Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch, whom the Pats acquired from Seattle for a fourth-round draft pick on Monday night, will take a pay cut in 2011. The wide out's base salary will be reduced from $5.95 million to $2.2 million, yet performance incentives could bring his 2011 salary back up to $4 million.
As to why Branch was willing to take such a significant pay decrease, he said, ""I just always wanted to be around champions. It's always good to have that feeling and to know what you're surrounded with...
"Both parties agreed on something, and we worked it out. But it's always good just to be back in here. You gotta know what you're doing it for, and I know the purpose and why I did it. That was the most important thing."
*ESPNBoston.com* reports "the restructuring makes more money available for the Patriots to pursue a contract extension with Patriots wide receiver [Wes] Welker," who right now is making $2.15 million in 2011.
Read more about Branch's contract negotiations in the *Boston Globe* and the *Boston Herald*.
Read a story in the *Boston Herald* on how the Patriots may use No. 84 this Sunday. Former BC football star quarterback and current Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Matt Hasselbeck weighs in on his former teammate.
Read how the Pats may use the rest of their receivers in the *Boston Globe*.
