News broke last night that free-agent cornerback, Brandon Browner, had signed with the New England Patriots, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport:
Source: Ex-#Seahawks CB Brandon Browner has reached a two-year agreement with the #Patriots. Must serve 4-game suspension to start 2014
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2014
Adam Schefter, however, had conflicting reports about the Patriots-Browner deal:
Brandon Browner's agent, Peter Schaffer, said his client is in negotiations w/ "four teams and we do not have a deal. We arent even close."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2014
Then there was a Twitter stand off between Rapoport and Schefter:
Brandon Browner has spread the word to those close to him that he has agreed with the #Patriots. Thus, my report that he has agreed.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2014
A well-placed Patriots source: "Browner wants to be in NE, I think we are close, but it's a tough deal to do because of suspension, etc."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2014
Things got even more interesting with Peter Schaffer, Browner’s agent, saying that he just wants to play hockey, and didn’t want to have to answer questions about his client via PFT:
“It’s 100 percent untrue,” agent Peter Schaffer told PFT by phone, moments after the report landed on Twitter. “I’ve got four teams to negotiate with. I’ve got irresponsible journalists who don’t check their facts putting this stuff out there, and my phone is blowing up when I’m trying to play hockey… “I’ve got very little patience for irresponsible journalists who put this stuff out and ruin my night,” Schaffer said. “My phone is going nuts. I just wanna play hockey.”
Today ESPN’s Adam Schefter took a slight jab at Schaffer for playing in his hockey league while his client was trying to ink up a deal:
Dying to know whether Peter Schaffer's hockey team won or lost.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2014
Looks like there never was a deal in-place, as Browner’s visiting Washington, according to Schefter:
CB Brandon Browner is visiting Washington today, then plans to visit N.O. while his agent Peter Schaffer talks with New England and Oakland.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2014
