Why has Welker not been extended?

[Ron Sellers]

Yeah, you know the Pats front office has been really slacking since the lockout ended three weeks ago.

Besides Welker, when are they going to get off their butts and sign some rookie undrafted free agents, get all the draft picks under contract, re-sign Logan Mankins, re-sign Kevin Faulk, trade for a wide receiver, trade for a defensive lineman, sign another veteran defensive lineman, re-sign Sammy Morris, re-sign Kyle Arrington, re-sign Tracy White, re-sign BJGE, re-sign Gerard Warren, and sign a special teams specialist with a greek name I can't pronounce?

What's the matter with these guys, what are they waiting for?

 

[PatsFaninME]

Unless he asks for outrageous money, he'll be back. Patriots don't seem to have nearly as much luck drafting WR's so I think they will stay with a proven gamer like Welker. Keep in mind, they just got Mankins done and they can only do so much at once.

 

[eom]

Just wondering why we haven't heard anything about a possible extension for Welker. Seems like he is going to play this final year out and then head to free agency. Does the front office feel comfortable letting him go, or feel that the market for him isnt going to be very big and they can re-sign him for the same price, or what?

I'm worried if we let him get to free agency some team is going to give him a ton of money, possibly the Jets. Really wouldn't want to see that happen, just makes the most sense to lock him up now in my opinion.

I think the common sense answer is that the front office is lazy and stupid.

 

[patriot lifer]

From Mike Reiss, back in May:

Yeah, I did recall that as had written my response. Two expressions: Talk is cheap, and money talks. Translation: I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Welker is the best slot receiver in the game and he's better suited to this offense than any of the rest of them. He's durable and he's something Bill admires tremendously, a football player. Like the slot receiver he replaced who retired a Patriot. Casserio was just talkin' Wes up in his presser yesterday. It's week 3 post lockout, patience grasshoppers...

 

[patsfan13]

I hope Welker is resigned, resigning MAyo and Vollmer are higher priorities IMO.

 

[DaBruinz]

I personally think Edelman tops out at 35 catches. He doesn't do the things Welker does, he does not get to open field like Welker does. For all the health issues around Welker he missed on game last year and that was the last game of the year. Edelman has missed more time than that and did not tear his ACL. I think Edelman is overrated around here myself.

Umm.. Edelman has not missed more time than Welker has during their times as Patriots..

And a Concussion is not an injury to be treated lightly..

Edelman isn't over-rated. Edelman is younger than Welker. Has more Speed than Welker, but isn't as quick as Welker. Edelman would be a different type of slot receiver than Welker. For someone like yourself to downplay Edelman's talent is just silly.

 

[mrs_mass]

I think many of you are missing an obvious point. Welker has not proven on the field that he is 100% back from his ACL. Last year he had 86 receptions. This was a down year because he wasn't back all the way. I am not criticizing him or his incredible effort to be out there. If he starts preforming to his 2007-2009 totals, then they will pay him. I personally believe he will, but he has to prove it.

 

[Reckedtrek]

I don't see how many on this board honestly believe Edelman can fully replace Welker. He flashed in 2009, and has done what since? I'll be happy if I'm wrong but I don't see it. He's a quicker than average JAG.

 

[jah]

I think many of you are missing an obvious point. Welker has not proven on the field that he is 100% back from his ACL. Last year he had 86 receptions. This was a down year because he wasn't back all the way. I am not criticizing him or his incredible effort to be out there. If he starts preforming to his 2007-2009 totals, then they will pay him. I personally believe he will, but he has to prove it.

We didn't have Gronkowski, Branch, and Hernandez combining for over 130 catches in 2007-2009.

 

[Ring 6]

Because he's a 30-year-old slot receiver who clashes with the use of the young tight ends?

How can the guy who caught more passes than anyone in the NFL for the last 4 years clash with getting the ball to a TE who will do less with it?

BTW, even playing on a surgically repaired knee last year, Welker still has 35 more receptions over the last 4 years than the second highest guy.

Yeah, anyone can replace the receiver who catches the most passes

 

[spacecrime]

I personally think Edelman tops out at 35 catches.

Edelman had 37 catches as a rookie.

But even if Edelman isn't the guy you can fill the short and intermediate receiving role with some combo of Gronk/Hernandez/a cheap pickup (like the jet look like they'll get this year with Kerley)/ the running backs.

And 7 last year.

That kind of evades the point that Edelman is NOT going to top out at 35 catches, and ignores the fact that Edelman had 42 catches his first year and Welker 29 his first 2 years.

No one is saying that Edelman and Welker are the same person, but they don't have to be. Catches that would have gone to Welker, or Moss, or anyone else who leaves do not have to be made up exactly by his replacement. There are other receivers. Brady will still throw balls and they still will be caught.

Welker is a great player, and I hope he re-signs with the Pats, but if he doesn't the world will not end. Edelman, Ochocinco, Branch, a new draft pick or free agent or whoever, will pick up the slack.

As far as why he doesn't have an extension, the real question would be "WHy did he get one?" if he was extended. That is how the Pats operate. Play out the contract and then get a new one. Other teams don't do it that way, and they have not had the success that Pats have had.

Don't panic. Welker will be here or someone else will be at the receiving end of Brady's passes.

 

[condon84]

Um, yeah, that's kind of the point of this thread, I'm asking why a new contract has not been agreed upon...

Just being a smart@$$.

Honestly, from what I've read, the Pats have a certain cash budget they like to spend per year and it may be that they're up against it for this year. But there are other factors too that we may not know.

 

[Sciz]

How can the guy who caught more passes than anyone in the NFL for the last 4 years clash with getting the ball to a TE who will do less with it?

BTW, even playing on a surgically repaired knee last year, Welker still has 35 more receptions over the last 4 years than the second highest guy.

Yeah, anyone can replace the receiver who catches the most passes

Brady dominated out of 2WR sets last year, while Welker was worse than Branch (despite 4 extra games) and on par with the TEs yardage-wise.

Which is the better decision, playing the offense that suits Brady, or the offense that suits Welker?

 

[Ring 6]

Brady dominated out of 2WR sets last year, while Welker was worse than Branch (despite 4 extra games) and on par with the TEs yardage-wise.

Which is the better decision, playing the offense that suits Brady, or the offense that suits Welker?

There is so much wrong with these comments I don't know where to begin.
First you are talking about 99 plays.
There is no down/distance filter.
His QB rating is only 4.1 points higher in 2 WR sets than everything combined.
We cannot run 2 WR sets on critical 3rd downs.
He had 12 TDs in 140 passes in 3 Wr and only 5 in 2 WR in 99
And he had 224 attempts in 4plus wides vs 239 in 2 or 3 combined.
I don't think BB shares your believe that Brady is best in 2 WR sets.

 

[Patsrock]

Umm.. Edelman has not missed more time than Welker has during their times as Patriots..

And a Concussion is not an injury to be treated lightly..

Edelman isn't over-rated. Edelman is younger than Welker. Has more Speed than Welker, but isn't as quick as Welker. Edelman would be a different type of slot receiver than Welker. For someone like yourself to downplay Edelman's talent is just silly.

I do not think he is what people think he is, I think he is the 5th receiver on this team. I would not be surprised one bit if he doesn't make the roster. And yes Edelman has missed 6 games, And Welker has missed 3 games.

 

[Ring 6]

I do not think he is what people think he is, I think he is the 5th receiver on this team. I would not be surprised one bit if he doesn't make the roster. And yes Edelman has missed 6 games, And Welker has missed 3 games.

Because of pigmentation, people compare him to Welker.
Welker, most passes caught in the NFL in the last 4 years. Btw, there are only 8 guys within ONE HUNDRED of him.
Edelman, a guy who makes the roster, returns kicks and gets on the field once in a while at WR.
Yeah, who needs Brady when you have Hoyer

 

[Banjo]

one word

T-R-A-D-E

 

[ctpatsfan77]

one word

T-R-A-D-E

Except that it's hard to see any trade where the Pats get sufficient value in return to justify it.

 

[supafly]

Except that it's hard to see any trade where the Pats get sufficient value in return to justify it.

Exactly. A likely current scenario trade-wise speaking would put us with a 2nd rounder, maybe a 2nd AND a 5th or something to that degree.

The problem lies exactly where you claim it does--so now we'd have another second rounder, and No Wes Welker. Do we then HOPE that the draft pick is even 2/3rds as good (and important to this offense) as Welker? If so, is that really worth it? Did the team actually even get ahead? And how exactly?

I don't see how just about everyone doesn't see the obvious importance of Welker to this specific offense? Almost every single person was down on the Branch trade, due to the great chemistry between he and Brady. Personally, I believe that the chemistry between Welker and Brady tops that by about 10x over.

I don't care that he's "30 yrs old" if he can still produce for another 3 or 4 yrs on any kind of level that's even close. All signs point to Wes being fair about the perceived extension, so it's not like he's trying to break the bank. I couldn't imagine why anyone wouldn't want Welker here on a fair deal. He's still the lifeblood of this offense, when paired with Brady.

Last week, many of the comments were about how Edelman wouldn't even make the team somehow, now this week it's about how we should keep Edelman over Wes Welker. I just don't get this place sometimes, as much as I love all of the posters..