3 great moves and 1 bad move ?

[primetime]

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.

Right. People are acting like Welker is some kind of old fogie who has been around the block a couple times and happened to have a good year. He isn't. He's a 25 year old who had 67 catches last year (more than Deion Branch, by the way), which would have made him the leading receiver on the Patriots. If he wasn't a former undrafted free agent, people would be looking at him as having a very similar career pattern to the best WRs out there... breakout year his third season.

I don't really understand how you can call it a low ceiling move, either. A 25 year old with 67 catches... really, he won't be Jerry Rice or Randy Moss, but he will likely continue to develop into something very solid. I doubt Chad Jackson has 67 catches his third year, but he supposedly has more upside. As BB once said, potential just means you haven't done anything yet.

 

[pats1]

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.

Think of Wes Welker as the Pats' 2nd round pick. He is only 25 years old. And he has already proven himself in the NFL.

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.

It's EASY to get a player who caught 67 passes last year?!?!

Troy is NOT Wes Welker. Get that through your head. Troy does NOT return punts anymore. Troy is TEN years old than Welker. Troy had THIRTY-FOUR less catches than Welker last year. Troy had Brady. Welker had Harrington.

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.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6916

Why doesn't Welker have the makeup to be a #1 receiver one day? He's too small? Big deal!

Hackett had 43 catches last year. Welker had 67.

Hackett is also 2 months OLDER than Welker.

 

[mgteich]

I suspect that the pats might have given their lower first for Welker. He is now our best receiver (he should be #3 but that's another story), our best punt returner and our best kick returner and he will be on the team for six years.

He is the replacement for Troy Brown and is 25!

The money is fine.

He's shouldn't need be a #1 receiver, but that's what I always said about Brown, the best slot receiver in the league when he was asked to catch 100 passes.

 

[Fencer]

Guys, we DON'T know how much money Welker will be getting.

However, it will almost certainly be less than Branch would have. And we've traded up significantly in the draft pick exchange as well.

We were so close to winning it all last year that it's pretty safe to say this: If we'd had ANY of a healthy Branch, Givens, or Welker, we would already be celebrating #4.

The only thing making me nervous about this off-season so far is concern about getting both Samuel and Warren signed long-term, preferably both before the summer. Otherwise, things seem to be going great, the regrettable loss of Graham notwithstanding.

 

[BradyManny]

He's shouldn't need be a #1 receiver, but that's what I always said about Brown, the best slot receiver in the league when he was asked to catch 100 passes.

Right, he fills a role that neither Caldwell, Gaffney or Jackson can. He brings talents they don't, and vice versa. Hopefully Jackson gets healthy and starts to develop next season, and then we'll have a really deadly bunch.

 

[bradmahn]

Can we give it a rest with the talk of "he should be a #3" or "this team only has a bunch of #3 receivers?" Please. Reche Caldwell put up some serious numbers with almost no one as a viable threat to take coverage away from him. If he has a capable receiver on the other side for a whole season his performance will only improve. Last year he was better than David Givens, without having the benefit of playing on the same field with another pretty good receiver (Deion Branch anyone?). Welker can do the same things that Branch did while he was on the Pats. What's wrong with him? His size? He's about the same size as Branch (5-9 185 lbs to 5-10 193). From all accounts he is an exceptional route runner and has quickness in and out of his cuts. He also has a knack for getting open and finding wholes in coverage. He is plenty capable of going deep every now and then, too (who cares if he doesn't catch 19 40+ yard receptions, that's not what the Pats offense is about). He is the perfect Patriots receiver, and he will have a terrific season for the Pats.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I do think a full offseason for Jabar Gaffney will be a huge help, and even If Miami matches the offer, we will be targeting someone else in WR market.. Im ok if Welker is the replacement for Brown, but for being the main man, not sure about it...

 

[patfanken]

Just a question, why are we so hung up on the idea that we HAVE to have a "#1 WR" WHEN DID WE EVER HAVE ONE??? Somewhere along the line media types startes "slotting guys as #1-#2 & #3 receivers and it had become part of the lexicon we all now us. HOWEVER when OC's schem pass routes against various defenses, they are DESIGNED with concept of option one, option 2, option 3....and the QB has to throw the ball to one of those 3 guys who are open. Its NOT about WHO is the #1 WR, etc. ITS ABOUT WHO IS OPEN, silly.

The bottom line is moving the ball through the air NOT who you are thowing to. Last season, without the benefit of working with the WR corp, Brady managed to put up about 3500 yards through the year, which is probably about his average. ALL WRs are great athletes with inordinant speed relative to the rest of us. Who the ball is going to is often predicated on what the defense is doing on that particular play more than what are WRs are doing. If they do X then one guy should be open, if they do Y than it might be someone entirely different.

Gaffney and Caldwell will BOTH be more effective this season merely be know the QB and the system through an entire off season. Adding Welker and whomever to the mix is only going to improve a situation that, production wise, DIDN'T suck as badly as we assumed it did.

 

[fillylabinga]

Why doesn't Welker have the makeup to be a #1 receiver one day? He's too small? Big deal!

Hackett had 43 catches last year. Welker had 67.

Hackett is also 2 months OLDER than Welker.

Out of those 67 catches Welker had he only caught 1 touchdown.
Out of the 43 Hackett had 4 were for touchdowns (he also was basically inactive for the first 4 games of the season, BTW).

I think this is at least in part due to the difference in height.

I'm sure Welker will get his share of catches as a Patriot, but #1 guys get the ball in the red zone.

 

[BradyManny]

I'm sure Welker will get his share of catches as a Patriot, but #1 guys get the ball in the red zone.

Who says Welker can't score TDs for the Pats? The Dolphins offense was wretched for stretches of the season. He'll get plenty more opportunities here.

 

[pats1]

Out of those 67 catches Welker had he only caught 1 touchdown.
Out of the 43 Hackett had 4 were for touchdowns (he also was basically inactive for the first 4 games of the season, BTW).

I think this is at least in part due to the difference in height.

I'm sure Welker will get his share of catches as a Patriot, but #1 guys get the ball in the red zone.

When have the Pats had a "#1" WR?

Why does a #1 WR have to be tall?

Your logic seems to be completely missing everything the Pats have done in the past 5 years.

 

[Fixit]

You seem to have misspelled "Four great moves."

 

[pats63]

Out of those 67 catches Welker had he only caught 1 touchdown.
Out of the 43 Hackett had 4 were for touchdowns (he also was basically inactive for the first 4 games of the season, BTW).

I think this is at least in part due to the difference in height.

I'm sure Welker will get his share of catches as a Patriot, but #1 guys get the ball in the red zone.

Isn't that why we have TE for

 

[kolbitr]

Out of those 67 catches Welker had he only caught 1 touchdown.
Out of the 43 Hackett had 4 were for touchdowns (he also was basically inactive for the first 4 games of the season, BTW).

I think this is at least in part due to the difference in height.

I'm sure Welker will get his share of catches as a Patriot, but #1 guys get the ball in the red zone.

There is nothing wrong on paper with the Hackett suggestion. He seems to be a sound talent, with excellent yardage. With Welker, the Pats probably have more knowledge of the guy (seeing him twice last year, possible Saban info), and were clearly impressed--I know I was. And I agree with the posters who have noted that Hasselbeck and Seattle's offense were far better than Miami's even with the injuries the 'Hawks suffered to Hass and Alexander. I feel very good about this.

 

[Kontradiction]

I, for one, love Wes Welker. I've gotten to see him play a lot and not only is he versatile (like our FA Troy Brown) but he IS a pretty good receiver. He was Miami's only consistent receiving threat last year and I've seen him get open deep using his muscle... not speed. He was also the only player on that team that came to work bringing 110% of his game (I saw him lay down some vicious hits in the games I've watched on special teams). I think this is a good move for us and if we can work with Jackson, he can be our speed guy... our #1 threat. If he gells and Welker is being him at #2, we are going very, very deep in the playoffs next year.

 

[pats63]

I, for one, love Wes Welker. I've gotten to see him play a lot and not only is he versatile (like our FA Troy Brown) but he IS a pretty good receiver. He was Miami's only consistent receiving threat last year and I've seen him get open deep using his muscle... not speed. He was also the only player on that team that came to work bringing 110% of his game (I saw him lay down some vicious hits in the games I've watched on special teams). I think this is a good move for us and if we can work with Jackson, he can be our speed guy... our #1 threat. If he gells and Welker is being him at #2, we are going very, very deep in the playoffs next year.

good post...dude

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I'm not real excited about giving up a second rounder for Welker. I don't think it's a bad move but I still think the Pats have a major need at the WR position. They someone that can take the pressure off of Watson and respect the running game.

 

[PaulNEPats]

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.

I wouldn't compare Welker to Fitzgerald.

 

[tombonneau]

As long as Welker catches the ball when Indy leaves him uncovered at the line in the AFCC, he is worth a 2nd.

Seriously, the dude is a gamer, and I'm warming up to the cost.

My lasting impression of him when we played Miami last year was "****, not *this* guy again."

All he does is makes plays. Unfortunately, with fans, this minor aspect of football is often lost in the flotsam and jetsam of 40-times and yards-per-catch.

 

[pats1]

I wouldn't compare Welker to Fitzgerald.

In terms of production last season, Fitzgerald wasn't exactly head-and-shoulders above Welker.