The Boston Globe’s Mike Reiss reports that WR holdout Deion Branch has been traded from New England to Seattle for a 2007 draft choice. While the addition of Branch will provide Matt Hasselback with a badly needed target, the Boston Herald’s Steve Buckley was unimpressed by the Pats’ ability to adapt in yesterday’s 19-17 squeaker over the Bills.

Whether you are in the Branch camp, or whether you feel the guy should honor his existing contract and report for duty, is irrelevant. All that matters here is that, without Branch, the Pats™ offense was sputtering and out of sync yesterday. And can we please, please, please stop all the talk about how the talented tight end Benjamin Watson is going to stretch out the field and emerge as the Pats™ deep threat?

(CORRECTION : Branch was swapped for the Seahawks’ first round pick in ’07)