Welker reportedly has 'mild disdain for Pats right now' per Yahoo, 3/05

[JackBauer]

I'd be surprised if Welker wasn't at least a little pissed.

I'd also be surprised if a good contract couldn't smooth over at least most of the hard feelings.

Well, according to Florio the Patriots already have Amendola lined up as Welker's replacement.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

guy needs to stop being a whiny ***** and just sign a 6-8 mill 3 or 4 yr deal. if actually cares about winning he will sign a cap friendly deal instead of jewing the pats.

Welker isn't a whiner, he had to fight his way into this league and onto a roster as an undrafted free agent. He was paid minimum wage by NFL standards for the first half of his career, then the Patriots got him into a 5 year deal that only paid him $17 million total. He has lead the league in receptions over the last 5 years and has performed at an elite level for his entire tenure as a Patriot. He's 31 years old and hasn't had a chance for a big payday yet like every player wants at least 1-2 times in their career.

This is his last chance, this is his last contract hes going to have that pays him top market money for his position and no one can even question him or his motives for a second. I didn't think he would be a Patriot this year because I felt that he deserved a ton of money, but I didn't think the Patriots were in a position to offer him that with all things considered.

I'd love to see Welker here for the next 4 years at a reasonable price, but I wouldn't hold it against him for a second to go after the biggest deal he can find. He deserves it, hes waited a long time to hit the open market with that kind of production under his belt, so good for him if he can get some team to pay him $10+ million a year. Who in the NFL is more deserving than Wes Welker? You can't hate on him, he is a shining example of how professional athletes should conduct themselves.

If there were no salary cap, I'm sure Kraft would pay him whatever he wants, but that's not how the NFL is setup and they have the cap in place for a reason.

 

[DarrylS]

Wes is just the latest in a long line of really good players who have to jump through hoops to get a fair deal with the Patriots.
It's so tiresome and so unnecessary.
Let's see Belichick play hardball when he has a .500 team and no Brady. Players will laugh in his face as they line up to run for free agency.
Interesting that the Welker camp would put this out right now.
Not sure how to read this re: Patriot contract negotiations.

You are assuming that the "Welker Camp" put this out.. it is hearsay.

Last year they paid him over 9 million dollars, those are not a lot of hoops to jump through..

While you find it tiring, I find it interesting after another 12 win season.. it is how this team has been built, and cannot forget the mantra that we should not fall in love with the veterans..

My issue is with the length of the contract, imo 4 years are too many and maybe even three years are too many.. he is going to be 32 on May 1...

 

[bagwell368]

Giardi - CSNNE:



Wes Welker and the Patriots are closing in on a multi-year contract that would allow Welker to finish his career in New England. An NFL source tells Mike Giardi that the two sides are hoping to have something finalized before the onset of free agency on March 12.

According to the source, the two sides have come to the understanding that they are far better with one another than without.

Unlike last year when Welker took what he called a "leap of faith" by accepting the team's franchise tender in the hopes that a long term deal would be worked out, this time the two sides are -- according to the source -- far more willing to compromise than at the same point last year.

More to come . . .

 

[Uncle Rico]

Well, after hearing all the panic on talk radio on the way into work then seeing this thread I finally, you know, read the story.

Funny, the part in question = two bloody paragraphs in the middle of the story. The main point to me is that Welker has to weigh real money and legacy with Pats vs. phantom money and the unknown elsewhere. (he kind of gives it away with the headline, if anyone noticed: "Wes Welker risks legacy if he leaves Patriots")

His game is built on nuance, such as the quick footwork he uses to get away from defenders coupled with his ability to read defenses with Brady as if they were two people sharing one brain.

Go play with another quarterback and all of that could suffer. ...

What that means is that (if he signs elsewhere) Welker could be a cap casualty in two years, that feisty receiver who went somewhere else and didn't pan out. All that money he was set to make in the third year of the contract could evaporate and he would end up back in New England, asking for another shot, taking minimal salary to do it and hoping to get his place back in line.

That's the reality that Welker has to consider as he weighs the money.

Some could take the column as fairly pro-Patriots.

 

[Deus Irae]

Well, according to Florio the Patriots already have Amendola lined up as Welker's replacement.

I heard Florio on with Dan Patrick this morning. He really is a toolbag.

 

[deters]

Welker isn't a whiner, he had to fight his way into this league and onto a roster as a free agent. He was paid minimum wage by NFL standards for the first half of his career, then the Patriots got him into a 5 year deal that only paid him $17 million total. He has lead the league in receptions over the last 5 years and has performed at an elite level for his entire tenure as a Patriot. He's 31 years old and hasn't had a chance for a big payday yet like every player wants at least 1-2 times in their career.

This is his last chance, this is his last contract hes going to have that pays him top market money for his position and no one can even question him or his motives for a second. I didn't think he would be a Patriot this year because I felt that he deserved a ton of money, but I didn't think the Patriots were in a position to offer him that with all things considered.

I'd love to see Welker here for the next 4 years at a reasonable price, but I wouldn't hold it against him for a second to go after the biggest deal he can find. He deserves it, hes waited a long time to hit the open market with that kind of production under his belt, so good for him if he can get some team to pay him $10+ million a year. Who in the NFL is more deserving than Wes Welker? You can't hate on him, he is a shining example of how professional athletes should conduct themselves.

If there were no salary cap, I'm sure Kraft would pay him whatever he wants, but that's not how the NFL is setup and they have the cap in place for a reason.

So the guy has earned nearly $30 million in his career and is still looking for a big pay day? So if he gets a 3 yr deal at 8 mill that puts him at or over $50 million in a career.

When most of the players in the league probably earn less than $5 million in a career (probably much less), complaining about making possibly $50 mill in a career makes you out to be a whiny ***** IMO.

 

[Deus Irae]

So the guy has earned nearly $30 million in his career and is still looking for a big pay day? So if he gets a 3 yr deal at 8 mill that puts him at or over $50 million in a career.

When most of the players in the league probably earn less than $5 million in a career (probably much less), complaining about making possibly $50 mill in a career makes you out to be a whiny ***** IMO.

So you have no understanding of how U.S. professional sports works, then?

 

[deters]

So you have no understanding of how U.S. professional sports works, then?

Nope I do. Take what people are willing to pay for your services. To ***** and moan about making not enough when they already get such an absurd amount of money for playing a f'n game is ridiculous though. People in this country are having a hard time finding work, let alone putting food on the table for their families yet athletes feel unappreciated making 6, 8 or even 10 million a year. F them.

 

[Frezo]

Nope I do. Take what people are willing to pay for your services. To ***** and moan about making not enough when they already get such an absurd amount of money for playing a f'n game is ridiculous though. People in this country are having a hard time finding work, let alone putting food on the table for their families yet athletes feel unappreciated making 6, 8 or even 10 million a year. F them.

So Welker takes less money and the unemployment rate drops, ten pound turkeys miraculously appear in peoples' kitchens and everybody gets a raise. Sounds good to me.

 

[JMC00]

Well, according to Florio the Patriots already have Amendola lined up as Welker's replacement.

I wonder if this is another case of Florio throwing dung at the wall and hoping it sticks to say he told you so or someone from the Pats putting it out there to see if it makes Welker drop his price a little

I tend to think the former.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Well, after hearing all the panic on talk radio on the way into work then seeing this thread I finally, you know, read the story.

Funny, the part in question = two bloody paragraphs in the middle of the story. The main point to me is that Welker has to weigh real money and legacy with Pats vs. phantom money and the unknown elsewhere. (he kind of gives it away with the headline, if anyone noticed: "Wes Welker risks legacy if he leaves Patriots")



Some could take the column as fairly pro-Patriots.

People are going to love this.


Welker is more important to Brady and the Patriots than they are to him, if he goes to Denver or Green Bay or any team with a first rate QB then those teams are going to see significant improvement in their offenses while NE drops off. The degree of that will depend upon many factors, such as where he ends up and who the Patriots can get to "replace" him but there is no doubt in my mind that taking his 110 Rec, league leading YAC and league leading first downs will significantly improve any team that gets him, while losing that is going to set the Patriots offense back. If they could sign a player like Amendola then it would offset the loss to some degree and adding a deep threat and possession receiver would also rebuild their WR corps.

On the other hand there is no doubt in my mind that the best solution for both parties is to get a reasonable deal signed that allows the Patriots to continue to improve their team and Welker to finish his career in NE, where he has a great shot at both getting a ring and going to the HOF, and those should be impressive incentives to any player with a real chance at achieving them. Additionally the deal Brady signed didn't just provide the Patriots with additional cap space but also sent a message to the most important players around him that compromise to achieve team goals is important for all of them, and I have no doubt Welker understands that message, the question becomes whether or not the Patriots make an offer that is realistic in terms of getting him to come down to where they are at. Suggested deals at 16 million etc are completely unrealistic to expect him to take, whereas those around 32-40 million put the team in at least a realistic ballpark. from the reports coming out of NE it appears the Patriots have significantly changed their position, enough at least to have both parties in serious negotiations, and hopefully they will be able to hammer it out and Welker and Brady can finish their careers together, which is really what i think both of them want.

 

[JackBauer]

I wonder if this is another case of Florio throwing dung at the wall and hoping it sticks to say he told you so or someone from the Pats putting it out there to see if it makes Welker drop his price a little

I tend to think the former.

I hope it's crap, if only for the sake of being spared from Ivan's rants.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Very mild, apparently.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

so much disdain...he is going to sign a 3-4 year deal with us!

 

[BradyManny]

I'm pretty sure about 95% of America has a mild disdain for their employer. Then they get a paycheck and move on. It's the circle of life.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I hope it's crap, if only for the sake of being spared from Ivan's rants.

Lmao, Jack trying to start sh.t once again

 

[JackBauer]

Lmao, Jack trying to start sh.t once again

Actually, the last thing I want to do is get involved in any Welker-centric conversation. Just telling it like it is.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Actually, the last thing I want to do is get involved in any Welker-centric conversation. Just telling it like it is.

Yep, you the man Jack, the truth teller.......................

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Nope I do. Take what people are willing to pay for your services. To ***** and moan about making not enough when they already get such an absurd amount of money for playing a f'n game is ridiculous though. People in this country are having a hard time finding work, let alone putting food on the table for their families yet athletes feel unappreciated making 6, 8 or even 10 million a year. F them.

While true, what the rest of Americans make is completely irrelevant when it comes to what Wes Welker's market value is in the NFL. He also isn't complaining to anyone about anything, last year they asked if he was mad about the franchise tag and he responded saying that he's getting paid $9.5 million dollars to play football, how can he be mad about that.

Its also irrelevant what other NFL players have made. Those players that you're talking about are JAG's that average 3 year careers in the NFL. Welker is no JAG, he is a Hall of Fame talent WR that hasn't cashed it on his open market value once in his entire career. He had to watch Ochostinko make $6million 2 years ago for riding the bench while he was making a fraction of that and performing at an elite level.

The Patriots have pissed away so much cash on players like Haynesworth, Ocho and Fanene that I could definitely see Welker get frustrated knowing that hes one of the most productive players in the entire league and is being paid a fraction of what some other bozos in the league are making.