KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) – Seahawks players were in the locker room after Wednesday’s practice, joking and showering. Coaches were in their break room, preparing for meetings.

Deion Branch? He was still on the field, running extra pass patterns against cornerback Marcus Trufant.

“That says a lot about his character, right there,” Nate Burleson said, pointing an admiring finger toward his new receiving mate.

That may be, but it also says a lot about how much the former Patriots Pro Bowler has to learn.

“Everything,” Branch said Wednesday, his first practice day since Jan. 13, the day before New England lost at Denver in last season’s playoffs.

“When you’ve rested for six months, everything’s tough.”

Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren began Wednesday telling his Seattle radio show that Branch would likely be on the sidelines Sunday against Arizona. But by afternoon – after watching Branch in a light, morning workout – Holmgren wavered. “I haven’t made a decision,” he said.

The coach said he won’t determine Branch’s availability probably until late this week. By then, Branch’s spinning mind may need a break.

The former Super Bowl MVP’s Monday trade to Seattle ended his 45-day holdout from the New England Patriots on Monday. His Tuesday signing of a six-year, $39 million contract ended his concern over having accumulated about $600,000 in holdout fines.

But his Wednesday was a beginning – of his new football life in a city he had never so much as visited. And it’s in an equally foreign, complicated offense contained inside a tome the size of Seattle’s metro-area phone book.

“I feel like it’s my rookie year,” Branch said after running mostly with the Seahawks scout team during team drills. “Everything’s all new.”

Branch was so eager – or daunted – to learn Holmgren’s new playbook immediately, he asked the Seahawks to fax it to the airport Monday just before he was about to board the plane. Apparently $39 million doesn’t buy secure fax communications in an airport terminal.

“You’re so eager to play, you’ll try anything,” Branch said, chuckling. “It was a long shot to get the coaches to fax their playbook to an airport – that’s a little sensitive information. But I tried anyway.”

That playbook may be getting even larger now.

In March, Holmgren was scratching his head over how to get enough pass plays to everyone after Seattle signed Burleson from Minnesota. Now that the Seahawks have five receivers with NFL starting experience, Holmgren’s head-scratching may be with a rake.

He is considering featuring formations with four wide receivers – Branch, Burleson and incumbent starters Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram – plus league MVP Shaun Alexander in the backfield.

“We have not been a big four-wide receiver team,” Holmgren said. “But as I look at it, it is intriguing to get all those guys on the field at the same time.”

Holmgren said in the interim, he may create a short, starter packet of plays on which Branch can focus and play within sooner. He did the same thing in 2004 when Jerry Rice arrived in Seattle in the middle of the season.

“I have to see him in our offense,” Holmgren said. “I think he’s going to be a great fit … but let’s get running a little bit.”

AP-ES-09-13-06 2012EDT