The_Riddler

Welker or a younger, bigger outside stud like Dwayne Bowe to pair up with Lloyd and we can replace Wes with Edelman in the slot all at basically the same cost. Something to think about. I am sure Bowe would love to join a winning organization after what he has been through.

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Hey Rex have you met our new Tightends? Say Hi to Aaron and Gronk !

zipster9

Bowe is more vertical, and is not a good route runner, still has dropsies. He is not reliable.

Lloyd is still trying to sync with Brady. It takes awhile to do this. Welker is already in sync.

PP2

Next to Brady, Welker is the the one player who knows our complicated offense inside out. He can release from any slot, and run any route off to perfection. More than a few times I've seen him release from the TE slot and execute like a TE to confuse the defense (a good example would be that first TD in the last game where he ran a seam to split the RZ cover 2). Not only does he know his own tree to perfection, he knows what everyone else does.

There is no question we pay him what he deserves, and if he, for some unlikely reason drops in production, he still deserves the money for the huge sacrifices he's made for us over the years, since '07. He continually puts his body on the line like nobody I've seen in all my years watching NFL football. This is one of the most toughest son of a ***** I've ever seen put on a football uniform.

AndyJohnson

Why reinvent the offense?

Ivan

Yep, especially when they are going down the backstretch of the Brady era. The Patriots have a good shot at winning the Super Bowl this season, but it gets even better going forward for the next 3-5 years as their young defense evolves into a dominant untit. Combine that with the most productive and varied offense in football history and the Patriots are poised to go on another run where they can win 2-3 Super Bowls, at least imo. The one thing that could derail it is letting Welker walk. You are right in your analysis that the offense runs through Welker, and disrupting that dynamic and allowing Brady's most important weapon to leave over cap frugality with this much at stake makes absolutely no sense at all.

patsfaninpa

We only scored 557 points Third highest of all-time. Despite quite a few games missed by Gronk and AHern.

Nehalem

I find it funny that for how much Welker gets derided for the missed Super Bowl catch that people want Bowe.

I swear I saw Bowe cause several interceptions off tipped balls in the few KC games I saw this year.

patfanken

That's an interesting question. When you think about it this offense is constantly being reinvented. Pryor to the 2010 season the Pat were basically a 3 WR passing offense, attacking deep with Moss and underneath with Welker, with minimum contributions from the TE's and RB's. After 2010 the 2TE's offense appeared without the deep threat, but still a predominantly a passing attack. Then in 2013 the running attack appeared along with an outside the number threat, but still no true "deep threat" (whatever that means)

I don't want to belabor it, but I sincerely hope the Pats and Welker reach some accommodation that keeps him here for the next couple of years, and doesn't cripple their ability to maintain a prudent salary cap structure. However to think that this offense isn't capable of being productive without Wes Welker is ludicrous. In 2006, with the fewest offensive weapons in Brady's career (since 2002) the Pats were STILL the 11th most productive offense in the league.

Somehow I think, with Gronk, Hernandez, Llyodd and the most productive running attack we've had since Cory Dillon, (and this one might even be better because of its depth and versatility);the Pats offense wouldn't fall too far down the stats lists.

Personally the big question on Welker is not whether he's "worth" the money, but rather what is the long term effect tying up that kind of money will have on the rest of the team. Its a very delicate balance. EVERY big signing has to be weighed in that light.

It might not be his fault (due to injuries) but we can safely say that Logan Mankins hasn't been worth his contract the last 2 years. Injury potential IS a factor. I know Welker has been extraordinarily dependable the last 6 years, but Mankins was too. He hadn't missed a practice through 2010 in his career. Over the last 2 years there's hardly been a week when he hasn't been on the injury report. That's how fast things can change.

We all talk about how great the last 3 draft have been. That's the good news. The bad news is that very quickly those guys are going to be coming up to FA, and that has to be prepared for, and the resignings we do this off season, will directly effect the ones we make in years going forward.

OT - a question - I know we had some obscene amount of dead money on the books this season (IIRC over $20MM). Does anyone know approximately what that number will be next season?

fgssand

He can be signed now, he wasn't able to until the REGULAR season ended.

Methinks he will be franchised once again and i am ok with that, just need to keep him.

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LOVE New England sports....10 years SEVEN championships!!!

Ivan

Hmmmm, I wonder what is more important, winning more Super Bowls before Brady hangs them up or having a few million extra 4 years from now?


Screw winning more championships. Time to get rid of Welker, otherwise they won't be able to re-sign Brandon Bolden in 2015.