Yes you do, but you cant build a team full of 7million dollar players.
Spending 7 mill at the WR position in addition to Moss and Welker is foolish IMO. We aren'tn trying to build a fantasy football team, or play Madden.
There are 20 other positions on the field not called WR that we need to spend money on, and aside from a popular fan scapegoating phenomena, WR is not anywhere near the weakest spot among them.
To even put Boldin in the same sentence with Josh Reed is an insult to his abilities. Obviously you can't build a team of 7 million dollar players. That is why the Pats pulled out, b/c they did not want to have to offer up a nice extension to Boldin. Why not just suck it up and pay out in an uncapped 2010?
The concern of the fans is that Welker is no guarantee to play this season or to ever be the same. Suppose he has a setback. Suppose the knee is just never right again. It's the worst possible injury that a guy like Welker, who relies so much quick cuts and stopping on a dime, can have.
To say that WR isn't a big need is ridiculous. How do you know for sure Welker will ever be the same? Even if he is, how likely is he to be back to his old self this season? We've seen people who rely on explosion like Umenyoria and Merriman struggle a good amount after ACL. We saw Brady struggle off ACL surgery.
The Pats need another legitimate playmaker at WR. Moss isn't getting any younger and is gone after 2010, Welker's future at least for this year is up in the air, Edelman is a nice slot WR, and Tate is a nice guy with promise and upside to have. Yes, you can address WR in a cost effective way through the draft after the 1st round, but how many times does a rookie WR come to the Pats and make an immediate impact? Edelman was the exception, not the rule, due to the Pats complex offense.
Adding a guy like Boldin and extending him would've made for a dynamic duo with Moss. Edelman can slide in and fill slot duties, which he's been great at, and Tate can be that #4 WR with some great upside. At that point, you don't even have to hope/pray that Welker will come back and be the savior at some point during the season. If he does, then that's outstanding and the WR depth is even stronger.
If he proves and shows signs of being the same player he was pre-injury, then you can feel safe letting Moss walk out the door after 2010. You have Boldin, still in his prime with a year of chemistry under his belt with Brady, Welker, Edelman, Tate. You can always use a first on on of the "Fab Four" in 2011 if you feel the need to.
If Welker does not appear to be the same player, and Moss is shown the door, at least you have something to work with in Boldin, Edelman, and Tate. You can use one of your first rounders to grab on of the "Fab Four" WR in 2011 to add another big-time threat at what is likely to be a cost-controlled price with the good chance that there is a rookie cap.
The point is, either way, Boldin set you up with some security for the next 3-4 years. He gave you a legitimate guy who is one of the better WR's in the league and is tough as nails. With the futures of Welker and Moss uncertain past 2010, you have a rock in Boldin who you can build around. Josh Reed doesn't offer you any of that. He is another JAG who you are depending on to come in a exceed his performances of the last 5 years. He is not even in the same ballpark as Boldin. Boldin has shown what he can do over the past 5 years. I'm not talking about stats either. I'm talking about watching the two guys play. To suggest that Reed is close to Boldin in some capacity is really insane. When you watch a game, you know and feel that Boldin is a threat and can make a big play anytime. Do you get the same feeling when you watch Reed? I certainly do not.
