At 33-years-old and entering his 11th season in the NFL, New England Patriots veteran wide receiver Deion Branch is engaged in an intense battle to earn a wide receiver spot and make the team's final 53-man roster for the 2012 season.
Early on, Branch had limited participation in camp but he's since resumed competing in full practices and after Monday night's performance against the Philadelphia Eagles (three catches, 51 yards), Branch drew praise from head coach Bill Belichick, according to a Telegram.com report:
"I thought he competed well," Belichick said during yesterday's conference call. "He had three big catches in tight coverage and traffic, and that's always good to see. He's worked hard in camp."
To his credit, Branch has maintained a positive attitude and relishes the challenge of trying to make the final cut:
"Every year, man," he said, "I'm going to come out here - and that's the fun part about the game -- you get to come out here and compete against your teammates, score against the defense and also do some things with the guys you're in the same room with. Overall, I love it, man. I love it."
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