I really miss WWW

[primetime]

Sadly, PJ, Wax Wikler doesn't miss YOU one bit. When he gave his bonehead agent carte blanche to grab the most $$$ from whomever/however, he made that quite clear. Unfortunately for Wax, his agent misread the market and got him the second-best deal. Now he's an extension of The Forehead, and someone I'm actively rooting AGAINST.

The Patriots are sitting on $13m+ in unused cap space with a completely unproven WR corps. They could have easily afforded to sign Welker and Amendola (who I really like and think is a more purely talented player than Welker, but he has to be on he field to prove it). Of course, at the time they were counting on Hernandez as a major part of the offense. But in hindsight - and even at the time - there was no reason not to throw a high bid at Welker.

In this case it's really hard to blame Welker and not the Patriots' front office.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

I loved WW as much as the next guy, but quite simply....... he don't play for us no more. He DID NOT WANT to play for us anymore. He could have, but for money or pride, or whatever........ He had his choice and he CHOOSE the Donky's....... so Eff him.....

I think he looked rather ordinary too last night.......... 9 catches for 68 yards. 2 TD (1 vintage WW, and another on an out-an-out blown coverage by an inept Ratbird D). Lots of catches..... very short yardage. little ATC yards. He also MUFFED a punt on his own 4 that led to a gimme TD for Balt. He's always gonna be and outlet receiver for Peyton, but I didn't see much more then that last night.

While I agree that it sucked seeing him in another uniform producing (the same way it sucks seeing any beloved Patriot in another uniform). It's part of the game. But let's not pretend that he lit the world on fire. He didn't. He had a decent game, with one costly screw up. We shouldn't overblow his contribution. Both other Bronco WRs far outshined WW last night.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

BB needed to be the adult in the room and get it done. It was that close. But BB and Wes acted like teenage girls and the rift didn't get healed. It's on BB as the GM. We know players take it personally. GM's shouldn't.

That said. I've moved on long ago.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I was a Bledsoe guy, as much as he got pummeled and just stood there. I forgot Bledsoe when some kid named Brady came along and started to prove he was something special.

I too always liked Welker. But when or if this new guy does the same thing as the old guy, then the same thing would apply.

I want Wes to do well, and be successful, he had to struggle for respect his whole life, even after the numbers. He took his shot with TFB and turned in into league leading numbers.

Wish the very best for him, except for this Nov 24th at 8:30 pm....

 

[borg]

BB needed to be the adult in the room and get it done. It was that close. But BB and Wes acted like teenage girls and the rift didn't get healed. It's on BB as the GM. We know players take it personally. GM's shouldn't.

That said. I've moved on long ago.

After 118 catches, Bill felt Wes deserved a 50% pay cut. And now one of NE's biggest obstacles on the way to the SB has the best slot WR in football.
It is a puzzling decision on BB's part. Time will tell.

 

[BrickPat]

Sadly, PJ, Wax Wikler doesn't miss YOU one bit. When he gave his bonehead agent carte blanche to grab the most $$$ from whomever/however, he made that quite clear. Unfortunately for Wax, his agent misread the market and got him the second-best deal. Now he's an extension of The Forehead, and someone I'm actively rooting AGAINST.

Yup its 1000% Welker's fault, the Pats had zero to do with him signing with Denver...move along folks nothing more to see here.

 

[Deus Irae]

Sadly, PJ, Wax Wikler doesn't miss YOU one bit. When he gave his bonehead agent carte blanche to grab the most $$$ from whomever/however, he made that quite clear. Unfortunately for Wax, his agent misread the market and got him the second-best deal. Now he's an extension of The Forehead, and someone I'm actively rooting AGAINST.

Blaming Welker because the Patriots tried screwing him over with the money instead of paying him his worth, when they had plenty of money to pay him a proper salary, is so stupid that even most Jets fans would know better, yet here on this board we repeatedly get Patriots fans who mindly spew that nonsense.

It's pathetic.

 

[FourierSeries]

I really miss him and his drops too.

 

[Claremonster]

I really miss WWW

What happened to your innernetz

I still have my connection... :snob:

 

[Sicilian]

After 118 catches, Bill felt Wes deserved a 50% pay cut.

Bull crap. Wes' franchise number doesn't represent his actual value, as the open market clearly indicated.

If you really want to play that game, Welker was okay with a 50% pay cut, which is essentially what he took from the Broncos. Going further, he was okay with a 25% reduction from the Pats original offer before the franchise tag.

The Pats could have done more to keep him if they wanted to, they're not without blame, but "Bill asking for a 50% pay cut" is bogus.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

It's take 2 to tango...... Welker is NOT one of the elite WR's in the league...... In fact he's not even the best on his current team...... and is arguably not the 2nd best either. He'll be a a valuable outlet for PM. Not much else (based on what I saw last night). His hands are STILL an issue (as we saw). He was more than that in our offense, but I don't view him as more then that in Denver.

BB and the team knew that, and offered what they thought was a fair deal for his skillset. WW got offended and took basically the same offer in Denver as an Eff you to the BB and the team. Let's not forget that. That's not on BB.

As beloved as WW was, this team WILL NOT OVERPAY a player for sentiments sake. It boggles my mind tha many of us haven't learned that by now. We all love WW, and its sad to him playing for someone else, but let's face it........ he's not an elite WR (which doesn't translate to non-productive). In fact, if it wasn't for the "WW catching PM balls" storyline, from a statistical POV, WW was clearly a secondary outlet guy and WR #3 last night.

He could/was more here....... but he chose not too. He's not the 1st patriot player that has done that. He'll do well in Denver, and will catch a ton of balls, but he's NOT the first guy PM will be looking for. He'll go back to being a productive dump-off guy, but it's something he choose.

He could of stayed, chose not to. If you thought the Patriots were gonna pay him more then what he was worth, you haven't been paying attention for the last 13 years or so.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's take 2 to tango...... Welker is NOT one of the elite WR's in the league...... In fact he's not even the best on his team...... and is arguably not the 2nd best either. He'll be a a valuable outlet for PM. Not much else (based on what I saw last night). His hands are STILL an issue (as we saw). He was more than that in our offense, but I don't view him as more then that in Denver.

BB and the team knew that, and offered what they thought was a fair deal for his skillset. WW got offended and took another offer as an Eff you to the BB and the team. Let's not forget that.

As beloved as WW was, this team WILL NOT OVERPAY a player for sentiments sake. If we haven't learned that be now. We all love WW, and it
s sad to him playing for someone else, but let's face it........ he's not an elite WR (which doesn't translate to non-productive). In fact, if it wasn't for the WW catching PM balls, from a statistical POV, WW was clearly an outlet guy and WR #3 last night.

He could/was more here....... but he chose not too. He's not the 1st patriot player that has done that. He'll do well in Denver, and will catch a ton of balls, but he's NOT the first guy PM will be looking for. He'll go back to being a productive dump-off guy, but it's something he choose.

He could of stayed, chose not to. If you thought the Patriots were gonna pay him more then what he was worth, you haven't been paying attention for the last 13 years or so.

Good comedy. Factually garbage, but good comedy.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I like Welker, and I'll continue to root for him in the capacity that I root for any ex-Patriot. But he's not a Patriot anymore, so I won't root for him too hard. Watching last night reminded me a bit of watching Seymour's first game with the Raiders.

 

[fumbrunner]

It's take 2 to tango...... Welker is NOT one of the elite WR's in the league...... In fact he's not even the best on his current team...... and is arguably not the 2nd best either. He'll be a a valuable outlet for PM. Not much else (based on what I saw last night). His hands are STILL an issue (as we saw). He was more than that in our offense, but I don't view him as more then that in Denver.

Yep, just a JAG.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Good comedy. Factually garbage, but good comedy.

A put down....... without countering arguments....... is an exercise of the feeble minded.

Either counter my post with facts...... or save your silly "high brow" cast off comments for those who actually still believe your schtick.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Yep, just a JAG.

I didn't say a jag........ I said a productive dump off slot receiver. If you HONESTLY think that WW is better then D. Thomas..... your letting your emotions get the best of you. 9 catches..... 68 yds (7.5 ypc)....... 2 TD's (1 on a totally blown coverage), with one negated by a muffed punt on the 4 yd line that led to 7 opposition points.

Okay, I give........ he was elite out there last night.

P.S. How bout posting receiving yds and TD's leaders...

 

[mgteich]

I strongly agree. The patriots had plenty of opportunity over 3 years to pay Welker. They chose not to. The team showed early last year that they were preparing to move on. This is all on Belichick. Kraft doesn't interfere, but he was appalled and greatly saddened.

Of course, Welker (and perhaps his agent) were pis$$ed at the patriots. It was up to Bleichick to do the right thing for the patriots. IMHO, he failed greatly. Welker should be playing for us for the $8M a year he was seeking.

Belichick has made many choices in the past few years. As another poster suggests, perhaps this is really a new strategy of Belichick, to emphasize raw youth over veterans. We certainly see this in Belichick's filling of the backup spots. And so it is with the veterans. Players too old to be backups for us are starting elsewhere. And we cry for backups. Many SHOULDN'T be starting, but there is something wrong when we count on the kiddie corps as backups, and veteran backups are playing elsewhere.

Is it possible that Belichick will be proved right with regard to Welker? There are at least two ways to see that. Welker could fail with Denver (after all he is nothing with out Brady). Amendola could be the equal of Welker for more years than Welker. If they are about equal for the next 3 years, Belichick has gained little (actually nothing) unless Amendola is a start beyond that time.

Blaming Welker because the Patriots tried screwing him over with the money instead of paying him his worth, when they had plenty of money to pay him a proper salary, is so stupid that even most Jets fans would know better, yet here on this board we repeatedly get Patriots fans who mindly spew that nonsense.

It's pathetic.

 

[fumbrunner]

I didn't say a jag........ I said a productive dump off slot receiver. If you HONESTLY think that WW id better then D. Thomas..... your letting your emotions get the best of you. 9 catches..... 68 yds (7.5 ypc)....... 2 TD's (1 on a totally blown coverage), with one negated by a muffed punt on the 4 yd line that led to 7 opposition points.

Okay, I give........ he was elite out there last night.

If Amendola puts up that stat line every game this year, I think everyone would be happy with that.

You called him the the third best WR on the broncos. A mere dump off guy. What do you define as a JAG?

He led the team in receptions yesterday. Not bad for, in your opinion, the third option on that offense.

 

[mgteich]

TWO QUICK POINTS

It is good to acknowledge how great Welker is as a player and to miss him.

It is not good to rationalize how great a decision Belichick made and denigrate a great (and greatly missed) player.
=============
SUMMARIZING
"In Bill We Trust" is a fine slogan. "Belichick makes no mistakes" is not.

 

[fumbrunner]

TWO QUICK POINTS

It is good to acknowledge how great Welker is as a player and to miss him.

It is not good to rationalize how great a decision Belichick made and denigrate a great (and greatly missed) player.
=============
SUMMARIZING
"In Bill We Trust" is a fine slogan. "Belichick makes no mistakes" is not.

Well said. Pretty much where I am at. I wish they would have paid the little extra to keep him. But what is done is done.