What to do with Wes Welker?

[BradyFTW!]

"Welker shouldn't get paid because he's old and going to be in inevitable decline" will eventually be the right answer, because Welker will eventually lose the age/injury battle, just as everyone does. When that happens, all the IBBIT types will crow about having been right, just as Felger crows about being right about Moss in 2010, after having been wrong about Moss for the 3 years prior.

Exactly, couldn't have said it better. I thought the Welker decline would already be happening, due to his size, reception counts, and the way that he plays the game. I was obviously wrong. Eventually I'll be right, but based on what we've seen out of Welker over the last five years, I'm no longer even remotely sure that I'll be right in the next 2 years. Based on that, I think the Patriots are taking a bigger risk by not signing him to an agreeable contract than they would be taking by signing him.

 

[Deus Irae]

Question for someone with more knowledge re: cap and contracts than I have:

At what point will cutting Mankins become a viable option? Because if that frees up the money to fund all/most of years 2 and/or 3 of a Welker extension, then I think it's pretty obvious which player is more important to this offense and which is more likely to have durability issues moving forward.

According to Jason, it would be $10 million in cap, and $12 million in dead money, in 2013, meaning they'd be underwater on the move:

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2013

It would be $10.5 million in cap and $8 million in dead money in 2014, meaning they'd only gain $2.5 million on an $8 million loss.

New England Patriots Salary Cap 2014

 

[JackBauer]

To put it another way: I'm not saying that it will come down to this, but if it did, would you rather have Welker or Mankins for the next three years?

I choose both!

 

[Ivan]

Seriously. Are you Welker's Dad?

We get it, you like him. There's no need to insult people because you don't agree with them.

Ron, is that you?

 

[Ivan]

Exactly, couldn't have said it better. I thought the Welker decline would already be happening, due to his size, reception counts, and the way that he plays the game. I was obviously wrong. Eventually I'll be right, but based on what we've seen out of Welker over the last five years, I'm no longer even remotely sure that I'll be right in the next 2 years. Based on that, I think the Patriots are taking a bigger risk by not signing him to an agreeable contract than they would be taking by signing him.

Clap clap clap clap clap............

Well done.

 

[BananaRepublican]

Broncos: Thomas/Decker...not signing another big $$ receiver.

Especially with the Stokley Security Blanket working out so well again.

 

[manxman2601]

Ron, is that you?

I bet this poster is on your bedroom wall

 

[BananaRepublican]

To put it another way: I'm not saying that it will come down to this, but if it did, would you rather have Welker or Mankins for the next three years?

Welker by a length and a half. I think it's easier to replace 90% of Mankins than 90% of that little beast.

 

[Deus Irae]

Just wanted to point to how well the "Let's rest/sit Welker more this year" is working out... In yesterday's game, Welker was in for 75 of 79 snaps.

 

[manxman2601]

Just wanted to point to how well the "Let's rest/sit Welker more this year" is working out... In yesterday's game, Welker was in for 75 of 79 snaps.

Slacker!!


Wes Welker is an outstanding receiver. Will be interesting to see what happens this spring.

 

[ATippett56]

If the Pats' unwillingness to pay Welker stems from cap concerns, then that might be one place where they could free up a lot of the necessary funds down the line. Again, I can't say for certain, because I'm not sure what Mankins' cap hits look like going forward.

To put it another way: I'm not saying that it will come down to this, but if it did, would you rather have Welker or Mankins for the next three years?

The New England Patriots should re-sign wide receiver Wes Welker and wide receiver/punt returner Julian Edelman.

The following New England Patriots offensive players, who will be unrestricted free agents in calendar year 2013, can be deemed expendable:

Danny Woodhead (Jeff Demps currently on injured reserve)
Visanthe Shiancoe (waste of salary cap space)
Donald Thomas (will he accept a veteran minimum contract?)
Sebastian Vollmer (chronic back issues)

By the way, it's more expensive to cut Mankins than to keep him.

http://www.nyjetscap.com/Patriots/patriots2013.php

Furthermore, the New England Patriots can save $2.5 million in cap space in calendar year 2013 by converting Tom Brady's roster bonus to a signing bonus. In addition, the New England Patriots need to recoup at least 2/3 of Jonathan Fanene signing bonus for roughly an additional $2.5 million savings in salary cap space.

 

[DocHoliday]

What makes you think he'd take it? They offered him 2 years at $16M guaranteed almost a year ago and he said no thanks. They wouldn't go to 3 years with more than $18M guaranteed this season. That was the miscalculation. They've invested a lot of money in a couple of crucial younger guys who are having issues staying on the field. Not to mention spending quite a bit more to back them up with guys who can't. They targeted two potential replacements, neither of whom are durable and one of whom may not even be available depending on what his team decides to do given that same scenario.

If they want to hang on to Welker it's going to have to be on a market deal now. Probably 3/$24 would do it but they'd have to guarantee more than half of it because the market will.

He got $9 this year. A 2 year contract now would satisfy him if he would have been satisfied with a 3 year last year.

 

[Deus Irae]

He got $9 this year. A 2 year contract now would satisfy him if he would have been satisfied with a 3 year last year.

He got $9 million for this year. He can get $11 million for one year if he's franchised again, or he can get a multi-year deal for much more if he hits the market. Why would he accept $7.5 million per, for the next 2 years, when he's playing as well as he is?

 

[Ring 6]

Just wanted to point to how well the "Let's rest/sit Welker more this year" is working out... In yesterday's game, Welker was in for 75 of 79 snaps.

With Gronkowski out and Hernandez looking somewhere around 75% there is no real option to do that.

 

[Deus Irae]

With Gronkowski out and Hernandez looking somewhere around 75% there is no real option to do that.

That's part of the point, Andy. Age and injury were supposed to take their toll on Welker. Instead, he and Llllllllloyd, the two old guys, have been the only receivers/tes who've been able to stay on the field.

 

[Double TE]

You wanted a disparaging post double TE and here is one of them. The "he's just an old slot receiver" argument is exactly the one the haters have been using for three years running, and it is total crap.

I said a 32-year old wide receiver?!?!? Huh? Where did I disparage his skill set?

Reaching.

 

[Double TE]

That's part of the point, Andy. Age and injury were supposed to take their toll on Welker. Instead, he and Llllllllloyd, the two old guys, have been the only receivers/tes who've been able to stay on the field.

Whats interesting (knock on wood) he has been drilled numerous times but has avoided head injuries. I guess he knows how to fall? IDK?

He is awesome on those slip screens. I do hope they get a deal done. Also would not mind seeing Mike Wallace here?

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Welker can legitimately make an argument for borderline HOF status with his latest records set on Sunday;

>Welker tied Jerry Rice for the most 10-plus catch games in NFL history with his 17th.

>Welker (12 receptions for 103 yards) set the NFL record for most games with 10 or more catches and 100 or more yards. With his 16th such performance, he moved ahead of Rice and Houston’s Andre Johnson (15).

No more can people he's strictly a short yardage WR. More of his 10 catch games were for over 100yds than Jerry Rice. Chew on that one for a while when choosing a $ figure for his next contract...

 

[Ivan]

I bet this poster is on your bedroom wall

And I bet that you are one of those posters who wanted them to get rid of him for a second round pick for the last few years because he is just an old slot receiver. Guess what, you have been proven dead wrong over and over and over and should simply shut your piehole instead of continuing to Borges him.

 

[Double TE]

Welker can legitimately make an argument for borderline HOF status with his latest records set on Sunday;

>Welker tied Jerry Rice for the most 10-plus catch games in NFL history with his 17th.

>Welker (12 receptions for 103 yards) set the NFL record for most games with 10 or more catches and 100 or more yards. With his 16th such performance, he moved ahead of Rice and Houston’s Andre Johnson (15).

No more can people he's strictly a short yardage WR. More of his 10 catch games were for over 100yds than Jerry Rice. Chew on that one for a while when choosing a $ figure for his next contract...

The stats speak for themselves, he is outstanding. Also returns punts btw.

I just was not certain if NE would invest in future performance rather than pay for past performance. Looks like they will and should. They have a very young D so I doubt a lot of money is invested there currently.