Re-sign Welker AND Branch?

[ctpatsfan77]

Welker - He is still going strong and he succeeds because he reads defenses as brady thinks he should. He was never the fastest or tallest guy with raw talent. His capacity is mental and being 31 he will be resigned . Now you need to give him some money as KC , Jets ,Rams will be very interested.At 31 and 2 yrs from injury he will get some offer. Also, asking edelman and herandez to replace his production is hard as they seem to be dinged up all the time.He is the healthy and still got some legs.

Franchise tag.

 

[TommyD4207]

Ocho makes Branch expendable

He's older than Branch. He's played exactly 1 more game than Branch has over the previous 2 seasons including this year.

This year, Branch has 15 catches. Ocho has 3.

Branch is the reason that Ocho's struggles have been meaningless to this point; and is also why he can't crack the starting lineup.

 

[satz]

Franchise tag.

NO ... he make 2 million. even a bump will be 4 million a year ,franchise number for this year is 9.5 million for WR.

i can see a 4 yr contract with 15 million with 6 million in signing bonus.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Guys...

The reality is we need to get younger, faster, and taller at WR to compliment our midget possession receivers. We need to go out and get a Dwayne Bowe/Vincent Jackson type. I say sign welker and let branch walk(as much as it pains me).

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

Guys...

The reality is we need to get younger, faster, and taller at WR to compliment our midget possession receivers. We need to go out and get a Dwayne Bowe/Vincent Jackson type. I say sign welker and let branch walk(as much as it pains me).

Yes, if we get a good replacement. We need tall WR's and CB's! Thats been an ongoing concern of mine for awhile now.

 

[TheSolderKing]

Maybe I missed it, bit when did Ridley fumble??

the dude you quoted is referring to a pre-season game kinda irrelevant if you ask me

 

[farn]

Welker and Branch. Tough calls I think.

Branch could easily be back for the already mentioned fact that he's aging, he's only been successful in NE, and his probable cheap price tag. I think he comes back - maybe for a two year deal. He can be a 3rd, 4th receiver...

Hopefully Ocho picks up his game - starting this week when Hernandez is down.

Welker might be expensive. He is valuable, I'd love to have him on the team. But if some team offers lots of cash - how does NE respond ? (1) the TEs are becoming the go-to guys (2) Edelman, though NOT Welker, has shown he can fill the role (3) old WRs that take many hits aren't always productive.

It'll be interesting. BB won't make a decision bases on emotion. Fans would.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Ocho is the oldest and thus far least productive in the system. If he does catch on he is signed for two more years for peanuts after being way overpaid this season ($6M). If not, sayonara. The kind of money he got this season will go to Welker for the next 3 and Branch will likely get a 2-3 year extension in the $3-4M range. Price will get a one more chance to prove he is either a good deep threat or a potential backup and eventual replacement to one of Ocho or Branch. They will likely look for another developmental prospect in the 2012 draft, as well as keeping their eyes on mid level FA. If Hernandez can shake the injury bug they will be fine for another 2 years with essentially the WR's they have on the roster plus a developmental prospect - hopefully one with some return skills...and two TE's that give DC's nightmares.

I think whether BJGE gets extended or not depends on how much he is looking for and how well the two young RB's develop as the season unfolds. Bill isn't looking for a feature RB and he isn't going to pay for one. He's looking for the undervalued reliable/durable grinder with sure hands and solid blocking skills plus the capacity to rack up some receiving yards as an outlet.

The cap is going to be fairly flat for the next couple of years before the TV extensions kick in in 2014. The Pats should be in good shape until then. I think the focus will shift back to defense in the draft with perhaps the exception of interior OL/C.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

resign wes long term and branch short term.. price is a bust right now... and ocho needs to start proving himself... its time to step up for both of them,....

 

[Patriot to the Core]

Welker yes! Branch I am unsure about though......

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I'd want to resign both. Welker is a no brainer. Branch obviously can still play at a high level. At worst he is good depth/insurance to have around if Price doesn't cut it.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

NO ... he make 2 million. even a bump will be 4 million a year ,franchise number for this year is 9.5 million for WR.

i can see a 4 yr contract with 15 million with 6 million in signing bonus.

I didn't say Welker should play under the franchise tag.

My point is that the Pats can use the franchise tag to keep other teams from poaching him while they sign him long-term (à la Wilfork).

 

[strngplyr]

.. price is a bust right now...

Give me a break. Price hardly had a chance yet. Red shirt rookie year because he came out of school late and the offense was revamped to a 2TE 2WR set with a lot of emphasis on the running game and he's been injured this year.

Total bust. He's showed us what he's capable of every chance he's had and I think we all approved. He had 2 pretty good pre-seasonsand played well in the game he was active for last season. How is he a bust?

Do you believe that not being able to get on the field in a offense with emphasis on tight ends and the top 2 WRs being two of Brady's favorite targets of all time makes him a bust?

 

[PittPatriot]

I'd want to resign both. Welker is a no brainer. Branch obviously can still play at a high level. At worst he is good depth/insurance to have around if Price doesn't cut it.

:agree:
We have a great situation at WR. We have 2 ageless guys that connect with the TB ESP offense and a young receiver in Price who hasn't done anything yet to be called a bust or not. Price maybe a star in the making but just can't find the field due to who is in front of him on the depth chart.
Slater is playing the temp deep threat role.

 

[TommyD4207]

Guys...

The reality is we need to get younger, faster, and taller at WR to compliment our midget possession receivers. We need to go out and get a Dwayne Bowe/Vincent Jackson type. I say sign welker and let branch walk(as much as it pains me).

Yes, if we get a good replacement. We need tall WR's and CB's! Thats been an ongoing concern of mine for awhile now.

Um. Why?

We have the best offense in the NFL with what we have. Why do you need something different? The Patriots need a "tall" WR, just because he's tall? That doesn't make any sense at all. Donald Hayes was tall. Should we call him and see if he's busy? You know, he's like 6'2". Clearly we could use him, right?

Just because the Patriots build their offense differently than most other teams in the NFL, and don't do things the traditional way - that doesn't mean they need anything.

 

[Fencer]

Welker ABSOLUTELY


Branch... No chance UNLESS if Ocho sux tremendously.


we have Ocho for 3 years. (counting this year)


Ocho makes Branch expendable and we do NOT need 2 aging similar WR's

I was going to say "Don't you remember what happened last time Branch was let go?" Then I realized -- you don't actually remember that far back.

 

[Fencer]

Guys...

The reality is we need to get younger, faster, and taller at WR to compliment our midget possession receivers. We need to go out and get a Dwayne Bowe/Vincent Jackson type. I say sign welker and let branch walk(as much as it pains me).

I agree that Vincent Jackson would be a significant improvement to this offense. But why do we NEED such an improvement? Is the offense scoring too few points? Giving up too many turnovers?

And by the way, we have one of the best sets of tall receivers in the league. They're just called "tight ends".