The veteran receiver is coming home after being released in August.
He's back
Deion Branch never wanted to leave.
The veteran wide receiver spent the last few weeks waiting for a phone call from the New England Patriots and told every open microphone that he was ready and waiting to return home after being released in August.
The phone finally rang Tuesday. After spending 18 days in limbo, Branch will return to the Patriots.
The news, which was first reported by The Boston Globe, came mere hours after it was learned that the Patriots also signed free-agent tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. to help fill the void created by tight end Aaron Hernandez's low ankle sprain.
Wide receiver Greg Salas, who was acquired in a trade for a late-round 2015 draft pick earlier this month, fullback Lex Hilliard and linebacker Mike Rivera were released from the roster.
The Patriots parted ways with Branch on Aug. 31 as of the final roster cutdown, though it never felt like he left. His locker remained intact and Branch often made it sound like a return was possible during his time away.
He was in attendance at Gillette Stadium for Troy Brown's induction into the team's Hall of Fame over the weekend and told reporters that he was in contact with a few other teams but was holding out hope for a return to New England.
"If I'm there, I'd love to be back," Branch, who caught 51 passes for 702 yards and five touchdowns last season, said. "I'd embrace it and pick up right where I left off at."
It may not be that simple with Brandon Lloyd now in his old role, though Branch could help alleviate some of the burden created by Hernandez's injury, as will Winslow.
The 29-year-old tight end is similar to Hernandez in many ways and should be able to help while Hernandez continues to recover from a ankle injury suffered during the third play of Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, but that's assuming that Winslow is healthy enough to do so.
The Patriots showed interest in Winslow (6-foot-4, 254 pounds), who caught 75 passes for 763 yards and two touchdown last season with Tampa Bay, after he was cut by the Seattle Seahawks, but were uncomfortable with the health of his right knee, which has been operated on at least five times following a 2005 motorcycle accident.
Winslow will likely take the bulk of Hernandez's snaps if he's up to speed in time for Sunday's game against Baltimore, though he lacks Hernandez's position flexibility, which could hurt New England's hurry-up offense.
In many ways, Hernandez, with his ability to line up at tight end, wide receiver and running back, has become the glue of the Patriots offense and his flexibility allowed the team to average 15 no-huddle plays per game last season.
When he was out for two weeks with a knee injury during 2011 that figure dropped to 8.5. In the first of those contests the Patriots threw four interceptions and suffered a 34-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
It remains to be seen if Winslow will have a strong enough grasp on the offense to keep up at an advanced pace and New England will likely be forced to use multiple players to fill Hernandez's various roles.
Winslow averaged 72 receptions, 792 yards and four touchdowns per season over the last four years. His best season came in 2007 when he caught 82 passes for 1,106 yards with five touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns.