Helmet2Helmet

Please stop looking at stats and take off the Patriot homer glasses. Have you even spent time watching Fitzgerald or Johnson play? Their talent is in a league of their own, Welker does not compare as a receiver.

I'm truly shocked that someone is actually trying to compare Welker to Megatron / Fitz based off number of receptions.

Deus Irae

So a guy who says he hopes that Welker isn't brought back doesn't want comparisons made when they point out Welker's strengths.



I, too, am "truly shocked".

__________________
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
- Marcus Aurelius

Sticky Caulk

Have you watched anything but ESPN highlights? Your posts are mind numbingly dumb.

Helmet2Helmet

You may have forgot but that 11 win team was 18-1 the previous year. The 2012 Lions and Cardinals had a fraction of ability the 2008 team had. You really think the Lions would have a better record this year if they replaced Johnson with Welker? LOL...

Rob0729

Not much of surprise. Never thought Welker would be franchised.

I don't know if the market will be great for him or not though. Either teams will believe he is a product of Brady and the system and too old to get a big deal especially with the hits he takes or they will be all over him trying to get him. I think people are jumping the gun think it will be one way or the other.

Unfortunately, it will only take one team to overvalue him to make him too rich for the Patriots blood.

But people slammed the Pats in the past for the way they handled contracts like Wilfork and others and they worked out. Rarely, have their hardball tactics really blown up on them. Hopefully this won't be exception to the rule.

Then again, the Pats may be ready to move on from Welker and may decide another WR on the market is what they want to change their ever changing offense. We are a month away from free agency and there is no use killing the team until we see the chips fall. For all we know, Welker could be re-signed before free agency even begins.

I always wait for all the chips to fall before I make judgements. It is too easy to jump the gun with reports like these especially by a guy with an agenda against Belichick.

Sticky Caulk

This is what really worries me about Welker hitting free agency.

I got to believe a decent amount of teams will see what Welker has done for the Patriots offense and hope it translates to theirs. Once GMs consider he's been a part of two of the top four single season offenses of all time.. Welker could realistically end up with a huge overpay from a team trying to take a shot at the Super Bowl next season.

Patsfanin Philly

Didn't they apply the tag to Adam V. in 2002 and 2005???

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Um, Mr. Brady, can we line up?

MoLewisrocks

What you fail to comprehend is if they'd had a player like welker producing for pennies on the dollar over the last 5 years maybe they would have been in position to secure a better QB or not be left to draft one with a #1. For all their supposed superior talent expensive, elite WR's don't tend to elevate those around them or lead their teams to winning seasons quite the way elite QB's and even those who only think they're elite with all manner of scrappy WR's do.

Rob0729

I think franchise tag rules are different now. I don't know if Vinatieri got a 20% raise on the second franchise tag like Welker will. Plus you are talking kicker money vs. WR money on the franchise tender.

MoLewisrocks

He meant back to back, but I don't think it's a policy so much as it's just not cost effective as the cost goes up by 20%.

And Adam only played under the tag in 2005. In 2002 they just used it as a place saver. They signed him to a three year extension a week or two later.