Patriots Reinstate Defensive Tackle Alan Branch
BOSTON (CBS) -- Defensive tackle Alan Branch has been reinstated by the New England Patriots.
Branch was suspended by the team last week for what head coach Bill Belichick called "a club matter" when asked about the player's ban. News of the suspension broke a few hours before New England's preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium.
It's not known what the suspension was for, but Branch figures to be a key member along the New England defensive line for the upcoming season. He started all 16 regular season games for the Patriots last season, recording 22 total tackles and a sack, and had three more tackles and a sack in New England's two postseason games.
The Patriots signed Branch during the 2014 season after he was released by the Buffalo Bills that August following a DUI arrest. They re-signed him to a two-year deal ahead of the 2015 season.
Branch has played seen a lot of action on the first team defense during training camp, but we'll see how much he sees the field (and who he plays with) Friday night against the Carolina Panthers after his week away from the team.
