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Danny O'Neil covers the Seahawks for The Seattle Times.

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September 3, 2008 3:34 PM

Deion Branch on his surgery and rehab

This is Jose Romero, a contributor to Danny's blog.

Branch was at practice but didn't really practice. He was in full uniform and pads catching balls off a Juggs machine today. The Seahawks injury report for today lists Branch, who had left knee surgery for a torn ACL he suffered in the playoff game last season at Green Bay, as having limited participation in practice.

Afterward Branch was asked if playing Sunday was a possibility.

"Uh, it's up in the air. That's up to Coach." Branch said.
Is he till holding out hope? "Yeah. The only thing I'm doing is I'm going to run around, feel my way through things and they have to make the decision."
Would you want to play on it? "If I could, yeah, I want to. If I could."
You haven't been running routes? "I've been running. I've been doing a little bit more than what you all have probably seen."

Translation, in my view: Branch isn't ready to play yet. The expected recover time was nine months. Branch had his surgery on Feb. 7, seven months ago. That doesn't mean he will miss two more months, but more likely the first two games.

Branch said doctors removed a piece of his patellar tendon and made into his new anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL. He said he'd had injuries to his right leg and might have been overcompensating with his left leg when the injury happened, but didn't blame it on the snowy field conditions at Green Bay last January.

"It was a strange injury, but you can recover," Branch said. "I'm going to bounce back. I know I am. I'm going to be fine. I just have to make sure I do the right thing."

Practice report

SEATTLE

WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY

Out
WR Bobby Engram (shoulder)

Did not practice
DE Baraka Atkins (back)
RT Sean Locklear (knee)

Limited in practice
WR Deion Branch (knee)
LB Lofa Tatupu (knee)

BUFFALO

WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY

Out
TE Derek Fine (hand)
TE Matt Murphy (shoulder)

Did not practice


Limited in practice