The 32 hour overview

[I am party]

Buh-bye Wes Welker: 10 Reasons New England Patriots Made Right Move

As we’ve proven, high-powered offenses, even the greatest of all time, simply do not win championships on their own. And as we've proven, with our Shiny Hood Ornament Man Law, wide receiver is the most overvalued position in football, and maybe in all of sports.​

 

[Tunescribe]

Do you believe that season ticket holders should have a voice in player personnel decisions? By calling the team you are basically making that statement.

No, why would you think that? I simply wished to add my voice to the chorus wanting to hear the team's rationale for what happened, especially since Kraft just days ago stated he hoped Welker would be a Patriot "for life." I know this never will happen, but I also don't think it hurts for the team to hear from us on things like this.

 

[IllegalContact]

Buh-bye Wes Welker: 10 Reasons New England Patriots Made Right Move

As we’ve proven, high-powered offenses, even the greatest of all time, simply do not win championships on their own. And as we've proven, with our Shiny Hood Ornament Man Law, wide receiver is the most overvalued position in football, and maybe in all of sports.​

overly critical, I think........both SB losses could have been wins had the breaks gone the right way........which is how they won 2 of the 3 SB that they did win.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

FWIW (which ain't much), I've been a season ticket holder for 20 years. I called the Patriots this morning identifying myself as such just to vent. They transferred me to the team's PR office and I asked if there would be any official statement released about the Welker non-deal. Unsurprisingly, I was told no. So I asked if they were getting a lot of calls from irate fans, and she said I was the second one. To me, THAT was surprising.

So Ivan called them first?

 

[JackBauer]

So Ivan called them first?

Speaking of whom...maybe we should have someone perform a welfare check. Poor feller's probably despondent right now.

 

[everlong]

Wednesday before Broncos @ Patriots media teleconference....

Q: Wes how are you dealing with the emotions of going back to New England for the first time this week?

WW: I've been keeping my head under the hood and watching lots of tape and preparing the same as always.

Q: Have you reassessed the way you ended up leaving the Patriots?

WW: Well I certainly felt hood-winked but at the end of the day it's a business.

Q: Will you seek out Bill before or after the game?

WW: I'm sure I'll see the hoodie out there some place.

 

[goheels22002]

For the life of me, I can't understand why there weren't 20 teams willing to make offers to Welker. IMO shame on the Pats for not bringing him back, shame on 30 other teams for not making a serious play for the GOAT slot receiver, and shame on Welker for not getting a better deal.

A few reasons:

1) Most teams don't have the cap room room to sign their own FAs, $4 million or so for their draft picks, and another couple of million for flexibility as camp approaches.

2) Slot Receiver is not the top or near the top need for most teams who have porous offensive lines or old guys to replace. The Patriots are ruthless about moving on from guys in their 30s, as they were in this case.

3) Welker will be 32 when the season starts and has lots of miles and hits on his small frame. He was going to command some serious guaranteed money (turned out to be $6 million/year or 5% of the cap.) For most teams, he was not the piece that would put them over the top or make them competitive.

Take the Colts and their $45 million cap room, for instance. They have decent receivers, an elite QB and a horrible offensive line. Welker, if he was on their radar, was about 10th on the priority list. Maybe, they make a real serious move on him in a week or two, but they needed to lock up the offensive linemen they signed (Donald Thomas), and solidify the core of their defense. An older slot receiver, even one as exceptional as Welker, is just not a week one priority for a team still rebuilding and trying get younger.

 

[supafly]

I should have been clearer: that's among the teams that clearly had the cap room to make an offer.

I also should have been clearer in not assuming the entire rest of the league. You could be right, but I'm really leaning towards there just not being a huge market for him, especially after TEN's reported offer of 2/15 today.

I absolutely get what you're saying, but I believe if some other team had come in and offered a 2/20 deal he'd have gone there. Regardless, your point stands that overall quality of team came into play.

 

[supafly]

Speaking of whom...maybe we should have someone perform a welfare check. Poor feller's probably despondent right now.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[mgteich]

Reiss said that there was offering a 2-year fifteen million dollar deal. Welker's folks viewed the team as a non-contender. I still believe that Welker could have had his money if he really was open to playing anywhere. I suspect that over the weekend, his agent let team know that he wanted to play for a contender. Accepting twelve million guaranteed to play on Denver's offense was a great opportunity for Welker.

I also should have been clearer in not assuming the entire rest of the league. You could be right, but I'm really leaning towards there just not being a huge market for him, especially after TEN's reported offer of 2/15 today.

I absolutely get what you're saying, but I believe if some other team had come in and offered a 2/20 deal he'd have gone there. Regardless, your point stands that overall quality of team came into play.

 

[supafly]

Reiss said that there was offering a 2-year fifteen million dollar deal. Welker's folks viewed the team as a non-contender. I still believe that Welker could have had his money if he really was open to playing anywhere. I suspect that over the weekend, his agent let team know that he wanted to play for a contender. Accepting twelve million guaranteed to play on Denver's offense was a great opportunity for Welker.

Like I said, he turned down a very compartive contract offer of 2/15 to play with a contender for 2/12, which is something that most/many would choose to do. Had that been an offer for 2/20, it may have been a much different story.

I respect you and your opinion, I just have a different one. There are 12 playoff teams, another 4 that could be on the cusp of the playoffs that include teams that are regularly good such as N.Orleans, Pittsburgh, etc.

There are really at the very least 16 "contenders" that Welker likely would have taken a bigger offer from, yet the market appeared to be soft.

Some view "contender" as narrowing it down to 3-4 teams, and I don't buy that at all. 50% of the NFL teams can be considered contenders. The market was soft and that's what I personally believe. I think you'd be correct in saying that Welker took a handful of teams off the list that regualrly are bad, as there's a chance that many players may do that. To me that's a much better definition of narrowing it down to a "contender."

 

[mgteich]

fair enough
We have different opinions and we respect each other's opinions.

I don't think that Welker had a list of sixteen contenders with whom he wanted to play. I suspect that the list was much smaller, perhaps made after the weekend's assessment of interest. I believe that Welker wanted to play for a top QB.

As everyone has said, the money is NOT the main issue. I'm sure that Welker and his family have financial advisors who can manage $20M (even diminished by taxes) well enough to provide him, his wife and his family for the rest of their lives. A few more million is not likely to have been as important as his quarterback (and of course, the front office)

Like I said, he turned down a very compartive contract offer of 2/15 to play with a contender for 2/12, which is something that most/many would choose to do. Had that been an offer for 2/20, it may have been a much different story.

I respect you and your opinion, I just have a different one. There are 12 playoff teams, another 4 that could be on the cusp of the playoffs that include teams that are regularly good such as N.Orleans, Pittsburgh, etc.

There are really at the very least 16 "contenders" that Welker likely would have taken a bigger offer from, yet the market appeared to be soft.

Some view "contender" as narrowing it down to 3-4 teams, and I don't buy that at all. 50% of the NFL teams can be considered contenders. The market was soft and that's what I personally believe. I think you'd be correct in saying that Welker took a handful of teams off the list that regualrly are bad, as there's a chance that many players may do that. To me that's a much better definition of narrowing it down to a "contender."

 

[supafly]

fair enough
We have different opinions and we respect each other's opinions.

I don't think that Welker had a list of sixteen contenders with whom he wanted to play. I suspect that the list was much smaller, perhaps made after the weekend's assessment of interest. I believe that Welker wanted to play for a top QB.

As everyone has said, the money is NOT the main issue. I'm sure that Welker and his family have financial advisors who can manage $20M (even diminished by taxes) well enough to provide him, his wife and his family for the rest of their lives. A few more million is not likely to have been as important as his quarterback (and of course, the front office)

Great post.

I think the only place we may see things differently is that I think the list of contenders was more vast. Out of the playoff teams + regularly competitive teams who missed this year (PIT, NO, NYG, CHI) I'm coming up with 15-16, but out of those teams some are cap strapped, some didn't have interest, need, etc---so that likely lowers the list down to a lower amount, much like the normal method of free agency often does.

I just think that IF someone on the outside cusp had made a significant offer, he and his agent may have at least considered it. We'll likely never know. The only thing we'd have to compare it to at the moment is the TEN offer of 2/15, which is right in the same ballpark and basically proves nothing.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

fair enough
We have different opinions and we respect each other's opinions.

I don't think that Welker had a list of sixteen contenders with whom he wanted to play. I suspect that the list was much smaller, perhaps made after the weekend's assessment of interest. I believe that Welker wanted to play for a top QB.

As everyone has said, the money is NOT the main issue. I'm sure that Welker and his family have financial advisors who can manage $20M (even diminished by taxes) well enough to provide him, his wife and his family for the rest of their lives. A few more million is not likely to have been as important as his quarterback (and of course, the front office)

Welker like Brady is thinking legacy with his career decisions. Were Welker to do well with a different team than the "system" Patriots it bolsters his HOF quest. Were he to contribute on a SB winning team it would be really difficult not to vote him in. He'd have stats, have played with the greats AND have a ring. Thus, screw the Titans and their ilk for a few more million, taxed in half anyway. HOF players who aren't social morons have great post football career options.

 

[patfanken]

Again the most surprising aspect of the Welker signing to me is STILL how massively we ALL underestimated Welker's market, both in the amount of the contract and the low number of interested parties.

The other thing that this signing shows is that the Pats WERE NOT treating Welker badly last season. In fact the offer Welker turned down was above the real market, and the franchise price that the eventually did pay him was well above the market. So while the talk still persists that the Pats low balled Wes, and have disrespected him, the reality is the have always been very competitive with their offers both this year and last.

 

[Tunescribe]

Again the most surprising aspect of the Welker signing to me is STILL how massively we ALL underestimated Welker's market, both in the amount of the contract and the low number of interested parties.

The other thing that this signing shows is that the Pats WERE NOT treating Welker badly last season. In fact the offer Welker turned down was above the real market, and the franchise price that the eventually did pay him was well above the market. So while the talk still persists that the Pats low balled Wes, and have disrespected him, the reality is the have always been very competitive with their offers both this year and last.

Welker could've taken the Pats' offer for $2 million less, but I suppose his ego wouldn't have allowed that. I wonder if his wife's Denver roots were a factor.

 

[mgteich]

Yes, Welker could have played for $2M less in New England (was everything guaranteed?). He could have played in TEN for $3M more. If he were looking for top dollar, he might have considered bad teams (like the jets or miami).

In all that I've read, I see no reason why Welker should have chosen to play for New England.

And yes, perhaps a change of scenery from Boston to Denver was attractive.

Welker could've taken the Pats' offer for $2 million less, but I suppose his ego wouldn't have allowed that. I wonder if his wife's Denver roots were a factor.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Yes, Welker could have played for $2M less in New England (was everything guaranteed?). He could have played in TEN for $3M more. If he were looking for top dollar, he might have considered bad teams (like the jets or miami).

In all that I've read, I see no reason why Welker should have chosen to play for New England.

And yes, perhaps a change of scenery from Boston to Denver was attractive.

Supposedly they offered both Amendola and Welker $10M guaranteed.