Today In Patriots History March 5, 2007: Miami trades Wes Welker to New England

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Wes Welker becomes a Patriot​

March 5, 2007:
Pats acquire Wes Welker from Dolphins, in exchange for a 2nd and 7th round draft pick


As a junior at Texas Tech, Wesley Carter Walker caught 86 passes for 1,054 yards and 7 TD, and also ran for 244 yards on 31 attempts (a 7.9 yard average). He followed that up his senior year with 97 receptions for 1,099 yards and 9 TD, plus 27 rushes for 146 yards (5.4 ypc) and another touchdown. he also won the Mosi Tatupu Award for the best college football special teams player of the year. Despite all that, Welker was not invited to the NFL Combine.


San Diego signed Welker as an undrafted rookie in 2004, but waived him after week 1 - in spite of averaging 25.5 yards on his four kickoff returns. Miami signed Welker a week later, and Patriot fans - and Bill Belichick - got a good look at him in a week 5 game at Gillette.

The Dolphins were not a very good team that season, losing their first six games and finishing 4-12. In week 5, on Oct 10, 2004 the Dolphins traveled to Foxborough to play the defending super bowl champs. This game is mostly known in the record books for being the one that the Patriots won an NFL record 19th consecutive game. Overlooked was the game that Welker had in the loss.

Miami kicker Olindo Mare hurt his calf during warmups. The Dolphins turned to their new special teams return man - Welker - to handle kickoffs and field goals. Welker finished the game with five kickoff returns (20.2 yard avg), five punt returns (8.2 ypr), 1-1 on extra points, 1-1 on field goal attempts (made a 29-yarder in the third quarter to close the deficit to 24-10), and his kickoffs weren't bad at all either (59 yards, 40 yard fair catch, 59 yards).

Knowing how much Belichick loves versatility, I'm surprised he didn't trade for Welker the next day.



In 2006 Welker led Miami with 67 receptions, and was second with 687 yards receiving. He also averaged 22.2 yards on 48 kickoff returns, and 9.2 yards on 47 punt returns - ranking 6th in the NFL in all-purpose yardage. At the end of the season the Dolphins offered Welker, a restricted free agent, a second round tender, with a $1.35 million one-year contract. The Patriots made an offer that allegedly had a 'poison pill' clause of a large additional bonus if he played four games in the state of Florida, or something along those lines. Then for whatever reason the Pats decided to play nice, and rather than go through with that offer, threw in a 7th round pick for the Dolphins, on top of the second that Miami was already going to receive.


Losing the 2006 AFCCG to the Colts must have really lit a fire under Belichick's ass. Known more for his middle class moves in free agency, he became super agressive in the 2007 offseason. In the first 24 hours the Patriots signed Adalius Thomas to a big contract, and added TE Kyle Brady and RB Sammy Morris. Three days later was the Welker trade, and then the Pats signed two more free agent wide receivers, Donté Stallworth and Kelley Washington. As if all that wasn't enough, afew weeks later on draft day the Patriots traded for Randy Moss.



Patriots net Dolphins and 19th straight win, 24-10 -- Patriots.com

Patriots acquire Miami WR Welker -- Patriots.com

Patriots snag Welker from Dolphins via trade

The New England Patriots acquired three-year veteran wide receiver Wes Welker from the Miami Dolphins.

www.espn.com

Pats acquire Welker

The Patriots acquire WR Wes Welker from the Dolphins for undisclosed draft picks.

www.boston.com

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots - October 10th, 2004 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Miami Dolphins 10 at New England Patriots 24 on October 10th, 2004 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Wes Welker Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Wes Welker. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[Pape]

Straight up one of the absolute best trades BB ever made.

I would have said The Best... but d%#*!@t Wes, you gotta make that catch

 

[Vindicate]

​

Knowing how much Belichick loves versatility, I'm surprised he didn't trade for Welker the next day.

It was Patricia who gave the initial idea to trade for Welker. It's possible we don't get Welker without Patricia's comments.

 

[Sciz]

Welker’s $3.6M per year contract, comparable to $9.3M per year on the 2025 cap, is such a weird mismatch relative to his trade value. Now, if you told me some WR was being traded for a second round pick, I’d assume he was at least a $25M per year kind of player.

 

[jmt57]

It was Patricia who gave the initial idea to trade for Welker. It's possible we don't get Welker without Patricia's comments.

Interesting, I did not realize that.

I seem to remember rumors that Nick Saban - who had just become Alabama's coach, after two seasons as HC for the Dolphins - allegedly talked to Belichick and recommended Welker to him.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Roman Phifer​

Happy 57th birthday to Roman Phifer
Born March 5, 1968; from Charlotte, North Carolina
Patriot LB, 2001-2004; uniform #95
Signed as a 33-year old veteran free agent on August 3, 2001
Pats résumé: 4 seasons, 59 games (46 starts); 345 tackles (16 for a loss), 4 sacks; 40 tackles in 9 playoff games; 3x super bowl winner


Feb 28, 2005:

Patriots release Roman Phifer

FOXBORO -- Veteran linebacker Roman Phifer, who played on all three of New England's Super Bowl winners, was released yesterday. Phifer, a 36-year-old 14-year veteran, was signed by the team as a f…

www.southcoasttoday.com

Veteran linebacker Roman Phifer, who played on all three of New England's Super Bowl winners, was released yesterday.​

Phifer, a 36-year-old 14-year veteran, was signed by the team as a free agent in 2001 and played in 59 games in his four seasons with the Patriots.​

Phifer recorded 385 tackles, ranking second on the team over that span to Tedy Bruschi with 403. He led the team in tackles in 2002.​

Phifer was originally selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft of of UCLA. He played eight years with the Rams in Los Angeles and St. Louis before signing with the New York Jets in 1999. He went to New England two years later, following Bill Belichick, who had been the Jets defensive coordinator before becoming the Patriots' head coach.​

Feb 28, 2005:
Phifer released -- Patriots.com

Roman Phifer said in the week leading up to Super Bowl XXXIX that he would evaluate his football playing future after that game. It appears that future, at least for now, won't involve the New England Patriots.​

The Patriots released the 14-year veteran on Monday, saving about $1.5 million against the 2005 salary cap. Phifer carried a $2 million cap number into the new league year, which begins March 2, and was owed a $200,000 roster bonus if he remained on the team.​

Phifer, who will turn 37 on March 5, spent four seasons and started 46 regular season games with New England after signing as a free agent during 2001 training camp. He was part of three Super Bowl championship teams.​

Three days before Super Bowl XXXIX, Phifer was asked about his playing future. "I just take it one year at a time at this point and I'll probably evaluate that after this game.​

Roman Phifer worked as an assistant linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos from 2009-10, and as director of player development at UCLA in 2016-17. He was an area scout with the Detroit Lions from 2016-2017, and has been a senior personnel executive since 2021.


April 27, 2023:
From player to coach to filmmaker to scout, Roman Phifer’s football journey brought him to Broncos: “I’m doing what I love”

Now Phifer tries to find players for the Broncos. Patricia was fired from Detroit two months before Paton was hired as Denver’s general manager. Not long after the 2021 draft, Paton made Phifer one of his first hires.​

For the first year, Phifer scouted both college and pro players. Now he works mostly in pro scouting, but come draft season, it’s all hands on deck.​

“Let’s say there are three guys (Paton) wants to look at in a cluster: It might be my first exposure to a guy, so I’ve got fresh eyes,” said Phifer, the No. 31 overall pick in the 1991 draft. “Another guy might have the player in his area, did (the report), knows him really well. Then there’s another scout that may be familiar with him and has watched him a little but not as much as the area scout. So it’s good to get different opinions. I might like a guy, it’s my first exposure, I don’t know everything, don’t know his character, but on film, ‘Hey I think this guy is pretty good.’ You include that in your evaluation and then at the end of the day George and Coach Payton come up with, ‘OK, we like this guy and see it this way and we’ll put him here on the board.’ ”​

2004 Patriots Media Guide - Roman Phifer, page 189

Roman Phifer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Roman Phifer. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[TheRainMaker]

In the times I saw Welker play when the Pats played Miami, I never cared for him. He just seemed like nuisance that would get his few catches and go away. Just a feel good story.

Then the trade of giving up a 2nd for Welker caught many by surprise. But you knew from the 1st game against the Jets in 2007 that Welker was going to have a huge season - which he did.

Regarding the McGinest holding penalty on Faulk. Had he not wrapped his arms around him, the game would've been out of reach at 24-3. I forgot about that play.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
20-plus year old Pats trivia​

March 5, 1990:
Pats hire Jimmy Raye as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach

Raye was a quarterback for Michigan State, and CB in the late sixties for the Rams and Eagles. Raye embarked on a long coaching career as an assistant at Michigan State in '71. His first stop in the pros was as a WR coach for the 49ers in '77, and he was an OC with the Rams ('83-84) and Bucs ('85-86) before signing on with Rod Rust's team. Despite that misstep he persevered, coaching through the 2013 season - including a total of 19 seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator.

Jimmy Raye (2018) - Hall of Fame - Michigan State University Athletics

Michigan State University Athletics

msuspartans.com

March 5, 1998:
Andre Tippett is hired as assistant director of pro scouting
Tippett remained in that position until 2003, and since then has been the Patriots Executive Director of Community Affairs.

The Patriots lose FB Sam Gash, as the free agent signs with Buffalo
Gash had played in 88 games with the Pats from 1992-97; he would be named to the next two Pro Bowls with the Bills.




March 5, 2002:
Bill Belichick promotes Brian Daboll from Defensive Assistant to Wide Receivers Coach.

Former WR Coach Ivan Fears is moved to Running Backs Coach, where he would remain until his 2022 retirement.

LB Marty Moore, who had been 'Mr Irrelevant' of the 1994 draft, is released, ending his 8-year NFL career.




March 5, 2003:
The Patriots re-sign two unrestricted free agents: safety Je'Rod Cherry and DE Rick Lyle




March 5, 2004:
New England loses two unrestricted free agents: G Damien Woody signs with Detroit, and S Chris Akins signs with Miami

Revamped Lions: Detroit adds Woody, Bryant

Offensive lineman Damien Woody agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions after playing with the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots last season.

www.espn.com

March 5, 2005:
From a young suburban sports writer named Mike Reiss:

Pass signs 2-year deal

www.milforddailynews.com

Fullback Patrick Pass was the last of 11 Patriots picks in the 2000 draft, selected in the seventh round, 239th overall.​

Yet after coming to terms on a two-year contract to remain with the defending champions, Pass is now one of only two players from that draft still with the club. The other is quarterback Tom Brady.​

``I'm just happy to go out and continue playing for the team I started with," Pass said yesterday before boarding a flight to Massachusetts. ``Being a seventh-round pick and going on my sixth year, that's longer than the average life span for a running back."​

The 5-foot-10, 217-pound Pass played 14 games in 2004, with four starts. He set career highs in receptions (28), receiving yards (215) and rushing yards (141). While not a punishing blocker in the traditional fullback mold, Pass was a contributor to Corey Dillon's franchise-record 1,635 rushing yards.​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
More recent Pats trivia​

March 5, 2006:
Patriots re-sign G Ross Tucker

Before he ragged on the Pats about spygate, and before he became a color commenator on CBS NFL games, Ross Tucker spent a brief amount of time in New England. The Princeton grad was signed on December 13, 2005; he appeared in one regular season game, and was a healthy scratch in three others. He also played in one of the two postseason games.

The Pats ended up trading Tucker to Cleveland on August 8 for a conditional draft pick - which was not exercised, as he did not make the Browns' roster.

Patriots Re-Sign OL Ross Tucker -- Patriots.com

Patriots re-sign lineman Tucker

FOXBORO & The New England Patriots re-signed backup offensive lineman Ross Tucker yesterday. Tucker, 26, joined the Pats as a free agent on Dec. 13 and played in one regular-season game and one p…

www.southcoasttoday.com

Tucker traded

The Patriots have traded Ross Tucker to the Browns for a conditional draft choice.

www.boston.com

March 5, 2008:
Patriots re-sign WR Jabar Gaffney to a one-year, $2 million contract

Patriots re-sign WR Jabar Gaffney -- Patriots.com

Pats bring back Gaffney

The Patriots have connected with another of their receivers.

www.southcoasttoday.com

Jabar Gaffney will be back in a Patriots uniform in '08. The two sides agreed to a one-year deal Tuesday, a day after the Pats re-signed Randy Moss to a three-year, $27 million deal.​

The former Texans second-round pick in '02, Gaffney tied for fifth on the team with 36 catches and had 449 yards to along with a career-high five touchdowns during the regular season.​

Gaffney, 27, joined the Patriots in October 2006, after he was released by the Eagles just before the season. In six seasons, he has 218 catches for 2,600 yards and 13 touchdowns.​

With Donte Stallworth's departure for Cleveland via free agency, Gaffney is poised to be the Patriots' third receiver.​

March 5, 2009:
Patriots acquire WR Greg Lewis from Eagles -- Patriots.com

Patriots get Eagles’ Lewis in trade

www.patriotledger.com

The New England Patriots acquired veteran wide receiver Greg Lewis from the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.​

A veteran of six NFL seasons, all with the Eagles, Lewis, 29, has played in 90 career games with 23 starts. He had made 127 receptions for 1,699 yards (13.4 avg.) and seven touchdowns and been credited with 41 special teams tackles in that time.​

Lewis signed with Philadelphia as a rookie free agent out of Illinois in 2003.​

Greg Lewis trade details

As part of the Greg Lewis trade, the Patriots will receive a 2010 undisclosed draft choice from the Eagles.

www.boston.com

The team announced that it has sent an undisclosed 2009 draft choice to Philadelphia. In return, the Patriots announced that they have acquired Lewis and an undisclosed 2010 draft pick from the Eagles.​

A league source said today that the 2009 draft choice that the Patriots traded is a fifth-rounder, although that has not been confirmed by either team.​

The Eagles’ official website notes that Lewis had two of his best games against the Patriots.​

Belichick happy Patriots acquired WR Lewis

FOXBOROUGH —Bill Belichick has found a way to stop receiver Greg Lewis from tormenting his New England Patriots — trade for him.

www.capecodtimes.com

Patriots re-sign punter Chris Hanson

Punter Chris Hanson re-signs with the Patriots.

www.boston.com

The Patriots announced that they have re-signed punter Chris Hanson today.​

Hanson joins Tom Malone on the roster at punter. He finished last season strong, delivering one of his finest performances in the wind-blown finale at Buffalo.​

The Patriots also formally announced the signings of linebacker Eric Alexander and safety James Sanders, and that they waived outside linebacker Darrell Robertson.​

The Alexander deal was previously reported as a one-year package, while Sanders signed a three-year pact.​

March 5, 2010:
The following players became unrestricted free agents:
OLB Tully Banta-Cain
CB Leigh Bodden
DE Derrick Burgess
RB Kevin Faulk
DE Jarvis Green
P Chris Hanson
RB Chris Taylor
TE Ben Watson

Patriots reach five-year deal with Wilfork, also keep Banta-Cain

- NFL.com

Source: Wilfork highest-paid nose tackle

The New England Patriots have paid big money to their big man in the middle by inking nose tackle Vince Wilfork to an extension a league source said is worth $40 million over five years.

www.espn.com

The New England Patriots have paid big money to their big man in the middle by inking nose tackle Vince Wilfork to an extension a league source said is worth $40 million over five years.​

The deal, which includes an $18 million signing bonus and $25 million guaranteed, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports, makes Wilfork the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL. It also provides him the long-term security he desires and ensures the Patriots -- hurt by the departures of several impact players in recent years -- retain a key part of their defense.​

Wilfork, who was assigned the franchise tag on Feb. 22, was called the team's No. 1 contractual priority by owner Robert Kraft.​

Also yesterday, the Patriots signed outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain to a three-year, $13.5 million contract and reached a two-year agreement with right guard Stephen Neal, according to a league source.​

The contract for Wilfork, 28, gives him a chance to spend his entire career with the Patriots, which is something he didn't sound optimistic about following the team's playoff loss to the Ravens on Jan. 10.​

"As the time ticked off that clock, it kind of dawned on me. I told my teammates, the guys I played with on defense, I don't know if this is the last game I played with you or not, but if it is, I love you, and I'm going to miss you," he said at the time.​

Patriots reach deals with Wilfork, Banta-Cain

Vince Wilfork took a break from the family vacation, whipped out his cell phone and typed the words he'd been aching to write for more than a year. As soon as he hit the send button on his Twitter ac…

www.seacoastonline.com

The two-time Pro Bowler agreed to a five-year deal worth $40 million with $25 million guaranteed. His signing bonus is $18 million, a source said, a front-loaded deal in an uncapped year.​

The team that Randy Moss said "don't pay," did. The team with the rap for allowing its best players to walk, didn't.​

Wilfork said after the Pro Bowl that he would go on vacation and, "Whatever happens, happens."​

It all happened on the first day of free agency. The player owner Robert Kraft had called the team's "first priority" was shown to be exactly that.​

It wasn't the only Patriots news. Guard Stephen Neal agreed to a contract extension, according to Patriots.com. Terms not yet disclosed. Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain reached a three-year deal that could pay him nearly $19 million.​

The team is "in the process" of negotiations with running back Kevin Faulk, a source said, and the Pats are looking into bringing back defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith.​

The Pats also expressed interest in Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin before he was traded to the Ravens.​

Meanwhile, cornerback Leigh Bodden is receiving "lots of interest," his agent, Alvin Keels, said. Tight end Benjamin Watson is reportedly visiting the Seahawks.​

March 5, 2015:
The Patriots declined to exercise their team contract option for 2015 on Vince Wilfork

Vince became a free agent and would sign a contract with the Houston Texans on March 16.




March 5, 2024:
The Patriots designate safety Kyle Dugger as their transitional player

Patriots using $13.8M transition tag on Kyle Dugger

The Patriots are using a $13.8 million transition tag on safety Kyle Dugger, who can still sign an offer sheet with another team.

www.espn.com

New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger on Tuesday became just the sixth NFL player in the last 15 years to receive the transition tag.​

The transition tag is for $13.8 million, which is the average of the top 10 salaries for safeties. Only five other players had received the transition tag in the past 15 years, with none of them being safeties.​

Dugger can still sign an offer sheet with another team, and the Patriots would have an opportunity to match the offer. If the Patriots decline to match any offer, they would not receive any draft-pick compensation.​

The transition tag isn't utilized as often as the franchise tag, which pays an average of the top five players at a position. The last NFL player to receive the transition tag was running back Kenyan Drake with the Arizona Cardinals in 2020.​

Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf, who has final personnel authority, said last week at the NFL scouting combine that the team "definitely" wanted to retain Dugger. The tag provides the team more leverage in future contract talks, which to this point haven't resulted in an extension.​

Because teams can only use one franchise or transition tag per offseason, the decision to assign the transition tag to Dugger means that one of the Patriots' other top free agents, offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, will not receive a tag.​

 

[ctpatsfan77]

In 2006 Welker led Miami with 67 receptions, and was second with 687 yards receiving. He also averaged 22.2 yards on 48 kickoff returns, and 9.2 yards on 47 punt returns - ranking 6th in the NFL in all-purpose yardage. At the end of the season the Dolphins offered Welker, a restricted free agent, a second round tender, with a $1.35 million one-year contract. The Patriots made an offer that allegedly had a 'poison pill' clause of a large additional bonus if he played four games in the state of Florida, or something along those lines. Then for whatever reason the Pats decided to play nice, and rather than go through with that offer, threw in a 7th round pick for the Dolphins, on top of the second that Miami was already going to receive.

Reports at the time said the reason for making it a trade rather than an RFA offer sheet was that Kraft decided that giving the Dolphins an incentive to retaliate in the future wasn't worth it. (The NFL didn't like the idea of poison pills, and made them unenforceable in the next CBA.)

 

[Zuma]

Welker still not employed. Maybe he had an entitlement issue with his interview with Vrabel…or maybe he’s a bad coach IDK.

 

[Vindicate]

Interesting, I did not realize that.

I seem to remember rumors that Nick Saban - who had just become Alabama's coach, after two seasons as HC for the Dolphins - allegedly talked to Belichick and recommended Welker to him.

In the Games With Names episode where Julian interviews Patricia, he goes into detail about how he was really impressed with Welker and his versatility, and spoke to Bill about how he thinks the Patriots need to sign him.