When the New England Patriots signed free defensive tackle Alan Branch to a one-year deal in October 2014, the move was not seen as a major one for the team. After all, while the veteran was a talented player, he was also inconsistent on the field and had recently had troubles off it.
New England still took a chance on Branch and he became a vital member of the team's defensive tackle rotation towards the end of the 2014 season. After Super Bowl XLIX, Branch signed a two-year, $6.6 million extension to keep him in Foxboro through the 2016 season.