If you didn't notice - Wes Welker....another double-digit reception game

[naF staP]

Mr Dependable had another double digit catch day catching 10 of 12 targets including a 25 yard diving catch over the middle and he had a touchdown today.

Lloyd caught 6 passes for 62 yards

Hernandez caught 1 of 5 targets today for 13 yards.

Can the Patriots front office just come out already and say they look forward to showing Welker the money next season!

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Can the Patriots front office just come out already and say they look forward to showing Welker the money next season!

Sorry..but this is probably his last season here..hope they can sign them..but his price may be even higher now...

 

[Deus Irae]

WWW is now up to 110 catches on the season (which gives him five 100 catch seasons in his career) and he's 10th in the NFL in yards receiving. If they play him against the Dolphins, it's not out of the realm of possibility that he could have another 10 catch game, and become the first player in history with three 120 catch seasons.

 

[Joker]

WWW is now up to 110 catches on the season (which gives him five 100 catch seasons in his career) and he's 10th in the NFL in yards receiving. If they play him against the Dolphins, it's not out of the realm of possibility that he could have another 10 catch game, and become the first player in history with three 120 catch seasons.

yeah...uh ..no...I want all the SF wide receivers...like everyone else this afternoon cried out for...Welker is the Spikes of the offense...a JAG...and anyway, he won't catch anything in the playoffs, we're 1 and done...probably won't even score

 

[supafly]

Welker may seriously be the toughest WR in the entire NFL.

It's good to see Llyod getting more chemistry with Brady, but I still think they are in serious need of getting Gronk back to get this offense back to what it was and can be.

Gronk and then Edelman (who was coming on nicely) going down at pretty much the same time has made it much more of a challenge for Brady, and probably has something to do with his getting more hits, pressures, and sacks.

It's good to see the offense score 23 today with Hernandez only catching 1 ball all day, as that really limits the targets. Basically it was Welker and Llyod out there, and it's really been some combination of 2 out of 3 for the past few weeks, with Woodhead sprinkled in too.

The addition of Gronk will obviously change that, as they can't cover everyone and will have to go back to choosing their poison.

 

[randomk1]

It has become so routine with him. I didn't even notice that he had that many catches until they pointed out that he had broken rice's record.

 

[Danger Zone]

I'm for paying Welker.

I'm not for Law rah-rahing Welker to hold out for top money in an interview.

 

[Fencer]

I think he's earned his second consecutive Franchise Tag.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Don't know if anyone else was subjected to the Moron that is Gresh on the post game but I was stuck in the car for his ear bleed inducing performance. Says Welker isn't elite because he doesn't turn in the kind of performances Megatron does and Fitz would if he had a QB. Kept insisting in his usual shrill and overwhelming for a lightweight like Tanguay to overcome blowhard bully manner that the team was wise to tag him last season rather than be stuck with $10M in dead money. Which of course made no sense, including to a rash of callers which was likely his goal. Could see no reason to tag him again let alone offer him a deal. Seems to think that the team is on the same page he is, which would be a scary thought. Didn't seem to know they offered him $16M guaranteed for two years at one point. Seemed to think that he wanted $10M like Megatron and Fitz who he didn't seem to know happen to make between $16-18M per with $48-50M guaranteed... Claimed "they" had to do too much to facilitate Welker's production as opposed to true elite performers who get open simply by virtue of their talent. At least in the regular season since we seldom see them or their teams in the post season for some reason... Also harped on the age factor and when presented with the Moss extension at 31 insisted that was different because there was no dead money involved at the end... He is clueless about contracts and the cap, which is likely a function of where his supposed football acumen came from...

Kraft Productions media success is clearly a byproduct of the teams success on the field because absent it most of the clowns they employ would be jobless...which is saying something given the lack of quality that pervades the football media these days with the NFL at the heights of popularity it has achieved.

And before anyone goes there, if you think Gresh has a point then you're a moron too. This team invested more than $20M per in the TE position this season and without an elite midget slot receiver they would have been lucky to win their division by default unless of course they got Brady killed in the process. I'm a lot more concerned with what they have tied up in that position than I ever was that they might have somehow mistakenly overvalued Welker between 2012-2015 and lived to regret it.

 

[Chopblock CB]

Mr Dependable had another double digit catch day catching 10 of 12 targets including a 25 yard diving catch over the middle and he had a touchdown today.

Lloyd caught 6 passes for 62 yards

Hernandez caught 1 of 5 targets today for 13 yards.

Can the Patriots front office just come out already and say they look forward to showing Welker the money next season!

you know as well as the rest of us that they won't talk contracts during the season..especially going into the playoffs...if Welker is going to be with this team he's gonna do it "The Patriot way" or he won't be here.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Welker has proven beyond a doubt this season that he is a special talent (remember all the "he's nothing without Moss" stuff?). He's also proven his toughness and durability (hello Amendola and Edelman; not to mention Gronk and Hernandez ...).

Just as an aside: Man, Jerry Rice. Every record being broken these days in this pass-happy era was previously held by him. Pretty much a combination of Welker, Megatron and Moss, and a multi-champ to boot.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

you know as well as the rest of us that they won't talk contracts during the season..especially going into the playoffs...if Welker is going to be with this team he's gonna do it "The Patriot way" or he won't be here.

They frequently talk contract during the season. Hopefully they are with Woodhead. Although I believe the date has passed for spreading the amortization back into the present season. They routinely have extended some mid level players at the end of seasons. That was when Koppen's last deal here was inked. And while there is a pre-emption on signing a tagged player, there is none on negotiating with his rep or reiterating a supposed desire to retain him. All they seem to want to do with Welker is grind him.

Sometimes smartest guys in the room syndrome bites you in the ass. They couldn't sign their young TE's fast enough because they were, you know, young and promising. Both have struggled to stay on the field and both have exhibited some struggles playing well when not 100%. Welker probably hasn't been 100% since they backed off their plan to phase him out... And he's been doing yeomans duty for the last several weeks on his own injured ankle for a team that denied him the security they were all too eager to bestow on the potential laden youngsters.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Although I believe the date has passed for spreading the amortization back into the present season.

That doesn't really matter, since it's no longer a hassle to push excess salary cap room forward. In fact, it might be useful not to even if they could, since the team-by-team salary cap floor is coming.

And while there is a pre-emption on signing a tagged player, there is none on negotiating with his rep or reiterating a supposed desire to retain him. All they seem to want to do with Welker is grind him.

It's possible that Welker (or his agent) kiboshed contract talks during the season. I don't know.

Personally, I think the biggest problem here is that the Patriots truly don't know what is a "fair" offer. There's never been another Welker to serve as a comparable.

 

[fgssand]

That doesn't really matter, since it's no longer a hassle to push excess salary cap room forward. In fact, it might be useful not to even if they could, since the team-by-team salary cap floor is coming.



It's possible that Welker (or his agent) kiboshed contract talks during the season. I don't know.

Personally, I think the biggest problem here is that the Patriots truly don't know what is a "fair" offer. There's never been another Welker to serve as a comparable.

NOT allowed to to have contract talkss until after the season, that is franchise player rule.

No worries as far as I am concerned, I have no doubt he will be franchised - even though it is very scary to look at money tied up with QB, two TE's and WW. Wes is the best slot receiver we will ever see.

Last point, why is it every single time Wes makes that really tough catch on the left side of the field about 20 yards or so down field, on a ball that certainly could have been thrown better - it brings me back to a certain catch that just wasn't made in a rather big game last year. I can't help going back in time in my mind and reliving it and it simply sucks, I know I am not alone.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

should we start a fund to keep him? i'll throw in 20

 

[Ivan]

I think he's earned his second consecutive Franchise Tag.

I'm for him refusing to sign it under any circumstances. The Patriots need to either pay him a fair market contract or let him go get one, using the tag to deny him one is obscene and he should force their hand on this any way he can.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

NOT allowed to to have contract talkss until after the season, that is franchise player rule.

FWIW, the exact wording of the rule is: "After that date, the player may sign only a one-year Player Contract with his Prior Club for that season, and such Player Contract may not be extended until after the Club’s last regular season game of that League Year."

I don't know if that has been taken to mean that teams can't even discuss new contracts, but on its face, it only seems to prohibit an actual contract being filed.

 

[Ivan]

FWIW, the exact wording of the rule is: "After that date, the player may sign only a one-year Player Contract with his Prior Club for that season, and such Player Contract may not be extended until after the Club’s last regular season game of that League Year."

I don't know if that has been taken to mean that teams can't even discuss new contracts, but on its face, it only seems to prohibit an actual contract being filed.

I am pretty sure you are right, and I really hope Fauria's information is accurate and an agreement has already been reached.

 

[Ivan]

I'm for paying Welker.

I'm not for Law rah-rahing Welker to hold out for top money in an interview.

Patriot commentators, like Gresh, have openly espoused lowballing him and tagging him and Patriot fans for the most part have been just fine with that, but when Law gives him good advice people want him to shut up. I understand being a fan and all but it's time for the team to show Welker the money and cut the sh.t with the hardball tactics.

 

[Ivan]

CJ- 8 years 132 million

Larry Fitzgerald - 8 years 125 million



These are the only 2 receivers in football who have produced the way Welker has, 4 for 40 million is a bargain basement price but one that Welker would most likely take just to stay in NE, they should put it on the table as an opening offer and go to 50 if they have to. this a HOF quality player in the prime of his career, he has taken 2 of Jerry Rice's records in the past few weeks and will break more over the remainder of his career, getting rid of him when he has been integral to the most productive offense in history is flat out crazy.