Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

Good candidate for the practice squad if nothing else.
http://www.neworleanssaints.com/play...m?playerid=317

RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

always like a no non-sense type of runner. he is a keeper but after last night he may not make a waiver wire in order to be placed on the PS.

RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

I'm not sure whats the deal on Stecker, but if he is out for a while, then Branch may make the third string RB position.

RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

I think Branch looked way more impressive than Stecker. I really like this guy.

Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

Coach Payton said X-Rays on Stecker came back negative. He should be okay.

http://www.neworleanssaints.com/news...articleid=2741

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

From what I hear, it was just a left ankle sprain. He'll be fine.

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

I'm glad Stecker is ok, but I would like to see more of branch. He played hard last night.

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

agreed, this kid will prolly get picked up by someone if he doesnt make the roster

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

dude i didn't even know who the heck the guy was but his name kept popping up. looked like a keeper to me. anyone else wondering what arron stecker is doing here?

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

the key to stecker's injury is how high is the ankle sprain.... hopefully, our 3rd running back won't have to see the field at all all year.... branch, to me, had really good vision locating open running lanes and good cutback and escapability, but looks a step slower than most running backs in the league... hope we don't live to regret trading bennett, which is initially what i thought when i saw stecker clutch his leg... honestly, his leg looked bent, so i really thought he broke the tibia, but luckily he didn't...

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

Branch did look a step slower, but I really don't think Stecker is THAT much faster than him. Plus, Branch broke quite a few tackles and looked to possess a nice amount of power. He looked similar to Deuce, actually.

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

i only wish deuce had branch's vision.... but he doesn't.... don't get me wrong, i'm not saying jamal branch should be our starting running back.... he's a decent back, but to me would probably be better suited at fullback.... i don't see him making the final roster, unless stecker is really bad hurt.... other than that, he'll be on the PS or on another team.... either way we'll be ok....

RE: Re: RE: Anyone else impressed by Jamaal Branch?
 

I nunderstood it to be a high ankle sprain....Those can be nagging and nasty for a long time..I say hold onto Branch I think he will be needed

If you guys look at my write up from 8/08, I think, I mentioned him in it. He has shown well at camp. Won't suprise me for him to make this team.

I really like Stecker - but Bush has everything that he has. If Branch can keep this up, then I think he might be a better candidate that Stecker for this team... especially with Deuce's tendancy to get injured.

We dodged a bullet when Stecker ended up with a high ankle sprain. Branch had a nice run but you can't judge a player by a few runs. We'll see in the coming weeks. Nice to have some options.

I have to give kudos to the FO & coaching staff. Our entire rookie crop looks impressive.

I didn't think Stecker looked good at all running the ball before he got hurt last night. I know the lack of blocking didn't help, but Stecker seemed to being standing still out there or trying to dance around too mush and not getting anywhere.. Bush and Branch had much better vision, made good cuts and kept their legs moving. Stecker to me looks more and more like a special teams guy and a 3rd down back at best. Truth be told, maybe we should have hung onto Antowain Smith or A-Train, if not Bennett.

Branch did great. It seems RB will be a strength on this team, that could make it the best RB corps in the league.

I've been away for a while...that dang katrina thing displaced me...
Rockymountainsaint, I created that pic you're using a number of years ago, but you're welcome to use it.
I think we'll need all three backs this year. It's NOT a myth that it takes 2 years to fully recover from an acl tear as bad as Deuce had. he admitedly doesn't have the cutting ability he used to have at this point in his recovery. I think by mid season we'll see a lot of Stecker and Bush in lieu of Deuce and Bush.

Stecker, Stecker, Stecker...The post says BRANCH

Anyways, I don't see Steck making the roster, injured or not...He's not that good and he doesn't make good plays at all...

Branch showed excellant poise and movement...He made the right decisions at the right time, he wasn't all that fast but he wasn't all that slow either. He made quick good decisions that Stecker would have never done...He can break tackles and he runs screens better than Stecker does, To say he didn't have any speed, he sure did move quick on his feet on that screen play for 22 yds...

I'd rather have Chad Morton than Stecker, last yr he had his chance to go big and he didn't...He didn't even score, he fumbled more than he reached the endzone...Face it, Branch is a better back than Stecker, and he's younger with a future

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/146360

Oops....I did not see this thread or I would not have started the other one....I thought Branch looked phenomenal. Quick.....good speed....can truck.....I liked him a lot.

branch was a total stud for Colgate in the Patriot League the last two seasons. Because that league's considered just a notch above the Ivy league for talent, he's an undrafted rookie, and at 25, he probably didn't get the kind of look that a scout should have given him. He's by no means a speedster, but he was never afraid of hitting holes at his top speed and he sees the field extremely well. I'd take him and his paltry salary over Stecker and retain one of the many big WR's that have played well over the last few weeks.