Some comments on the comments:
1. As one who has NEVER blamed Welker for not making that catch in the Superbowl, I have to acknowledge that his "drop" highlights a weakness in his game. From the numbers to the ground Welker was elite. But from the shoulders to over his head he was just average, and I would wager that a great majority of his "drops" came on passes that made him raise his hands above his head. Welker is a good receiver in any offense, but Brady's accuracy elevated his production and got the most out of him. The fact that he'll be with Peyton makes me think he will be just as good this year.
2. As to DI's point that Amendola is "only" 2 inches taller than Welker. That might be true. BUT...his catch radius is probably 6-8 inches larger because Amendola is more comfortable catching balls above his head
3. I don't know if Tuinei can make this team, but his signing seems to confirm and reflects BB is changing this offense to reflect the ever changing realities of the NFL game. Taller receivers are a fact of life. More and more defenses are going back to playing a more physical man coverage, and the refs seem to be allowing it. The Polian pendulum is finally starting to turn back in the D's favor, or at least less blatantly in favor of the offense . So the fact is that having physical WR's who can make catches even when covered has become a necessary part of a teams offense.
4. There will always be a place for a smaller quick WR in the Troy Brown, Wes Welker mold, but the days where that receiver kind of receiver is the linchpin of an offense is over.
5. I am already on record saying that Welker will be just as successful in Denver as he was in NE. But that being said, it would not surprise me to see him lose about 30% of his production. If he was the go to guy, like he was here, I doubt there'd be much of a production drop, but the Broncos have 2 legitimate outside threats, so Wes isn't going to see the number of looks that will allow him to have the kind of production he had here. Not hating, its just a fact of life.
6. Where I see the Pats making the right move with Welker is his health. Up to this point in his career, he has been remarkable in his ability to stay healthy. More than remarkable, in fact. However the fact remains that football players only have so many hits that their body can absorb, ESPECIALLY 5'8 185lb guys. Wes's time is running out, IMHO. Sooner or later, he's not going to get up from one of those big hits, and I think its going to be sooner.
Don't forget that Logan Mankins didn't miss a game. Hell he'd never missed a practice, before his first knee injury, and he has rarely been fully healthy since, even though he's only missed a handful of games. Injuries happen to everyone eventually. It wouldn't surprise me in the least that over the next 2 seasons, Amendola plays more games than Welker. I know how ridiculous that last statement sounds based on the PAST history of these 2 guys, but I'm not looking to the past, but to the FUTURE. Lets see how it plays out.
