years with the team.

He would've been better off playing two-gap DT for a 4-3 defense, but that was never going to happen here. This marriage was doomed from the start, and that's the fault of the team who drafted him.

I agree. It's too bad that we didn't have a magic wand to swap Alan Branch and Calvin Pace so that Pace would have been a 6'6" 320lb DT and Branch a 6'4" 262lb 3-4OLB.

 

[DakotaCardsFan]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but was Gabe Watson out of football last year? I thought he got cut by the Giants before the season and never heard anything else about him. He didn't light the world on fire in AZ, but I didn't see him being out of the league that quickly.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I just don't think this is the case. And it never was. This is where Chris and others are wrong about Branch's career being entirely Alan Branch's fault.

At 6'6", Alan Branch was too tall to play anchor NT the way the Cards wanted him to. You can't get appropriate leverage at that height. If you're going to anchor against the run, you have to get under the pads of/lower than the guard and center across from you, and Branch was never able to do that.

Alan Branch often played DE in Michigan's defense. That's where he should have played here from jump street, and that's where he had whatever success he presented while in an Arizona Cardinals uniform. It takes a certain type of mentality to play NT at any level. That the Cards five years ago didn't understand or couldn't predict that mentality lead to us overdrafting Alan Branch and him playing out of position for three out of his five years with the team.

He would've been better off playing two-gap DT for a 4-3 defense, but that was never going to happen here. This marriage was doomed from the start, and that's the fault of the team who drafted him.

Good arguement.

Just saying:

Ted Washington - 6'5"
Sam Adams - 6'3"
Tony Siragusa - 6'3"

Having leverage certainly helps, but you can play the position at that heigh, IMHO.

And regardless of position, Branch is a waste of talent in my book, and the book is closed.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but was Gabe Watson out of football last year? I thought he got cut by the Giants before the season and never heard anything else about him. He didn't light the world on fire in AZ, but I didn't see him being out of the league that quickly.

Just maybe, the Cardinals cut him cause he sucked.

I know, crazy idea there, but it might be the reason.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/3656/player?r=1

Despite all the injuries in New York, Watson still couldn't lock down a roster spot. He appeared in just seven games for the Cardinals last season (2010), and might be done as an NFL player. Sat, Sep 3, 2011 11:26:00 AM

Been a free agent for almost a year, and was cut when the NYG went to 53 guys before the start of the season. He go ZERO interest from anyone after that.

 

[kerouac9]

Good arguement.

Just saying:

Ted Washington - 6'5"
Sam Adams - 6'3"
Tony Siragusa - 6'3"

Having leverage certainly helps, but you can play the position at that heigh, IMHO.

And regardless of position, Branch is a waste of talent in my book, and the book is closed.

They were all at their best as 4-3 DTs. Washington with the Bears, and Adams and Goose with the Ravens. I don't think that Tony Siragusa ever played NT.

 

[THESMEL]

Alan Branch had the best range of anyone I ever seen at his size and build, He made plays way down the field away from the box a 3-4 NT plays in, He did it in Clancy and Davis 4-3 as well as their 3-4 hybrid. I said that every year compared to Gabe. Robinson was another matter that ole DT had great range also, but he seemed lankier than Branch. My point is you give up some 3-4 NT skill for range skill.

I don't know? I don't have DD graded as high as most do, never have. He has never held up all year long but is great in spurts, his career numbers support that, CC has more consistancy. antonio Smith the the biggest loss. IMO

 

[RugbyMuffin]

They were all at their best as 4-3 DTs. Washington with the Bears, and Adams and Goose with the Ravens. I don't think that Tony Siragusa ever played NT.

I think you are right.

Adams played NT when they did play a 3-4 and Goose was a gigantic DE.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Alan Branch had the best range of anyone I ever seen at his size and build, He made plays way down the field away from the box a 3-4 NT plays in, He did it in Clancy and Davis 4-3 as well as their 3-4 hybrid. I said that every year compared to Gabe. Robinson was another matter that ole DT had great range also, but he seemed lankier than Branch. My point is you give up some 3-4 NT skill for range skill.

I don't know? I don't have DD graded as high as most do, never have. He has never held up all year long but is great in spurts, his career numbers support that, CC has more consistancy. antonio Smith the the biggest loss. IMO

So you are saying that Antonio Smith is better then Branch who is better than Dockett ?

As for Branch having the best range for his size ? Have you ever seen N.Suh play ?

 

[THESMEL]

kind of sorta

link
http://www.nfl.com/player/darnelldockett/2506115/profile

DD disappears he had 4 sacks in 08 and 3 in the SB? I aint saying he can't show up on occasion, but he is not there the rest of the time! He is the chicken in a ham and egg breakfast, The Chicken is involved but the HAM is committed! 2 way early -way too much contracts for what he has produced.

DD has 128 starts and 379 total tackles and 34.5 sacks-
just under 3 tackles a game 45 a year and barely over 4 sack a year average. DD was starter and does bring big play potential but also has had by far the most and consistant oppurtunity. Now I aint saying he is a bad player cause he aint.

but he aint this either

1. You must be registered for see images attach
2. 28. Darnell Dockett (#86 on Forbes list)
3. Total earnings: $18 million Salary/winnings: $17.9 million Endorsements: $100,000
4. Photos
5. Tuesday, June 19 , 2012

CC is way more superstar than DD has ever been. with 46 starts 208 tackles and 21 sacks!
http://www.nfl.com/player/calaiscampbell/744/profile

Antonio Smith has 86 starts for 222 total tackles and 29.5 sacks
http://www.nfl.com/player/antoniosmith/2505988/profile


Branch has 18 starts with 102 tackles and 7 sacks?
http://www.nfl.com/player/alanbranch/2495561/profile

So you are saying that Antonio Smith is better then Branch who is better than Dockett ?

As for Branch having the best range for his size ? Have you ever seen N.Suh play ?

 

[Chopper0080]

Square pegs don't fit in round holes, no matter the talent or motivation. Look at Dockett, and how his production has diminished. Thankfully he only plays an anchor DE position in our base defense or he would be totally misused.