Re-up or Reject: Alan Branch

When the Cardinals traded up to nab Michigan’s Alan Branch in 2007 they did so thinking they were getting a dominant defensive lineman who, for whatever reason, fell in the draft.

Four years later it is apparent why Branch fell: a lack of a motor. Incidentally enough, his play picked up just as he was about to enter free agency.

Re-up: Few defensive linemen have the size (6 foot 6, 338 lbs) that Branch has along with the speed and quickness he possesses. He became a key part of the defense last season, tallying a career high 35 tackles along with two sacks.

Reject: Funny how that works, you know, where a guy plays really well in his contract year. Branch’s poor attitude led him to be a disappointment early in his career, and the fact that he only started to “get it” when his next contract was on the line is a red flag the size of, well, Alan Branch.

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