FOXBORO, Mass. — After more than two months of donning shorts and a T-shirt to New England Patriots practices, Alan Branch finally grabbed a helmet Monday for the first time this summer.
The veteran defensive tackle came off the physically unable to perform list on the eve of the Patriots’ trip to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. — where they’ll take part in two joint practices with the Houston Texans — and was a full participant in the team’s final open practice of training camp.
After the session, Brach described how he’d been itching to get back on the field.
“It’s important just for me to get out here as soon as I was able to get out here,” he said. “It’s just the more practices you get under your belt, especially as a defensive tackle, the better, just because I can’t go into the grocery store and tell someone to line up and push them in the face. A lot of the other spots, like receiver, quarterback, you can practice catching and throwing, things of that nature. Defensive tackle is a different beast.”
It remains unclear exactly why Branch landed on the PUP list in the first, as he declined to reveal whether his stint was injury- or conditioning-related.
“You can ask Bill that one,” Branch said, referring to Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
Regardless, the 33-year-old doesn’t believe he’ll take long to get back up to speed.
“I missed being with the guys — the fellas — and everything, but I feel like I’m right along with them when it comes to film-watching and knowing what I’m supposed to do,” Branch said. “So hopefully I’m not going to be too far behind physically. … Right now, I feel pretty good.”
Branch was one of the Patriots’ best defenders last season, playing in every game and posting career highs in tackles (49), run stuffs (eight) and pass breakups (three). He signed a two-year, $8.45 million contract this spring to remain in New England.
Branch is entering his 11th NFL season and is one of just four current Patriots players with 10 years of service under their belts along with linebacker David Harris (11th season), kicker Stephen Gostkowski (12th) and quarterback Tom Brady (18th).
“My plan coming out of college was to play 10 (seasons) and be done,” Branch said. “I’m blessed enough where I’m physically still able to play.”
Branch, who is expected to anchor New England’s young defensive line again this season, said a continued desire for competition prompted him to push back that deadline.
“It’s the camaraderie — the competition level especially,” he said. “I don’t think there’s too many other jobs out there where you can go against another person and just try to enforce your dominance on them and have the satisfaction feeling knowing that you defeated double teams against two players trying to stop you from getting to a place or getting back to the quarterback and causing havoc.”
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
