The agent for Deion Branch said yesterday that the wide receiver would report to camp without a new deal if the Patriots promise not to use the franchise tag on him in 2007.

Branch is entering the final year of his five-year rookie contract and likely will miss the start of today's training camp because he's unhappy with the Patriots' efforts to give him a new contract.

His New York-based agent, Jason Chayut, said: "If (the Patriots) came to me and said, 'Jason, we won't franchise Deion,' I would talk with them every day of the season in good faith to get a long-term deal done."

The franchise tag allows teams to maintain control over one player whose contract expires. A franchised player must be paid the average of the top five salaries at his position, but the player gets no bonus money. The franchise number for wide receivers this season is about $6 million. The Patriots' current offer is reported as being just under $6 million over four years.

Chayut contends that, if the Patriots are going to come up short of the franchise number with their current offer, they would again in 2007, when it goes up even more. Since they won't pay him that much, they ought to agree not to franchise him.

The chances of that happening are remote. The Patriots have never done it. The only team that has may be the Seahawks, who had the arrangement with Shaun Alexander. One reason is it gives away a very useful tool for management in negotiations. The other reason is, if the specter of the franchise tag is lifted, the urgency for Branch and Chayut to get a deal done with the Patriots is removed.

Chayut also said that, while Branch isn't making any comments, he "feels very strongly" about holding out.

The holdout, Chayut said, isn't solely because the Patriots and Branch disagree on his value (which Chayut believes is closer to $7 million per season). Instead, it's because of a number of factors, including the Pats' insistence on a five-year deal when Branch came into the league and a contract offer in the 2004 offseason that was so poor, according to Chayut, it did more harm than good.

Branch is on the books to make about $1 million this year ($500,000 in salary) and could be fined up to $14,000 per day during his holdout. By Sept. 1, Branch could be fined up to $510,000.

Claridge released

The Patriots yesterday released linebacker Ryan Claridge, a fifth-round pick in 2005 who injured his shoulder last August, was placed on injured reserve and never played a snap for the team. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder out of UNLV was expected to be in the competition for time at inside linebacker.

No reason was given for the release of the 25-year-old Claridge, whose older brother Travis, a former NFL player, died on Feb. 28.

The team also released rookie free agent Kader Drame, a defensive end from Syracuse.

Seymour on PUP list

Rookie wide receiver Chad Jackson, defensive end Richard Seymour and corner Randall Gay all will open camp today on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Also on PUP are receiver Bam Childress, safety Rodney Harrison, tackle Nick Kaczur, center Dan Koppen, running back Patrick Pass, long-snapper Lonie Paxton and defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan.

Any of those players can be taken off the list in training camp once they're ready to practice.

Maroney unsigned

As of early last night, the Patriots hadn't finalized a deal with first-round running back Laurence Maroney, the 21st overall pick in April's draft.

Camp opens today, and the rest of the rookies already are in, but there's still confidence the deal will get done. Negotiations have not been described as acrimonious. Neither side has said what the holdup in negotiations is.

Chad Brown in fold

The Pats agreed to a one-year deal with linebacker Chad Brown, 36. Brown signed with the Pats in May of 2005. His role figured to be as a pass-rusher, but the losses of Tedy Bruschi and Ted Johnson pressed him into regular duty inside.

Given Bruschi's return and the hope that Monty Beisel can make an impact inside, Brown now gives third-down depth at outside linebacker -- something the team needs with Willie McGinest gone.

Belichick's adjustment

This is the first football season Belichick enters without first getting at least a little counsel from his father, Steve Belichick, who died last year. "It's been an adjustment," Belichick said. "It's definitely been an adjustment, but it's something we all go through sooner or later. I've just tried to be appreciative of what I did have with him for so long. I'm not saying I don't miss him or miss the camaraderie, though. And that was definitely true on Nantucket (where Belichick summers with his family). It was difficult for my mom and I to not have him be there."

tcurran@projo.com / (401) 277-7340