Pats Eye Welker (Reiss)

[salty]

I'm one of those that has been clamoring for a wide receiver.

I am not at all surprised to hear the Patriots are after Welker. He seems like a perfect fit in their system, just like A.D. is a perfect fit for the defense. First of all, he is quite versatile, as others have pointed out. He can contribute in both the passing game and on special teams as a kickoff and punt returner. However, it does bear mentioning that his stats returning kicks and punts last year were pedestrian at best. Maybe that has more to do with the Dolphins overall return unit, though.

Another thing I like about Welker is that he is a big play kind of guy. When its third and 6 with the game on the line, I could definitely see Wes Welker coming up with a huge catch for the crucial third down conversion. Basically, what we needed against Indy in the AFCCG.

Having said all that, I was really hoping they would go for a guy that could stretch the field. The past few days I have talked myself in to Donte Stallworth in a big way. The guy has had some injury concerns and some inconsistency issues, but if he could pull it together with the Pats, there is no doubt that he would command a great deal of respect by opposing defenses. That is what we need, IMO, in order to open up the underneath stuff for everybody else.

Maybe the Pats are banking on Chad Jackson filling that role next year? Given the recent news about his ACL tear not being as bad as many people were expecting, perhaps that could indeed be the case.

A second round pick is an awful lot to give up, though. I would be ecstatic about this if Welker were an unrestricted free agent, but the prospect of losing a second rounder leaves me a little hesitant. Also, its possible that Miami could match the offer, and by then the Pats might have missed out on other possible free agent WRs.

 

[pkb]

One question is whether they figure between Jackson (as they do know his true health status, unlike us) and a later-round flyer they can get a deep threat as well.

I'm not totally sure they agree with us on the need for a deep threat, either. I have been concerned about that last year and this but the evidence it is a problem is not overwhelming, either.

 

[Hok]

This offseason has been classic BB/Pioli so far. Every move has been centered around filling a need with an appropriate player:

- We get toasted in the second half of the AFCC game because of our lack of LBs who can cover, so we sign a LB athletic enough to play CB and S.

- We lose our best blocking TE, so we sign a TE who's like an extra OT when he's on the field.

- We lose our complement to Maroney, but also want Maroney to assume a bigger role next year, so we sign a capable back who won't mind taking a back seat to the kid.

- Our quick slot WR/PR/jack of all trades is on the verge of retirement, so we're considering signing his 10-year-younger equivalent.

All of these moves make PERFECT SENSE. That's really all you can ask for.

 

[salty]

One positive to consider when signing restricted free agents is that you can often get them for relatively cheap. When a player is an unrestricted free agent, you are essentially competing with every other team for his services. When he is restricted, however, you are really only competing with his original team, so there aren't other teams driving up the price.

 

[lapatsfan]

Maybe a former Phin coach recommended him to BB??

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

If the Patriots use the poison pill, then the league will immediately work on getting that provision out of the CBA at Polian's behest, I'm sure, which wouldn't be too big a loss.

After the poison pill pissing contest between the Seahawks and Vikings last year, to the best of my knowledge, the league put a halt on any type of poison pills in contract language.

 

[DaBruinz]

We don't need anymore young receivers who will take a season or two to learn the system, we need guys who can come in and be impact players, and Welker is just that. No one said he is going to be a #2 or whatever, but you need guys who can adapt quickly to a system, look at Gaffney for example, he comes in during the middle of the season and then by the end of it is the teams best receiver, thats what we need, not young guys unlike his first name is Calvin and last name is Johnson.

I wouldn't mind drafting a WR, but to rely on them next season will hurt us more than help us.

One receiver who may NOT take a season or two to digest the play-book is Chanci Stuckey.

Here are some of the things about him

[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Has the plant-and-drive agility crispness to get in and out of his cuts...Has no problems digesting a complicated playbook and is very alert to coverages and boundaries...Emotional leader who takes pride in his mentoring of the team's younger players...Spends countless hours in the film room and after practices preparing for his upcoming opponent..

[/SIZE][/FONT]

If that is the case, I'd say he's a very likely pick for the Pats.

 

[hwc]

That is what we need, IMO, in order to open up the underneath stuff for everybody else.

But, let's say that one of these "marquee" WR busts (like Stallworth or Chad Jackson) gets it together and stretches the field. With Troy Brown gone, who do we have to catch the underneath stuff? We relied on Troy for 43 catches last year. He'll be 37 years old when preseaon kicks off in August.

 

[zippo59]

I'm one of those that has been clamoring for a wide receiver.

I am not at all surprised to hear the Patriots are after Welker. He seems like a perfect fit in their system, just like A.D. is a perfect fit for the defense. First of all, he is quite versatile, as others have pointed out. He can contribute in both the passing game and on special teams as a kickoff and punt returner. However, it does bear mentioning that his stats returning kicks and punts last year were pedestrian at best. Maybe that has more to do with the Dolphins overall return unit, though.

Another thing I like about Welker is that he is a big play kind of guy. When its third and 6 with the game on the line, I could definitely see Wes Welker coming up with a huge catch for the crucial third down conversion. Basically, what we needed against Indy in the AFCCG.

Having said all that, I was really hoping they would go for a guy that could stretch the field. The past few days I have talked myself in to Donte Stallworth in a big way. The guy has had some injury concerns and some inconsistency issues, but if he could pull it together with the Pats, there is no doubt that he would command a great deal of respect by opposing defenses. That is what we need, IMO, in order to open up the underneath stuff for everybody else.

Maybe the Pats are banking on Chad Jackson filling that role next year? Given the recent news about his ACL tear not being as bad as many people were expecting, perhaps that could indeed be the case.

A second round pick is an awful lot to give up, though. I would be ecstatic about this if Welker were an unrestricted free agent, but the prospect of losing a second rounder leaves me a little hesitant. Also, its possible that Miami could match the offer, and by then the Pats might have missed out on other possible free agent WRs.

Thanks to the poison pill the Pats could easily craft an offer Miami would be unable to match.

 

[PatDaPatriot]

I still think they'll add a WR in the draft. This receiver class is insanely deep. Welker gives them a proven commodity now, and the Pats can focus on a player they can develop in the later rounds. Someone like Derek Stanley or Rhema McKnight...

 

[zippo59]

I still think they'll add a WR in the draft. This receiver class is insanely deep. Welker gives them a proven commodity now, and the Pats can focus on a player they can develop in the later rounds. Someone like Derek Stanley or Rhema McKnight...

I like Jason Hill. If we could get him in the thrid that would be really cool.

 

[NEPat]

Maybe a former Phin coach recommended him to BB??

Wouldn't be surprised, Saban probably got a call.

In terms of talent, Belichick and the Pats got a first hand look at that. Didn't Welker play really well against the Patriots last year? That's gotta leave an impression.

 

[PatDaPatriot]

After the poison pill pissing contest between the Seahawks and Vikings last year, to the best of my knowledge, the league put a halt on any type of poison pills in contract language.

The league never acted on any proposals to eliminate poison pills. They're available to use...

 

[Seymour93]

I'm one of those that has been clamoring for a wide receiver.

Same here. But a 2nd rounder? With Chambers and Booker ahead of him, Welker has never been the "go-to guy" before and that is an awful lot to give up for a mostly career backup. I'm not sure if Welker is that much of an improvement over Caldwell and Gaffney. Also I don't think Welker has near as much potential as, let's say, an Anthony Gonzalez, or a Jason Hill, or an Aundrae Allison, etc.

 

[salty]

After the poison pill pissing contest between the Seahawks and Vikings last year, to the best of my knowledge, the league put a halt on any type of poison pills in contract language.

That is my understanding as well.

 

[SWelker]

That is my understanding as well.

From PFT

If the Pats don't use the poison pill, and if the Fins match the deal, look for the NFLPA to cry foul. Why? Because there was a specific effort by the league and the union to negotiate the poison pill out of the CBA after last year's tit-for-tat involving the Vikings and the Seahawks. But an impasse was reached, and the device is still on the books.

 

[zippo59]

That is my understanding as well.

No they were unable to reach an agreement that would get rid of them. They're still around....for now.

 

[NEPat]

This is what Tomase has to say:

The latest news in Free Agent Bacchanal ‘07 is the fact that they’ve targeted restricted free agent wideout Wes Welker. As we detailed here a few days ago, this one makes sense, even if it costs the team a second round pick. The Pats have used second-rounders on less-than-inspiring wideouts like Bethel Johnson and Chad Jackson in recent years. Why not spend the pick on a guy who’s already proven he can play at this level, is on the upswing, absolutely murders the Patriots, and is coming off a career-best 67-catch season?

 

[patfanken]

I've been on THIS bandwagon very early in several posts. I'm happy to see BB agree with me...on this one (though I hope he gets back to me before he signs Sammy Morris to anything but a vet minimum deal.) All the positives Welker brings have been well documented in the thread. What I DON'T understand are those nay sayers.

First, while seemingly a real NEED position, WR WAS NOT the reason we didn't get to the superbowl, and even if we stayed pat, don't you think that a full off season of work in the system wouldn't improve Gaffney and Caldwell.

Second, its become fashionable to speculate of the absolute neccessity to have a WR who can SPREAD THE FIELD. WHY?? Was our offense in the bottom ten last year? Was Brady limited to UNDER 3000 yds. Hey if we need someone to "spread the field" just resign Bethel, he was good a clearing out zones.

There is really only one guy we could get that would dramatically "improve" our WR corp merely by being on the team is Randy Moss (BTW, I'd give up a 2nd for him too, ) The Curtis', Stallworth's, & Bennett's of the world would also be nice, but they'd cost much more in cap space, be a lot less versitile, a lot less durable, and STILL have just as many questions about them as Welker...if not more.

 

[primetime]

Same here. But a 2nd rounder? With Chambers and Booker ahead of him, Welker has never been the "go-to guy" before and that is an awful lot to give up for a mostly career backup. I'm not sure if Welker is that much of an improvement over Caldwell and Gaffney. Also I don't think Welker has near as much potential as, let's say, an Anthony Gonzalez, or a Jason Hill, or an Aundrae Allison, etc.

67 catches last year for a guy who's only 25? If Welker was black, he'd be considered the next big thing.