3 great moves and 1 bad move ?

[TruthSeeker]

I'm all aboard for the Thomas, Brady & Morris moves (especially the Thomas move), but 5.5mill for Wes Welker, plus we give up a second round pick ? To me, that's a bad move.

Don't get me wrong, I love his heart, I love his versatility, but really, all he is, is a replacement for Troy Brown's versatility. Certainly not a #1 receiver type. 5.5mill and a #2 pick for a #3 receiver is just wayyyyyyy toooooo much. I like the kid, but we really need a replacement for Deion Branch, not a #3 or #4 receiver.

I much rather the Pats would have spent some free agency money on Donte Stallworth, a perfect replacement for Deion Branch, or a #2 receiver at worst case scenerio. If we wanted a Welker type, Bradon Stokely is available (cheaper and without giving up a #2 pick).

I really don't like this move, and since it's such a high offer, no way do the Dolphins match this. Wes Welker is a Patriot, not my favorite move, but I guess I have to accept it. We really need to stock up on some more receivers (need a #1 or #2 type, Welker, Gaffney, Caldwell & all our other WR's are #3's), linebackers, and defensive backs. Hopefully Jarrett or Ginn are on the Pats next year, as well as Willis or Poslunsky are on the Pats.

 

[pats1]

I'm all aboard for the Thomas, Brady & Morris moves (especially the Thomas move), but 5.5mill for Wes Welker, plus we give up a second round pick ? To me, that's a bad move.

Don't get me wrong, I love his heart, I love his versatility, but really, all he is, is a replacement for Troy Brown's versatility. Certainly not a #1 receiver type. 5.5mill and a #2 pick for a #3 receiver is just wayyyyyyy toooooo much. I like the kid, but we really need a replacement for Deion Branch, not a #3 or #4 receiver.

I much rather the Pats would have spent some free agency money on Donte Stallworth, a perfect replacement for Deion Branch, or a #2 receiver at worst case scenerio. If we wanted a Welker type, Bradon Stokely is available.

I really don't like this move, and since it's such a high offer, no way do the Dolphins match this. Wes Welker is a Patriot, not my favorite move, but I guess I have to accept it. We really need to stock up on some more receivers (need a #1 or #2 type, Welker, Gaffney, Caldwell & all our other WR's are #3's), linebackers, and defensive backs. Hopefully Jarrett or Ginn are on the Pats next year, as well as Willis or Poslunsky are on the Pats.

$5.5 million? Where are you getting that number?

It's a 6 year deal at about $18 million, with a poison pill $20 million year 7.

 

[BradyManny]

I'm not keen on giving up draft picks, but Welker is definitely going to make the team better, there's no arguing that. It's not our draft picks, and it's not our money (plus, a lot of that money is phoney poison pill money)...soo...if it makes the team better and helps us win the championship, what's the problem?

 

[pats1]

Welker had 67 catches last year. He'll have about a $3 million cap hit for the Pats in 2007.

Mason had 68 catches last year. He'll have about a $4.4 million cap hit for the Ravens in 2007.

Fitzgerald had 69 catches last year. He'll have about a $6.4 million cap hit for the Cardinals in 2007.

...

Think of Welker AS the Pats' 2nd round draft pick. He's being paid a bit more, but that's because he has PROVEN himself already, and still only 26 years old.

 

[fgssand]

I'm not keen on giving up draft picks, but Welker is definitely going to make the team better, there's no arguing that. It's not our draft picks, and it's not our money (plus, a lot of that money is phoney poison pill money)...soo...if it makes the team better and helps us win the championship, what's the problem?

Look at it from this perspective........If we were to get a player like welker with our #2 draft choice, would you be happy?? Looking at most (Exception Deion) of our # 2's - I am elated.

Welker, given his production and flexibility, at 18MM - 6 years is great value.

 

[pats63]

Welker is young and most important he is proven....He will make impact on day one....A rookie will take a year or even possible 2 years....Who next are going to pick up????GO PATS!!!!:rocker:

 

[BelichickFan]

I'm not keen on giving up draft picks, but Welker is definitely going to make the team better, there's no arguing that.

Right, it's a low ceiling, high floor move. There will be guys available at our #2 that will do better and a lot that will do worse. If we get Welker it GUARANTEES, barring injury, that our #2 pick improves our team.

 

[Brarrell]

I'm not keen on giving up draft picks, but Welker is definitely going to make the team better, there's no arguing that. It's not our draft picks, and it's not our money (plus, a lot of that money is phoney poison pill money)...soo...if it makes the team better and helps us win the championship, what's the problem?

I saw somewhere that its going to be a 4 yr contract worth 12 mil basically 3 mil a year and I totally disagree with notion that this was a bad move. As a reciever he came into his own last year and he is a great punt returner.

 

[BradyManny]

Look at it from this perspective........If we were to get a player like welker with our #2 draft choice, would you be happy?? Looking at most (Exception Deion) of our # 2's - I am elated.

Welker, given his production and flexibility, at 18MM - 6 years is great value.

Exactly, that's a great way of putting it. I think it wasn't until I viewed it that way that I started to get excited about this deal.

We're a draft-pick obsessed fan base (or at least I am), we have to view this just as you say - as if we just drafted Wes Welker with our 2nd round pick, which I think everyone would be happy with.

 

[BradyManny]

Right, it's a low ceiling, high floor move. There will be guys available at our #2 that will do better and a lot that will do worse. If we get Welker it GUARANTEES, barring injury, that our #2 pick improves our team.

Yup, exactly, and thinking about it - isn't that exactly what we need right now? We were 4 points from a Super Bowl - to take a team that is already very strong and upgrade it is a tough thing, and I think it requires sure things like Welker. Between Maroney, Jackson, Thomas & Mills, we have plenty of offensive potential to develop, it's time for a sure bet, like Welker.

 

[DarrylS]

Now that the numbers are known, this is a very good move, we a picking up a proven guy for an unknown #2 pick... this is move will make this team better, and we also have him under contract for a long time.

 

[pats63]

Exactly, that's a great way of putting it. I think it wasn't until I viewed it that way that I started to get excited about this deal.

We're a draft-pick obsessed fan base (or at least I am), we have to view this just as you say - as if we just drafted Wes Welker with our 2nd round pick, which I think everyone would be happy with.

That is an excellant point....By the way,how fast does he run

 

[Jimke]

As a worst case scenerio Welker is our younger version of Troy Brown.

I think he will compete with Caldwell, and Gaffney for a starting job.

He also gives Brady another target until Jackson recovers from his injury.

 

[BelichickFan]

It's a 6 year deal at about $18 million, with a poison pill $20 million year 7.

Do we know this or are you speculating ?

 

[amazinPats]

Right now, he's a better "pick" than Chad Jackson, who was a high second rounder.

I like the move. Receivers are notoriously difficult to evaluate in the draft.

 

[patsgo]

remember our 2 is the 28th pick so its almost into the 3rd round

 

[stinkypete]

I'm all aboard for the Thomas, Brady & Morris moves (especially the Thomas move), but 5.5mill for Wes Welker, plus we give up a second round pick ? To me, that's a bad move.

Don't get me wrong, I love his heart, I love his versatility, but really, all he is, is a replacement for Troy Brown's versatility. Certainly not a #1 receiver type. 5.5mill and a #2 pick for a #3 receiver is just wayyyyyyy toooooo much. I like the kid, but we really need a replacement for Deion Branch, not a #3 or #4 receiver.

I much rather the Pats would have spent some free agency money on Donte Stallworth, a perfect replacement for Deion Branch, or a #2 receiver at worst case scenerio. If we wanted a Welker type, Bradon Stokely is available (cheaper and without giving up a #2 pick).

I really don't like this move, and since it's such a high offer, no way do the Dolphins match this. Wes Welker is a Patriot, not my favorite move, but I guess I have to accept it. We really need to stock up on some more receivers (need a #1 or #2 type, Welker, Gaffney, Caldwell & all our other WR's are #3's), linebackers, and defensive backs. Hopefully Jarrett or Ginn are on the Pats next year, as well as Willis or Poslunsky are on the Pats.

I must be missing something, we're paying $3 million to replace Troy Brown and that's a bad thing? This isn't 36 year old Wes Welker, this is 25 year old Wes Welker. It's like replacing Troy Brown 2007 with Troy Brown 1996.

And from what I recall, Brown, a player of only marginal physical gifts, caught something like 270 passes from Bledsoe and Brady during the 2000-2002 seasons. During his prime, he was a far more reliable target than Deion Branch ever was in this offense.

Welker may actually be a step faster than Brown was. His hands are good. He's gutsy. He won't spread the field but he'll be a nightmare in the slot and make the types of catches that tight ends should be making. He's perfectly built for the screen pass. Given the successes of Brown and Branch in this offense, there's no reason to assume that Welker doesn't thrive here.

This is our new #1 WR guys, cut straight form the mold of our old #1's.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

Welker is young and most important he is proven....He will make impact on day one....A rookie will take a year or even possible 2 years....Who next are going to pick up????GO PATS!!!!:rocker:

Exactly.And we need "NOW" players. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that the Pats don't plan on losing a 3rd shot at the Lombardi this year. Or next. Even five #1 Draft Picks don't guarantee anything.
They're eyes are on the prize and after years of drafting (mostly successfully) for the future,it's time to sprinkle that with some players that can contribute this season. At 26,I think Wes still has some gas left in the tank.......:bricks:

 

[pats1]

Do we know this or are you speculating ?

It's what I've been hearing around the board...

 

[fillylabinga]

I, too, am only lukewarm about the Welker signing. The money sounds reasonable so far, but the 2nd round pick is really hard to give up.

Like many other people have been stating--it's relatively easy to get a player (punt returner, slot receiver) like Welker without giving up a pick. In fact, if Troy comes back we already have one.

If we are prepared to give up a 2nd round pick I'd rather see us go for a guy like D.J. Hackett. He really came on last year, is also a 2nd round tender, and with his size he has the makeup to be a #1 receiver one day.

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