Revisiting Wes Welker (Bye Week Edition)

[TheBostonStraggler]

When I read the article about Wes Welker up in Giant-land all but begging for a job, and another article listing Welker as the player least likely to be missed for the Broncos (fyi, Arrington was the Patriots candidate for least missed - the rankings were partly based on cost-benefit), I realized the question of 'Did Welker make the right choice signing with the Broncos?' has been answered conclusively.
In the span of two years he went from an all time prolific pass catcher to a relatively solid #3 receiver to unemployed. What a steep fall for a guy who only two years prior was absolutely beloved in the best place to be beloved, Patriot Nation. Plus he was a prime target favorite of the probable GOAT QB and was likely to continue to rack up numbers as well as staying employed/paid fairly well.

Welker gave that up for what amounts to an immediate yet relatively small amount over a two year span???? As much as Welker's departure left me thinking 'good luck, good bye, good riddance', it still doesn't sit well with me that our consistent 100+ pass catching machine now has a value that teams won't even take a low risk chance at a one year signing of him. Could he be headed toward something close to the vet minimum just to get a job? Ouch....

 

[ViperGTS]

When I read the article about Wes Welker up in Giant-land all but begging for a job, and another article listing Welker as the player least likely to be missed for the Broncos (fyi, Arrington was the Patriots candidate for least missed - the rankings were partly based on cost-benefit), I realized the question of 'Did Welker make the right choice signing with the Broncos?' has been answered conclusively.
In the span of two years he went from an all time prolific pass catcher to a relatively solid #3 receiver to unemployed. What a steep fall for a guy who only two years prior was absolutely beloved in the best place to be beloved, Patriot Nation. Plus he was a prime target favorite of the probable GOAT QB and was likely to continue to rack up numbers as well as staying employed/paid fairly well.

Welker gave that up for what amounts to an immediate yet relatively small amount over a two year span???? As much as Welker's departure left me thinking 'good luck, good bye, good riddance', it still doesn't sit well with me that our consistent 100+ pass catching machine now has a value that teams won't even take a low risk chance at a one year signing of him. Could he be headed toward something close to the vet minimum just to get a job? Ouch....

IF you need a special sized helmet to play football due to prior concussions, you shouldn't be there period. I felt that in Denver with that him playing with thst mushroom helmet was a disgrace. He never should have been allowed to play like that.

His health is more important, hence no one will sign him. Give him a tryout to keep him in the game a bit, but outside of that I don't see much more.

 

[TommyD4207]

When I read the article about Wes Welker up in Giant-land all but begging for a job, and another article listing Welker as the player least likely to be missed for the Broncos (fyi, Arrington was the Patriots candidate for least missed - the rankings were partly based on cost-benefit), I realized the question of 'Did Welker make the right choice signing with the Broncos?' has been answered conclusively.
In the span of two years he went from an all time prolific pass catcher to a relatively solid #3 receiver to unemployed. What a steep fall for a guy who only two years prior was absolutely beloved in the best place to be beloved, Patriot Nation. Plus he was a prime target favorite of the probable GOAT QB and was likely to continue to rack up numbers as well as staying employed/paid fairly well.

Welker gave that up for what amounts to an immediate yet relatively small amount over a two year span???? As much as Welker's departure left me thinking 'good luck, good bye, good riddance', it still doesn't sit well with me that our consistent 100+ pass catching machine now has a value that teams won't even take a low risk chance at a one year signing of him. Could he be headed toward something close to the vet minimum just to get a job? Ouch....

In retrospect, this is just another chapter in Belichick's book, "A year too early's better than a year too late"

 

[Gronk]

Count me among those that were super bummed when he walked...not "oh my god we'll never recover" bummed, just wished they could've worked it out because he'd been such a great fit for such a long time. His stellar (as a #3 or arguably #4 option in DEN, but stellar) performance with Manning of all people that first season didn't help. Nothing but love for Wes' performance while in NE. Drops and all. He did a lot of heavy lifting over the years.

All things considered, the situation defines the "better to let go a year too early than a year too late" doctrine. But you can also count me among those who thinks that "year too late" could've come a little later without a QB so ignorant to the fact that he was routinely throwing him into danger. In his two years gone, Manning's Broncos had perhaps the most embarrassing SB loss ever, while Brady's NE had perhaps the most thrilling SB victory ever. I count both as a win for NE.

 

[Gronkowski123]

if something were to happen to edelman/dola..welker would return.

 

[Deflatemyballs]

Count me among those that were super bummed when he walked...not "oh my god we'll never recover" bummed, just wished they could've worked it out because he'd been such a great fit for such a long time. His stellar (as a #3 or arguably #4 option in DEN, but stellar) performance with Manning of all people that first season didn't help. Nothing but love for Wes' performance while in NE. Drops and all. He did a lot of heavy lifting over the years.

All things considered, the situation defines the "better to let go a year too early than a year too late" doctrine. But you can also count me among those who thinks that "year too late" could've come a little later without a QB so ignorant to the fact that he was routinely throwing him into danger. In his two years gone, Manning's Broncos had perhaps the most embarrassing SB loss ever, while Brady's NE had perhaps the most thrilling SB victory ever. I count both as a win for NE.

Yup, the worst part of the medias fawning over Peyton is their complete ignorance of the fact that he gets his recievers killed reoutinely. Even when he had arm strength he did, look at poor Austin Collie. Welker was his first victim in Denver. I would suspect sanders will come next, I remember he took a real nasty shot last season on the sideline when he had to lay out for an awful ball that took forever to get there only to get his clock cleaned.

 

[Wheelman]

The forehead kept throwing ducks and got him killed! And for what? To get humiliated in the Superbowl?

 

[PATS16N0]

I'm not a Welker fan anymore. I don't know when nostalgic Patriot fans are going to get it through their thick skulls that he went to a newly emerging -and short lived- Conference rival for the same money purely to stick it to us.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

IF you need a special sized helmet to play football due to prior concussions, you shouldn't be there period. I felt that in Denver with that him playing with thst mushroom helmet was a disgrace. He never should have been allowed to play like that.

His health is more important, hence no one will sign him. Give him a tryout to keep him in the game a bit, but outside of that I don't see much more.

True enough about the concussions. I know that has to be one concern. But do teams actually put health above success/wins? Unless the NFL is sending quiet messages to stay away from concussed players like WW, I still find it hard to believe a historically prolific pass catcher who trained inside 2 top winning organizations and two of the best QBs there are, that some team wouldn't sign him on a low risk contract/team protecting-incentive based contract. Many teams are desperate to provide a solid, low risk type passing outlet for their young QBs. Welker would seemingly fill that role.....unless, maybe, our past value of WW is not anywhere close to the CW of NFL GMs now?

 

[venecol]

I hope he retires. How much money do you have to make to retire comfortably now a days for God's sake.

I get that he thinks he can still play but his concussions aren't letting him think clearly.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I'm not a Welker fan anymore. I don't know when nostalgic Patriot fans are going to get it through their thick skulls that he went to a newly emerging -and short lived- Conference rival for the same money purely to stick it to us.

I think you're right about the way he signed over at Denver. It's why I am largely with you. However, my thick skull aside , I watched Welker catch A LOT of meaningful passes with the Patriots over quite a lot of years. Isn't that worthy enough of a little nostalgia considering only 2 years later we find out he appears to be auditioning side by side with mostly league flotsam just to get a job?? ((it is the bye week))

 

[Fencer]

I'm not a Welker fan anymore. I don't know when nostalgic Patriot fans are going to get it through their thick skulls that he went to a newly emerging -and short lived- Conference rival for the same money purely to stick it to us.

Never, because that's not what happened.

What actually happened is that he gambled on a hard negotiating line, and lost his gamble.

 

[Joker]

lost his gamble? I thought he signed for LESS than the Pats offered?

edit: I looked it up. He played for a 9.5 million tag in 2012. TGhe Pats wouldn't tag him again because the tag would have risen to 11.5. He signed with Denver for 12 mil over 2 years.Never gave NE a chance to make an offer.

 

[Fencer]

lost his gamble? I thought he signed for LESS than the Pats offered?

Yep, that's losing his gamble. He refused the Patriots' final offer, and when he changed his mind and tried to accept it after all, he discovered it was off the table because the Pats had committed to Amendola.

 

[Fencer]

By the way, the only reason to feel sorry for Welker is health. Except for the physical toll it took, we should all be so unlucky as to get the deal he got with Denver.

 

[supafly]

In retrospect, this is just another chapter in Belichick's book, "A year too early's better than a year too late"

Belichick offered Welker a 3 year deal, which would've expired this past offseason. He didn't "get rid of him a year too early." Welker was the one who turned the deal down. He's the one who left. He played year one on the franchise tag, and then turned down the "new" 2 year offer that was given from NE.

The main point of contention was reportedly the fact that Belichick was including the previous year's franchise tag money as the original 3 year deal that was offered that summer, while Welker wanted to maximize his value by taking the previous year's franchise tag and also maxing his value out for 2/12 instead of 2/10. That was his right to do, but no one can dispute the fact that Belichick had his value pegged pretty fairly.

 

[PATS16N0]

I think you're right about the way he signed over at Denver. It's why I am largely with you. However, my thick skull aside , I watched Welker catch A LOT of meaningful passes with the Patriots over quite a lot of years. Isn't that worthy enough of a little nostalgia considering only 2 years later we find out he appears to be auditioning side by side with mostly league flotsam just to get a job?? ((it is the bye week))

Nah.

**** him.

My favorite Welker memory now is last year before the Pats v Denver game, when he was whining and crying to the Denver locker room about how the Patriots don't respect them.

Here's my second favorite Welker memory, from said game:

 

[PATS16N0]

lost his gamble? I thought he signed for LESS than the Pats offered?

edit: I looked it up. He played for a 9.5 million tag in 2012. TGhe Pats wouldn't tag him again because the tag would have risen to 11.5. He signed with Denver for 12 mil over 2 years.Never gave NE a chance to make an offer.

Belichick offered him 5.5 to play here. Kraft said the Patriots would of matched Denver's offer. He left because he was butthurt that Belichick was right about his value. The guy seriously thought he was worth 10 million dollars a year. He went to Denver for spite.

No red jacket for you, Wes.

 

[venecol]

I don't feel sorry for Welker. I think he gave the Pats great productive years while he was here. The fact that he left is business is business. There is no loyalty in corporate america. The Pats have been known to cut or trade players for business, so it goes both ways. A man has to do what a man has to do.

 

[supafly]

lost his gamble? I thought he signed for LESS than the Pats offered?

edit: I looked it up. He played for a 9.5 million tag in 2012. TGhe Pats wouldn't tag him again because the tag would have risen to 11.5. He signed with Denver for 12 mil over 2 years.Never gave NE a chance to make an offer.

Belichick offered him 2/10, while Denver was offering 2/12. It was widely reported that Welker and his agent went back to Belichick that afternoon after receiving DEN's offer, but that Belichick wouldn't come up.

Belichick reportedly wanted to stay in line with the original 3 year deal that was offered the previous summer, so he took the franchise number into account. Either way, Belichick placed a value on Welker, and he stuck to it. I think it's safe to say that his value was pretty close to spot on, although one could argue that Welker may have gotten another 1-2 years here in N.England before we moved on.

It's crazy to think that Julian Edelman may never have had his shot had Welker and his agent (along with Belichick) not played hardball.