It's easy in light of the SB victory to forget just how incredible Wes Welker was for the Patriots. Here are the raw numbers….
2007: 145 tgt, 112 rec (77.2%), 1175 yds, 8 td
2008: 149 tgt, 111 rec (74.5%), 1165 yds, 3 td
2009: 162 tgt, 123 rec (75.9%), 1348 yds, 4 td
2010: 123 tgt, 86 rec (69.9%), 848 yds, 7 td
2011: 173 tgt, 122 rec (70.5%), 1569 yds, 9 td
2012: 174 tgt, 118 rec (67.8%), 1354 yds, 6 td
And in the playoffs…
2007: 3 g, 33 tgt, 27 rec (81.8%), 213 yds, 2 td
2010: 1 g, 9 tgt, 7 rec (77.8%), 57 yds, 0 td
2011: 3 g, 23 tgt, 19 rec (82.6%), 168 yds, 1 td
2012: 2 g, 25 tgt, 16 rec (64.0%), 248 yds, 1 td
So just an incredibly productive player for the Patriots.
But since he left, Julian Edelman has stepped in as Brady's #1 target. In the two seasons (2013 and 2014), here's what Edelman has done…
2013: 151 tgt, 105 rec (69.5%), 1056 yds, 6 td
2014: 134 tgt, 92 rec (68.7%), 972 yds, 4 td (just 14 games)
And in the playoffs…
2013: 2 g, 24 tgt, 16 rec (66.7%), 173 yds, 1 td
2014: 3 g, 37 tgt, 26 rec (70.3%), 281 yds, 1 td (plus one passing TD)
So over these time spans, here's the average game by each guy.
Welker
- Reg. Season: 9.9 tgt, 7.1 rec (71.7%), 79.4 yds, 0.4 td
- Playoffs: 10.0 tgt, 7.7 rec (77.0%), 76.2 yds, 0.4 td
Edelman
- Reg. Season: 9.5 tgt, 6.6 rec (69.5%), 67.6 yds, 0.3 td
- Playoffs: 12.1 tgt, 8.4 rec (69.4%), 90.8 yds, 0.4 td
Pretty darned even. Edelman has done more in terms of punt returns.
Welker: 10.4 avg, 0 td (Pats' career)
Edelman: 11.2 avg, 1 td (2013-14)
Rushing:
Welker: 3 rushes, 34 yds, 11.3 avg (Pats' career)
Edelman: 12 rushes, 105 yds, 8.8 avg (2013-14)
Welker was amazing for New England. But Edelman has stepped right in and become everything, essentially, that Welker was. And then some.
I suppose the big thing people will remember is this. In the biggest game of his career, Edelman came up huge, catching the Super Bowl-winning pass from Brady. But in Super Bowl 46, Welker could not haul in the pass from Brady that probably would have clinched the victory for New England against the Giants.
That's not totally fair, of course, because Welker was *INCREDIBLE* for the Patriots, but still. On the whole…I think I'd rather have Edelman in his prime than Welker in his, because Edelman can do everything Welker could, but more - he's a better punt returner, a better runner, and, as the Ravens found out, he can even throw a little. It makes me wonder if this is what the Patriots saw a few years ago when Edelman played a ton early in the season instead of Welker, until Edelman got banged up.
2007: 145 tgt, 112 rec (77.2%), 1175 yds, 8 td
2008: 149 tgt, 111 rec (74.5%), 1165 yds, 3 td
2009: 162 tgt, 123 rec (75.9%), 1348 yds, 4 td
2010: 123 tgt, 86 rec (69.9%), 848 yds, 7 td
2011: 173 tgt, 122 rec (70.5%), 1569 yds, 9 td
2012: 174 tgt, 118 rec (67.8%), 1354 yds, 6 td
And in the playoffs…
2007: 3 g, 33 tgt, 27 rec (81.8%), 213 yds, 2 td
2010: 1 g, 9 tgt, 7 rec (77.8%), 57 yds, 0 td
2011: 3 g, 23 tgt, 19 rec (82.6%), 168 yds, 1 td
2012: 2 g, 25 tgt, 16 rec (64.0%), 248 yds, 1 td
So just an incredibly productive player for the Patriots.
But since he left, Julian Edelman has stepped in as Brady's #1 target. In the two seasons (2013 and 2014), here's what Edelman has done…
2013: 151 tgt, 105 rec (69.5%), 1056 yds, 6 td
2014: 134 tgt, 92 rec (68.7%), 972 yds, 4 td (just 14 games)
And in the playoffs…
2013: 2 g, 24 tgt, 16 rec (66.7%), 173 yds, 1 td
2014: 3 g, 37 tgt, 26 rec (70.3%), 281 yds, 1 td (plus one passing TD)
So over these time spans, here's the average game by each guy.
Welker
- Reg. Season: 9.9 tgt, 7.1 rec (71.7%), 79.4 yds, 0.4 td
- Playoffs: 10.0 tgt, 7.7 rec (77.0%), 76.2 yds, 0.4 td
Edelman
- Reg. Season: 9.5 tgt, 6.6 rec (69.5%), 67.6 yds, 0.3 td
- Playoffs: 12.1 tgt, 8.4 rec (69.4%), 90.8 yds, 0.4 td
Pretty darned even. Edelman has done more in terms of punt returns.
Welker: 10.4 avg, 0 td (Pats' career)
Edelman: 11.2 avg, 1 td (2013-14)
Rushing:
Welker: 3 rushes, 34 yds, 11.3 avg (Pats' career)
Edelman: 12 rushes, 105 yds, 8.8 avg (2013-14)
Welker was amazing for New England. But Edelman has stepped right in and become everything, essentially, that Welker was. And then some.
I suppose the big thing people will remember is this. In the biggest game of his career, Edelman came up huge, catching the Super Bowl-winning pass from Brady. But in Super Bowl 46, Welker could not haul in the pass from Brady that probably would have clinched the victory for New England against the Giants.
That's not totally fair, of course, because Welker was *INCREDIBLE* for the Patriots, but still. On the whole…I think I'd rather have Edelman in his prime than Welker in his, because Edelman can do everything Welker could, but more - he's a better punt returner, a better runner, and, as the Ravens found out, he can even throw a little. It makes me wonder if this is what the Patriots saw a few years ago when Edelman played a ton early in the season instead of Welker, until Edelman got banged up.
Last edited by a moderator: