Branch mulls options

FOXBOROUGH -- Despite announcing the signing of four draft choices, yesterday was not a good day for the New England Patriots.

Although they did not make it public, the Patriots placed five veteran players on the physically unable to perform list, meaning they are not yet ready to pass their physicals before the opening of training camp Friday. According to sources familiar with the Patriots' personnel dealings, the team informed the league office yesterday that safety Rodney Harrison, center Dan Koppen, tackle Nick Kaczur, cornerback Randall Gay, and running back Patrick Pass would be added to the PUP list. None will be allowed to practice with the team when training camp opens, but they can continue to rehabilitate their injuries and attend team meetings. Any player can be taken off the PUP list during the preseason and begin practicing immediately.

While the five veterans were made officially unavailable for the opening of camp, wide receiver Deion Branch continued to mull his options in an ongoing battle to win a contract extension. Branch continues to tell friends he intends to hold out, refusing to come to camp despite a change in league rules that has increased the fine for a player under contract not attending training camp workouts from $5,000 per day to $14,000 a day.

Branch is also concerned that unresolved contract language in the collective bargaining agreement might put him in jeopardy of losing a portion of the signing bonus he received when he signed his rookie deal in 2002 if he holds out. The NFL Players Association is insisting the language clubs have used to reclaim signing bonuses from players who do not complete their contract -- like Ricky Williams in Miami or Terrell Owens when he was suspended last season for disciplinary reasons -- be changed to prevent clubs from taking such action but nothing has been finalized. Branch's agent, Jason Chayut, is fearful the club might try to squeeze Branch financially by not only fining him daily but also trying to recoup at least some portion of his original signing bonus.

Branch has not decided what he will do on Friday's scheduled reporting date but as of last night was leaning toward becoming the second Patriots veteran to hold out in as many years. Last summer, four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour did the same, refusing to report until the team gave him a one time raise of well over $1 million. He then signed one of the biggest contract extensions ever given a defense lineman during the offseason, signing for three more years while becoming one of the highest paid at the position in the league.

The move to put Harrison on the PUP list is not a surprise. He suffered a major knee injury last September and was placed on injured reserve Sept. 27, 2005. He has been rehabilitating ever since and while it has been said he is ahead of schedule, he is not ready to take the field.

Gay and Koppen went on IR last Nov. 15, the former with an ankle injury that plagued him most of the season, while the latter sustained a badly torn rotator cuff and dislocated shoulder against Miami Nov. 13 that had to be surgically repaired.

Kaczur started 11 of the team's final 13 games at left tackle in place of injured Matt Light but hurt his shoulder late in the season. He played in the opening-round playoff victory over Jacksonville but was inactive for the playoff loss to Denver. Kaczur originally injured his shoulder against the Jets Dec. 4. It is believed Kaczur underwent offseason shoulder surgery but the team has not confirmed it.

Pass was hurt against Buffalo last Oct. 30 when he went down with a hamstring injury, fumbling the ball as he fell. Pass did not play for two weeks, then came back for two games before being inactive for games against the Jets and Bills before returning for the final three regular-season games as well as the playoff game against the Jaguars. Pass was inactive for the loss in Denver.

On the plus side of the ledger, the Patriots made official the signings of four draft choices: wide receiver Chad Jackson (second round), kicker Stephen Gostkowski (fourth round), tight end David Thomas (fourth round), and linebacker Jeremy Mincey (sixth round). That leaves first-rounder Laurence Maroney as the only unsigned member of the draft class of '06.

The team also signed wide receiver Keron Henry, a free agent from UConn who spent part of last season on the Saints' practice squad, and waived offensive tackle Jon Doty.