Report: Welker “seriously considering” leaving Patriots

[mgcolby]

All of these reports are at some level BS especially the negative ones towards NE. Our old buddy Rap and his "they haven't made an offer" is clearly crap. Both sides know where the other stands on both money and years. And I doubt the Pats hadn't made an offer at that point as well, I would hazard a guess they have made several over the past 18 months.

IMO, it is clear that Welker and/or his agent have over valued him, if not he would be gone by now. The fact he hasn't left tells me two things:
1. No team offered Welker his asking price
2. No team's offer was substantially better than NE's

Which means NE's offer was at or around his true market value, again if it wasn't (which I doubt), and they weren't willing to come up to it, he would already have a news conference scheduled in another city.

It has now been five days since teams could officially talk with FA's. It is clear the Pats offer is where the market is. I think it is down to two or more teams and Welker's camp is either trying to maximize the offer or weighing their options.

 

[captain stone]

If the Patriots were to take the field today, they wouldn't be able to put together a complete WR unit...

...or CBs to defend them.

Is there anybody even answering the phone up there? No visits, never mind signings, have been announced,
unless one counts the Hooman tender, which I don't.

 

[signbabybrady]

If the Patriots were to take the field today, they wouldn't be able to put together a complete WR unit.

If the Patriots took the field today Ebert, Slater, and Kamar Aiken would be your top 3 WRs but you would still have Gronk and Hernandez. I would argue that those 5 are still better than what alot of teams trout out for their QBs and Yes I think Tom being the God that he is would be able to turn these 5 into another Division win given the state of the rest of the AFC. Good thing is the season doesnt start tomorrow and we have 25 Mil still to improve other areas and replace what we do wind up losing.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Yup - you are right. I sure wish we could be more like Miami or Buffalo. The success of those teams this past decade is something I sure would to replicate.

Seriously, can't anyone let the record speak for itself?

I am so sick of fans here, Felger and his asskissing buddy Maz, Borges and the rest of the haters continually bash this team and bellichick, at every turn.

Cap management is crucial and key to the success of the Patriot domination. Nobody does it better.

Doesn't the won loss record count for anything??

Lmao, i have been called a Belichick asskisser, ballwasher and blind homer more times than i can count in this forum, I just think he is making a huge mistake here and one that is stupid financially. it will cost more to replace Welker's production than it would to sign him, just as it did with Samuel. They used more resources and more money trying to fix that hole than they would have by paying him. Sometimes refusing to pay a great player ends up being more costly than paying them would be, and this is one of those instances imo. In Samuel's case they wasted money in free agency for O'Neal and Bodden and high draft picks year after year and never were able to replace him. It would have made much more sense to just pay him and use those resources on other needs. Cheaper isn't always better, no matter what many Patriot fans want to believe.

 

[Huckleberry1]

All of these reports are at some level BS especially the negative ones towards NE. Our old buddy Rap and his "they haven't made an offer" is clearly crap. Both sides know where the other stands on both money and years. And I doubt the Pats hadn't made an offer at that point as well, I would hazard a guess they have made several over the past 18 months.

IMO, it is clear that Welker and/or his agent have over valued him, if not he would be gone by now. The fact he hasn't left tells me two things:
1. No team offered Welker his asking price
2. No team's offer was substantially better than NE's

Which means NE's offer was at or around his true market value, again if it wasn't (which I doubt), and they weren't willing to come up to it, he would already have a news conference scheduled in another city.

It has now been five days since teams could officially talk with FA's. It is clear the Pats offer is where the market is. I think it is down to two or more teams and Welker's camp is either trying to maximize the offer or weighing their options.

I didn't buy the Rappaport report until I heard that their offer came in way below what the Welker camp expected, which imo means that he was actually right and they weren't talking.

 

[ivanvamp]

...or CBs to defend them.

Is there anybody even answering the phone up there? No visits, never mind signings, have been announced,
unless one counts the Hooman tender, which I don't.

The Patriots are one of the best-run organizations in sports. Do you really think they have no plan and are just sitting around doing nothing? Do you really think the team they have *now* will be the team they put on the field in September, with a few rookies added to the mix?

 

[PATSNUTme]

If the Patriots were to take the field today, they wouldn't be able to put together a complete WR unit.

Breaking news: The Patriots don't take the field today. More at 11.

 

[Huckleberry1]

The Patriots are one of the best-run organizations in sports. Do you really think they have no plan and are just sitting around doing nothing? Do you really think the team they have *now* will be the team they put on the field in September, with a few rookies added to the mix?

The obvious answer is NO, however Patriot fans have every right to wonder what the hell they are thinking with all that is going on around the league, their cap space to make moves, and the deafening silence in NE.

 

[Leemo]

BREAKING



Adam Schefter ?@AdamSchefter

Filed to ESPN: Broncos in serious talks, trying to hammer out an agreement with Patriots WR Wes Welker. Decision expected today.

 

[signbabybrady]

You proved my point, letting Samuel walk made them worse, they were unable to replace him and they wasted resources for years trying to do so. It will be the same with Welker unless Belichick hits it out of the park in finding a replacement, and that's not that likely. You simply don't replace HOF quality players easily, and opening up a gaping hole on offense heading into Brady's final years is stupid. Welker is the best value in this free agency, no player with anywhere near his production is going to be paid the way he will, and letting him go to denver will make them much better and the Patriots much worse, it makes absolutely no sense at all. Sometimes Belichick is a complete **** about money, and this appears to be one of his pennywise pound foolish moments. I would much rather see him go for it, that's why Brady gave them the cap room.

Your bolded statement is not completely accurate. It may have made the secondary worse but this team has been back to a SB since Samuel left and been to 2 AFC championship games. (And don't say but they haven't won a SB becuase if you say that then you are only allowed to sign players who have won a SB and guess what Wes has not. )

Again building a roster is fluid and throughout BBs tenure some positions have been stronger than others at times and vice versa at other times. We were defensive minded at times and are now offensive minded. The one thing that has been constant has been our making the playoffs and competing for super bowls.

For all of you guys moaning about losing this guy or that. I will make a bet with you. You name the player we might be losing and I will bet you that even if that guy leaves we will still be in the playoffs and that we will at least make it back to another AFC title game in the next 3 years. I will give different odds for playoffs and the afc title game and I will make this bet long before I know who they replace said player. This will be all in good fun and in good faith with the winnings going to the Patriot Charitible Org or a charity agreed upon.

 

[Rob0729]

BREAKING



Adam Schefter ?@AdamSchefter

Filed to ESPN: Broncos in serious talks, trying to hammer out an agreement with Patriots WR Wes Welker. Decision expected today.

Well, if the Broncs get him it will be very disappointing. If he goes for decent money, it will be really upsetting. The Pats will need to make up for the loss and I ain't excited for Danny Amadola. I think the only thing that would work is signing Victor Cruz or making a trade for another solid WR.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Welker with manning. They are going to be very good

I guess we get amendola now..and i dont want him

 

[BadMoFo]

Well, if the Broncs get him it will be very disappointing. If he goes for decent money, it will be really upsetting. The Pats will need to make up for the loss and I ain't excited for Danny Amadola. I think the only thing that would work is signing Victor Cruz or making a trade for another solid WR.

I think we'd need a few good signings to make up for losing Wes, who was as much a face of this franchise as anyone besides Brady. Maybe Talib, Vollmer, star receiver and star defensive player would make up for it, but it'd have to be quick.

 

[Huckleberry1]

BREAKING



Adam Schefter ?@AdamSchefter

Filed to ESPN: Broncos in serious talks, trying to hammer out an agreement with Patriots WR Wes Welker. Decision expected today.

Manning gets 90 million and Welker, Brady gives back big bucks and they kick him in the nuts.

 

[Leemo]

we have to atleast try for Victor Cruz if Welker goes

 

[gmtaxi27]

we have to atleast try for Victor Cruz if Welker goes

Cruz is restricted FA, so if we sign him we have to give up a 1st rounder, and also pay him a boat load. Not going to happen.

 

[BradyManny]

we have to atleast try for Victor Cruz if Welker goes

Why? If they don't want to pay for the best slot receiver in the league, why pay for the 2nd best?

The Patriots aren't setting a value on Welker - they are setting a value on the slot receiver position in this offense. They want to be a 2TE offense.

 

[supafly]

we have to atleast try for Victor Cruz if Welker goes

How in the world could that realistically happen? We'd have to give up a 1st and pay him about 12 million a year. On top of that the NYG have to be in the ballpark somewhat to what their offer is, and they'd have 7 days to match the offer anyway.

I just don't see Belichick paying that kind of money to anyone to be honest. That's a hell of a lot of money for an outside player. I don't think there's any real possibility that we'd actually beat the NYG offer for Cruz and part with a 1st rd pick in the process. To me the thought (Belichick actually doing it) is insane.

 

[supafly]

Welker with manning. They are going to be very good

I guess we get amendola now..and i dont want him

We "may" get Amendola. Of course we also may not.

If we even had that as a contingency plan to fall back on, it'd make me feel a little better. To this point we don't though.

 

[mgcolby]

Some of you are acting like he signed already. I haven't seen that. I would guess that any offer he receives will be shopped back to NE to match or beat.