By Justin Worsley
Just a week after the New England Patriots traded wide receiver Randy Moss back to his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, the Patriots have now reacquired Deion Branch from the Seattle Seahawks.
In a trade announced Monday, the Patriots will give Seattle a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for Branch, who has been with Seattle since 2006.
In Branch's last game in New England, he helped the Patriots win their second consecutive Super Bowl. Branch, 31, finished the game with 11 catches for 133 yards, helping him earn the MVP award for Super Bowl XXXIX.
Branch went to his third consecutive Super Bowl during the 2006 season, his first in Seattle, however, the Seahawks fell to the Pittsurgh Steelers. Branch had 725 receiving yards in four touchdowns during his first season in Seattle, however, his production has consistently dropped since then. This season, Branch has caught 13 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.
New England is hoping Branch could help bring back the magic he had with quarterback Tom Brady early in his career. During his final season in New England, Branch caught 78 passes for 998 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs.
Injuries took their toll on Branch, preventing him from ever playing a full season in Seattle. Branch was inactive in 17 of 68 games in Seattle.
New England holds two fourth-round draft picks in the upcoming draft. It is unclear which pick they have agreed to trade, their pick or the pick the team acquired in a trade with the Denver Broncos which sent running back Laurence Maroney out of town. New England has two picks in the each of the first four rounds of the next April's draft.
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