Who told you what he wants? If he were Calvin Johnson or Andre Johnson he'd be asking for $12-15Myr. So I think he grasps the distinction even though fans don't appear to. There is a difference in wanting to be paid for being the best at what you do and being paid for being the best in the league. Welker is the best slot WR in the game.
There's something to what you say, but part of the distinction is that Welker plays for a team that has 2 exceptional receiving TE's and partially because of it, maximizes the effectiveness of an excellent slot receiver. His YAC is also maximized by having perhaps the most accurate QB of his generation. Not catching balls in stride most of the time, like he would if he played for the Jets, will cut into those stats.
Mo, if Welker were 28 and in this position, I'd be on your side. Hey if Welker was 28 the deal would be already done. But he isn't. So while he HAS BEEN the top slot receiver in the game for the last few years, who is to say that he will continue to do so.
AND what is the price for being the top slot receiver in the game worth anyway. Is it $6MM/yr,. $8MM/yr or $10MM/yr???? I don't know.
Financially many ex-Patriots end up doing OK. While nothing may ever top or even equal playing here on an emotional level or even a production level, it's often easier to top being paid less than market for staying here. And while players generally prefer to play for a winning team and compete for championships, at the end of the day they almost all want to approach maximizing earnings in what is a limited window career.
While 10 years is long NFL career, these players while have 30-40 years of potential earnings after they hang them up. Giving up, say $6MM today, and reaping the benefits of retiring a beloved sports figure in this region is a good deal.....in the long run. In the end John Elway made a lot more money with the car dealerships he eventually sold than he ever made as a Bronco.
Welker is the kind of guy who probably would remain signable for this team after the season. Shame on them for opting to take advantage of that. Now they have to wimultaneously hope he doesn't get injured and continues to produce while secretly hoping they can somehow still spin that into less than more financially going forward. And they have to hope nobody else stumbles out of the gate or gets injured because if that happens Brady will be targeting the life out of his BFF.
This part of your post is vastly overly dramatic. First of all there is NOTHING the Pats have to be "ashamed" of. That money is important to them....or rather to the OTHER players who would be getting that money if the Pats don't have to give it to Welker. Are they any less deserving?
Why would they hope the doesn't get injured more, without the contract, than they would if they gave him something LT. Don't you have that backward?
Are you saying that Brady would sacrifice maximizing a play to go to Welker out of spite??? Really, MO???
Welker is in a tough spot for an over achiever. Has to be able to compartmentalize the future contract issue and continue to play with focused abandon as he has for 5 years here. I wouldn't want to be him or the team down the stretch if he's again putting up tremendous numbers because what he's increasingly risking will likely begin coming into sharper focus. And there won't be a thing either side can do about it. If I'm the team the last thing I want allow is for a situation to even subconsciously develop where Brady begins to worry about being on the delivering end of a play that ends or seriously threatens the remainder of his BFF's career. And I wouldn't want to be the teams contract negotiator going forward if something like that happens to that guy, the one Brady calls the heart and soul of this offense, because it will give a lot of his teamates contractual pause going forward.
Cry me a freakin' River, Mo. When are you taking this drama to Broadway? Have you sold the screen play yet?
The Pats are paying Wes Welker $9.3MM to give them his best effort for the ENTIRE 2012 season. And the DAY that they felt that he wasn't giving his FULL effort because of a contract issue is the day they should cut his sorry ass. Its also the day Welker would be cutting his own throat financially, because NO team will pay big bucks to a guy who would quit on them the day he was unhappy with his contract. (well maybe the Jets
)
Like I have said many times before. I sincerely hope that Welker retires as a Patriot. However I'm not willing (nor are the Pats) to overpay him for that privilege just because he was underpaid in his his prime years. Those dollars are too valuable in respect to the rest of the roster.
There are no bad guys in this negotiation. Both sides are doing what they think is best for themselves, and that's the way it should be. Your claim that the Pats are screwing Welker in any sense has no merit, except as an emotional appeal.
