What do you think is holding up the Welker signing?

[NEP4Life]

It still hasn't happened, and it's looking ever more likely that Welker will be Franchised.

 

[MP-Logick]

I think Wes wants to be paid like the guy who's led the league in receiving over the past few years.

Or maybe NE doesn't want to pay a 31-year old slot WR huge money. Who knows? They're not going to let him go, either way.

 

[NEP4Life]

I think Wes wants to be paid like the guy who's led the league in receiving over the past few years.

Or maybe NE doesn't want to pay a 31-year old slot WR huge money. Who knows? They're not going to let him go, either way.

Do you think he wants a Fitzgerald-type deal?

 

[Smokeeye123]

It still hasn't happened, and it's looking ever more likely that Welker will be Franchised.

You answered your own question. Honestly, I say let him hit free agency if he tries holding out...No team in the NFL will pay Welker over 9Mil, which is what he wants. And if a team does, we can always go out and sign receivers to fill his place. He's a 7-8 Million dollar man imo.

 

[MP-Logick]

Do you think he wants a Fitzgerald-type deal?

No...but maybe a Santonio Holmes caliber deal.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's not just Welker. No team has announced a signing of a big ticket player, that I recall.

 

[eom]

When was it supposed to be done?

 

[Ron Sellers]

It still hasn't happened, and it's looking ever more likely that Welker will be Franchised.

If I recall correctly Welker did not want any negotiations to be going on while he was playing football because he felt that would be a distraction. Last year's lockout meant there was no time period where negotiations on an extension could take place.


It has only been a week, and obviously there were a lot of other things for both sides to take care of since then. I wouldn't read too much into it. Worse case scenario the Pats franchise Welker to give them more time to work out a suitable agreement that both sides can live with.

 

[UK_Pat37]

It still hasn't happened, and it's looking ever more likely that Welker will be Franchised.

This isn''t going to be an easy deal to work out. Welker will be 31 this season...totally the wrong side of 30. You haven't got more than a couple of years of production in this guy and there are questions you have to ask like 'just how many more hits can this guy take'.

Long term is our of the question unless it's a front heavy deal with a year or two of top money, with it getting progressively lower with age. You've also got to take into consideration that Gronk will need a restructure this off season most likely and Hernandez may be part of their long term plans too down the line and may need re-signing.

I don't think the Pats want him to eat $9.4 million with the cap either.

I actually think that the Patriots may be seriously contemplating if it's worth their while signing this guy up or seeing what they can get for him. We seem to have automatically assumed it's a done deal.

It wouldn't be the first business decision that the team have amde in the 'best interests of the team'.

He will be tagged and they will try and sign him to an economic deal...not sure if it's going to be plain sailing though. Could the Past get some decent picks for him now and could they fill the production? Possibly.....

Welker is playing a hell of a lot of wide out and his height and size limits our offense in some ways...maybe they may feel they can get a good year out of Branch and tackle WR in FA/the draft. Who knows.....

 

[Jackson 2]

No...but maybe a Santonio Holmes caliber deal.

The fact that the Jets gave Holmes that type of contract speaks to the Jets' financial acumen, or lack of same.

 

[NEP4Life]

If I recall correctly Welker did not want any negotiations to be going on while he was playing football because he felt that would be a distraction. Last year's lockout meant there was no time period where negotiations on an extension could take place.


It has only been a week, and obviously there were a lot of other things for both sides to take care of since then. I wouldn't read too much into it. Worse case scenario the Pats franchise Welker to give them more time to work out a suitable agreement that both sides can live with.

Yes, and I remain very optimistic.

It's possible both sides just want to wait until the new league year and the free agent signing period to get more information on what the market for receivers looks like.

 

[patman52]

They got 5 more weeks to decide before they tag him. He is probably the last thing on their minds right now

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

He will get the tag..just hope he doesn't see it as a slap in the face..

 

[Patspsycho]

I don't think it has anything to do with how Welker feels or how the Patriots feel.

The Patriots really know their business when it comes to spending and at this point have around $20 million cap space (not a solid #) with the raised per-team minimum (PTM), so they can afford to franchise Welker ($10m), sign Mario or Brandon to a big deal, and have a little left over to sign two first round picks (ha ha, that was funny, huh?) plus a few more resigns (e.g., Anderson).

My guess is they will franchise Welker while they work out a medium term deal (say, 3 years) for Welker that's based on the precedent set in the FA agency come March.

The great thing is that the Patriots are always thinking ahead and were thinking three steps ahead when they cut a lot of deals that expired the season after the lockout (e.g., right now) so that they would have a great deal of flexibility when the new CBA would kick in. The recent news that the Patriots can now carry forward cap space from this past season into the new league year (on top of the +/- $20m cap space they have) is a big bonus for us and is why the FO probably wouldn't blink an eye if they have to franchise Welker if necessary.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

^^^ Mario will cost wayyyy too much $$..would rather have 2 nice WR or 1 and another guy on the D side not as much $$ as mario

 

[RIpats88]

He will get the tag..just hope he doesn't see it as a slap in the face..

a 9+million slap in the face?!

I think welker would take the franchise and show up to camp like a good soldier...I dont see him as a type of diva WR to hold out. he seems to be just as much about winning/football...and he knows this is his best opportunity to win. which is why im confident he will be back IMO

the pats are in win now mode the next(last?) 3 years of bradys career..we need(and im sure we will) to give him id say a 3year deal...no more wasted years like 2006 where we gutted the WR core and possibly lost out on a SB because of it

 

[THELAWFIRM226]

Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that HE JUST COST US THE SUPERBOWL

 

[Onedaful]

Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that HE JUST COST US THE SUPERBOWL

I highly doubt this is the reason why he hasn't signed a deal yet. Welker is a great player and an unbelievable asset to the team no matter if he made a mistake or not. Hopefully he will be back next year out for blood because of what happened in the superbowl.

 

[Ivan]

It's a negotiation, the answer is both. Welker's agent is going to start high and the Patriots are going to counter low, the agreement is somewhere in between. There is no way the Patriots are going to allow him to hit the open market, they aren't ignorant, they will franchise him until a deal can be reached. I think the end result will be close to the Holmes deal, Welker certainly deserves it and the Patriots know how important he is to Brady and the offense and they will reach a fair deal.

 

[Ivan]

This isn''t going to be an easy deal to work out. Welker will be 31 this season...totally the wrong side of 30. You haven't got more than a couple of years of production in this guy and there are questions you have to ask like 'just how many more hits can this guy take'.

Long term is our of the question unless it's a front heavy deal with a year or two of top money, with it getting progressively lower with age. You've also got to take into consideration that Gronk will need a restructure this off season most likely and Hernandez may be part of their long term plans too down the line and may need re-signing.

I don't think the Pats want him to eat $9.4 million with the cap either.

I actually think that the Patriots may be seriously contemplating if it's worth their while signing this guy up or seeing what they can get for him. We seem to have automatically assumed it's a done deal.

It wouldn't be the first business decision that the team have amde in the 'best interests of the team'.

He will be tagged and they will try and sign him to an economic deal...not sure if it's going to be plain sailing though. Could the Past get some decent picks for him now and could they fill the production? Possibly.....

Welker is playing a hell of a lot of wide out and his height and size limits our offense in some ways...maybe they may feel they can get a good year out of Branch and tackle WR in FA/the draft. Who knows.....

Welker "limits the offense"?????????????


That's insane, I guess Brady limits it to, they really need to bring in Chad jackson, he's a real talent, and maybe Dan Orlovsky to throw to him, then the offense won't be so limited and it can reach it's potential.


I'm really starting to wonder if the offseason makes fans go insane, the best players suddenly become question marks and the fansstart acting like the contract is coming out of their pocket.