The Jets were cleared by the NFL on Thursday of tampering charges filed by the Patriots in connection with New York's talks with holdout wide receiver Deion Branch. The Patriots had given Branch permission to discuss only terms of a contract and not what a team would offer them in a trade. According to several reports, New England contended New York told Branch what it would offer, and the Patriots filed a grievance with the league and commissioner Roger Goodell. The former Super Bowl MVP was eventually traded to Seattle.