Hawks' Branch out nine months with torn ACL

KIRKLAND -- Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and could be out of action for nine months, coach Mike Holmgren said Tuesday.

Branch, a former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player acquired in a 2006 trade with New England for Seattle's first-round pick in 2007, will have surgery in the coming days. Dr. James Andrews will perform the surgery in Birmingham, Ala.

Under the current timetable for recovery, Branch wouldn't return until the second month of the regular season. But even that prognosis might be too optimistic.

"In the past, while they can come back and play, sometimes it's longer than that before they're really going the way they can go," Holmgren said. "But they're going to fix it and he's a hard-working guy, and it was a shame we didn't have him [Saturday]."

Branch went down early in the Seahawks' divisional playoff game at Green Bay. He missed five regular-season games and the first playoff game with a strained calf and sprained foot. He opened the season as a starter and had 49 catches for 661 yards and four touchdowns.

In 14 games in 2006, Branch had 53 catches for 725 yards and four TDs. More was expected of Branch this season, considering the price the Seahawks paid to obtain him (along with the first-round pick, the Seahawks signed Branch to a $39 million, six-year deal).

Holmgren said Branch is diligent when it comes to rehabilitation and will come back from the injury.

In addition to Branch's operation, Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones will likely have shoulder surgery for the second consecutive offseason. And running back Shaun Alexander is scheduled for surgery on his cracked left wrist that never healed naturally and bothered him all season.

Mora to interview in Washington

Jim Mora, the Seahawks assistant head coach and defensive-backs coach, will leave today to interview for the Washington Redskins' vacant head-coaching position, Holmgren confirmed. Mora has been with the Seahawks for one season after three as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

Holmgren bid farewell to longtime wide-receivers coach Nolan Cromwell on Tuesday. Cromwell will become offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, and another Seattle assistant, quality-control coach Gary Reynolds, will also join the Aggies staff as assistant to coach Mike Sherman.

Sales pitch

During his season-ending news conference, Holmgren was asked about the Seahawks players that can become free agents in March. The two biggest names are Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant and kicker Josh Brown, the franchise player.

"Marcus is going to be a Seahawk. He should be a Seahawk. I've had this conversation with him," Holmgren said. "This is where he should be for his entire career, and we want him to be here. I think he wants to be here, and it's going to be one of those contracts that I think will be talked about a fair amount. We do have the franchise tag available if necessary."

The tag belongs to Brown for now, but if Seattle signs him to a long-term deal, it can use the tag on Trufant.

As for Brown, Holmgren said he is another player who should remain in Seattle.

"There's nothing wrong with a player being with the same team his entire career. I try and explain that to these guys sometimes," Holmgren said. "That's probably a good thing. If you like where you're living and you like the community, if you like that, why leave for an extra hundred thousand bucks or something, whatever?

"If I can get that message across to some of these guys, then I will try and do that."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com