Tom Brady supposedly Enraged over Wes Welker being disgraced

[amfootball]

you can never deny the durablity as one of the most important attributes of slot receivers. They get hit by LBs and safeties all the time. Look at Austin Collie, who can deny his hands and routes and chemistry with Manning? But if he is not on the field he is nobody.

Personally, I think games played is the most underrated stat in football. That being said, Amendola's injuries have been freakish in nature. I would not categorize him as injury-prone like a Mike Vick for example. I actually think Welker at age 32 with all the hits he has absorbed is a much bigger factor going forward then the younger Amendola but we shall see.

[southwest1]

What good fortune? Sure, regular season awards/stats and a few losses in the Super Bowl. Thats a far cry from being 3-0 in Super Bowls in the first half of the 2000's. I preferred the old Pats who won the 3 SBs with the gritty physical nature on both sides of the ball. That was a team I used to look at and want our Colts to model themselves after more. Solid in the trenches and good depth everywhere. Great coaching. Great QB who does not always have to be the hero and get the stats.

 

But, they might never get the old days back. And the old formula, times change, the league changes and everyone gets older.

Personally, I view NE getting to the big SB dance in 2007 & 2012 pretty darn good. A lot of teams never get there, let alone, almost pull it out. As long as you accumulate draft picks & make solid decisions on the board with a franchise QB at the helm, usually a team is only 1 or 2 season away from SB contention again. I never hold the Pats responsible for their 2 recent Lombardi losses. The NFL is a game of inches after all just ask Jeff Fisher & the 1999 Tennessee Titans. 

 

"on the final play of the game, Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackled Tennessee wide receiver Kevin Dyson one yard short of the goal line to prevent a potential game-tying touchdown. This play went into NFL Lore as 'One Yard Short', or simply "The Tackle."

 

[southwest1]

Look, I'm going be honest here, Danny Amendola is a nice acquistion & if there is 1 HC & QB that can still kick caboose & make the Playoffs it's Belichick & Brady. I know that. But, Welker is special. You can't just clone toughness, resilience, & delivering a 1st down at a critical point during a must have game. That's all I'm saying. You'd think with Brady's tenure there, he could say "Bill, this is my guy. I need him. He's untouchable to me" 

 

I know this sentiment defies "The Patriot Way" I get it. But, exceptions can always be made, especially with an established "money" veteran IMO.

[amfootball]

This article is well worth the read on Belichick's history in regards to knowing when it is time to move on from a player. The author makes some interesting comparisons too about when the Pats first signed Welker and the type of player he was vs. Amendola and their injury histories which are more similar than peole realize. 

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9051254/bill-barnwell-second-day-nfl-free-agency

[tonychen]

This article is well worth the read on Belichick's history in regards to knowing when it is time to move on from a player. The author makes some interesting comparisons too about when the Pats first signed Welker and the type of player he was vs. Amendola and their injury histories which are more similar than peole realize. 

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9051254/bill-barnwell-second-day-nfl-free-agency

 

I know BB was great but look at his recent personnel decisions I find very few success - Big Albert and Chad Johnson all failed, and the secondary he found for the team had no player better than the one he got rid of, e.g. Samuel.

[southwest1]

If I am wrong that Brady will miss Welker in December, I will admit it publicly here. You have my word. I have always respected NE & nothing is going to change that. I just think that letting Welker go is going mess Brady up down the road as they make their annual playoffs run. Having a tight bond with a WR cannot be underestimated. Knowing exactly what to do without saying a word means everything. Just 1 look that says "It's Time" reveals everything. 

 

I mean zero disrespect to Tom Brady & I'm not 2nd guessing his talents at all. I just believe that my previous "lover" example fits because Welker understands that the Pats secondary & defense have been suspect at times & Welker was a good calming effect on Brady's nerves. Between Brady & Welker both men knew I've got this & I'm not letting my brother fall. If the offense must win this game all alone, we will darn it! Just watch this!   

[amfootball]

I know BB was great but look at his recent personnel decisions I find very few success - Big Albert and Chad Johnson all failed, and the secondary he found for the team had no player better than the one he got rid of, e.g. Samuel.

You do realize the year he got Albert and Chad they made to the SB and were a Welker drop from a ring? I mean two players in a labor shortened off-season hardly reflect poorly on his overall resume. What about his successes especially in the draft the past couple of years - stud TEs, solid RBs, two defensive studs last year with Jones and Hightower. How about stealing Woodhead from the Jets and Ballard from the Giants too. The fact is the guy knows how to build the best team players 1-53. He rarely goes out and get the stars but finds solid guys that can do multiple things well. Remember too he was the one that institued the spread offense and the ultra hurry up this past year.

[tonychen]

it was OK to let go of offensive players and some defensive players by Pats since the old Pats team was built on a solid core of defensive players. Now it is build upon Brady's passing game so the bad effect will have larger impact and let Pats pay.

[Jules]

If I am wrong that Brady will miss Welker in December, I will admit it publicly here. You have my word. I have always respected NE & nothing is going to change that. I just think that letting Welker go is going mess Brady up down the road as they make their annual playoffs run. Having a tight bond with a WR cannot be underestimated. Knowing exactly what to do without saying a word means everything. Just 1 look that says "It's Time" reveals everything. 

 

I mean zero disrespect to Tom Brady & I'm not 2nd guessing his talents at all. I just believe that my previous "lover" example fits because Welker understands that the Pats secondary & defense have been suspect at times & Welker was a good calming effect on Brady's nerves. Between Brady & Welker both men knew I've got this & I'm not letting my brother fall. If the offense must win this game all alone, we will darn it! Just watch this!   

 

 

There is no doubt about it. I think they will miss Welker. And the chemistry with Brady/Welker will be tough to replace. However on the flip side IMO I often felt like he was becoming too much of a Brady binky in big games too.

 

But, yes he is a tough one to replace. But, the Pats also did quite well before Welker too.

[amfootball]

it was OK to let go of offensive players and some defensive players by Pats since the old Pats team was built on a solid core of defensive players. Now it is build upon Brady's passing game so the bad effect will have larger impact and let Pats pay.

where to start with this? Bill has effectively re-built the defense since 2009. He now has the youngest defense in the league. He had not choice but to have the team be more O centric when you have one of the best to play the position. You just can't magically keep champtionship team caliber teams together forever but they seem to do it better than most given the 5 SBs apperances since '02.

[tonychen]

You do realize the year he got Albert and Chad they made to the SB and were a Welker drop from a ring? I mean two players in a labor shortened off-season hardly reflect poorly on his overall resume. What about his successes especially in the draft the past couple of years - stud TEs, solid RBs, two defensive studs last year with Jones and Hightower. How about stealing Woodhead from the Jets and Ballard from the Giants too. The fact is the guy knows how to build the best team players 1-53. He rarely goes out and get the stars but finds solid guys that can do multiple things well. Remember too he was the one that institued the spread offense and the ultra hurry up this past year.

 

The yr Pats made the SB which other team in AFC was good enough to challege them? The entire AFC was down that yr, still Ravens almost kicked Pats out of the playoff at Foxboro. Including SB, that Pats team was swept by Giants team which finished the season 9-7.

 

For these TEs, RBs, and LBs, which of them other than Gronk are game changers? They might be great value picks but BB still didn't hit a game changer. And plz dont forget all the failed efforts to address the big hole in the seondary over these yrs. How many draft picks have you wasted on CBs and safties that never panned out?

[amfootball]

The yr Pats made the SB which other team in AFC was good enough to challege them? The entire AFC was down that yr, still Ravens almost kicked Pats out of the playoff at Foxboro. Including SB, that Pats team was swept by Giants team which finished the season 9-7.

 

For these TEs, RBs, and LBs, which of them other than Gronk are game changers? They might be great value picks but BB still didn't hit a game changer. And plz dont forget all the failed efforts to address the big hole in the seondary over these yrs. How many draft picks have you wasted on CBs and safties that never panned out?

Come on now. Pats were the best team in the AFC the years they made the SB. Coulda, woulda, shoulda's are just that. Excuses.

They loss both SBs to the Giants by a combined 7 points - hardly a sweep given a play here or there and they would have won both.

 

Have you watched the Pats offense? Besides Gronk, Hernandez is a game changer along with Woodhead and of course Welker, now Amendola. I mean you don't need a Calvin Johnson or AP type player at every position just solid guys that can play in one of the most complex systems in the NFL. I mean they have never been a star studded team by ESPNs standards anyway. Brady won all his SBs with not one HoF at the offensive skill position. That is the way they roll - soild guys 1-53 with some stars like Brady, Wilfork, Gronk, Hernandez sprinkled in.

 

I agree about the secondary. Not a strength but I like McCourtney at safety and hopefully they sign Talib. That alone will go a long way.

[tonychen]

Come on now. Pats were the best team in the AFC the years they made the SB. Coulda, woulda, shoulda's are just that. Excuses.

They loss both SBs to the Giants by a combined 7 points - hardly a sweep given a play here or there and they would have won both.

 

Have you watched the Pats offense? Besides Gronk, Hernandez is a game changer along with Woodhead and of course Welker, now Amendola. I mean you don't need a Calvin Johnson or AP type player at every position just solid guys that can play in one of the most complex systems in the NFL. I mean they have never been a star studded team by ESPNs standards anyway. Brady won all his SBs with not one HoF at the offensive skill position. That is the way they roll - soild guys 1-53 with some stars like Brady, Wilfork, Gronk, Hernandez sprinkled in.

 

I agree about the secondary. Not a strength but I like McCourtney at safety and hopefully they sign Talib. That alone will go a long way.

 

Talib will be a desperate signing considering his injury history. Same goes to Amendola. Too much risk.

 

Yes this is a very good system and it marks things up very well in regular seasons. But you may have to agree with me that the playoff loss to Ravens exposed all the weakness of the team and the most important one is lack of talents.

[southwest1]

This article is well worth the read on Belichick's history in regards to knowing when it is time to move on from a player. The author makes some interesting comparisons too about when the Pats first signed Welker and the type of player he was vs. Amendola and their injury histories which are more similar than peole realize. 

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9051254/bill-barnwell-second-day-nfl-free-agency

"Belichick has had two years to give Welker a long-term contract and hasn't expressed even the slightest bit of interest in doing so. Having reportedly been given the final shot at matching what most people characterize as a modest two-year deal from the Broncos, Belichick turned the opportunity down. The Patriots are not built on getting every last drop out of their older players until they can no longer go. They've been built by having one constant — Tom Brady — and otherwise relying on change... Welker will very likely play well in Denver, as he'll spend two years catching passes from Peyton Manning in an offense that might even suit him better than the one he's leaving. But the Patriots will do just fine without him. They always do.

 

Nice article amfootball! 1 problem though. Wes Welker's NFL tank is far from empty & you typically judge a released player or no new contract with how well they perform in a new system. I realize that Bill likes to let players go with some tread left on the tires, but if Wes flourishes & Danny is Chad Johnson 2.0 the Foxboro fan base is going to be furious. When you give up a sure thing, for an unknown thing hesitation always creeps in. Plus, Welker deserved to finish his career in NE IMO. You gotta take care of your proven players. I don't hate Belichick for this. I'm just really surprised that's all. Sometimes, loyalty is more important than money. 

 

Wes Welker is far from E IMO...

 

[tonychen]

Talib will be a desperate signing considering his injury history. Same goes to Amendola. Too much risk.

 

Yes this is a very good system and it marks things up very well in regular seasons. But you may have to agree with me that the playoff loss to Ravens exposed all the weakness of the team and the most important one is lack of talents.

 

And the same goes to the old Colts under Bill Polian. They just believed they can find gems from unsigned free agents and let Manning turn them into gold. The 2009 team reached the SB but the talent level was a huge decline from 06. Sometimes elite QBs can help a weak team go to the SB but to win that big one they still need talented teammates. You may notice the latest Pats team share a lot of similarities with the version of Colts team before Manning went down in 2011.

[hawkeyes]

Guess he shouldn't have been so greedy with all that guaranteed money - I kid ... HAHAHAHA

 

IMO Welker isn't worth a long term big dollar deal - guess that's clearly what Bill has been thinking all along as well.

 

Be nice to see him with PM though - cant wait to hear how he talks with regards to comparison(s)!

[southwest1]

There is no doubt about it. I think they will miss Welker. And the chemistry with Brady/Welker will be tough to replace. However on the flip side IMO I often felt like he was becoming too much of a Brady binky in big games too.

 

But, yes he is a tough one to replace. But, the Pats also did quite well before Welker too.

Yes, I could be way off base in my losing Welker fear. Could the Pats flow like a smooth oiled machine & not even experience a hiccup? Sure, but Welker has been a constant, clutch presence for Brady since 2007. WRs come & go but Welker still remained a fixture in Foxboro until 2013, a five year tenure. This move makes me wonder: would Belichick ever consider trading Brady too if his completion percentage has a slight decline in 2 years? Brady is thinking that right now. If Welker isn't safe here, how long or short is my leash here? How far am I from getting a pink slip in NE? Yes, fear is a great motivator to succeed, but a SB winning cache must count for something right? 

 

To all my NE friends on here: Are you angry that Welker is gone? How confident are you that Danny Amendola will be a suitable substitute for Wes Welker? Did Wes deserve to end his NFL career in NE? 

[southwest1]

Guess he shouldn't have been so greedy with all that guaranteed money - I kid ... HAHAHAHA

 

IMO Welker isn't worth a long term big dollar deal - guess that's clearly what Bill has been thinking all along as well.

 

Be nice to see him with PM though - cant wait to hear how he talks with regards to comparison(s)!

Welker wasn't being greedy. The Pats front office at 1 point was only a million or 2 dollars apart. NE needs a proven commodity...Welker is always on the field...

 

http://youtu.be/Pf8qWD5k0To

[IcEWoLF]

It's like taking away Marvin Harrison from Manning...

Welker is still in his prime, great player, great blocker (YES BLOCKER), physical player all around, can get bunch of yards after the catch, can take a hit like a man and jump right up.

 

I am still having a hard time trying to swallow this pill, we didn't sign Welker because of 2 stinking mil...pissing me off honestly.

 

I feel that Brady somewhat got betrayed by management, because I don't think Brady was willing to cut his pay for just anybody...I am sure he agreed to take a paycut to be able to keep players like Welker and Vollmer and Aquib Talib on the roster because lets face it, Brady has a timer that is running down and we all know we don't have too many seasons left to be able to possibly get another shot at the SB.

 

I respect what John Elway is doing with the Broncos and Manning, he is giving him a realistic shot to win the big one. 

[southwest1]

Sorry New England...This has gotta hurt...Wes & Peyton...I can't wait to see it personally...

 

http://www.denverbroncos.com/multimedia/videos/Broncos-Welcome-Wes-Welker/c90746e5-ddde-4617-a2ec-c29185e32d91

[-JJ-]

Sorry New England...This has gotta hurt...Wes & Peyton...I can't wait to see it personally...

 

http://www.denverbroncos.com/multimedia/videos/Broncos-Welcome-Wes-Welker/c90746e5-ddde-4617-a2ec-c29185e32d91

 

I can't wait either as I enjoy watching two pro's together........unless they go the way of 95% of past NE released players..zippo;)

I do agree with amfootball's posted article on the Belichick way because it is so true..he releases players before fully expired:)

[southwest1]

It's like taking away Marvin Harrison from Manning...

Welker is still in his prime, great player, great blocker (YES BLOCKER), physical player all around, can get bunch of yards after the catch, can take a hit like a man and jump right up.

 

I am still having a hard time trying to swallow this pill, we didn't sign Welker because of 2 stinking mil...ticking me off honestly.

 

I feel that Brady somewhat got betrayed by management, because I don't think Brady was willing to cut his pay for just anybody...I am sure he agreed to take a paycut to be able to keep players like Welker and Vollmer and Aquib Talib on the roster because lets face it, Brady has a timer that is running down and we all know we don't have too many seasons left to be able to possibly get another shot at the SB.

 

I respect what John Elway is doing with the Broncos and Manning, he is giving him a realistic shot to win the big one. 

Bingo! That's what blows me away too IcEWoLF a $2 million dollar difference is a drop in the bucket. It means nothing to Robert Kraft. Yes, Welker is a great blocker too. Good point. NE will still make the Playoffs, but if they meet Denver in the AFC Championship Game that's gonna be some spectacular TV to watch. I kinda feel sorry for Brady. The perfect company soldier & he gets kicked in the...let's say teeth here. Actually, the sand in the hour glass is dropping fast for both Brady & Manning.

 

Nice reply IcEWoLF! I agree with everything you said. 

[Jules]

Sorry New England...This has gotta hurt...Wes & Peyton...I can't wait to see it personally...

 

http://www.denverbroncos.com/multimedia/videos/Broncos-Welcome-Wes-Welker/c90746e5-ddde-4617-a2ec-c29185e32d91

 

This just all so odd to see and try to imagine. Elway (horse teeth), Manning and Welker holding hands on the Broncos together with Fox being let out of the closet for air every once in a while.

 

Wes said he "wants to win". Did he just leave Oakland or the Patriots?

[southwest1]

I can't wait either as I enjoy watching two pro's together........unless they go the way of 95% of past NE released players..zippo;)

I do agree with amfootball's posted article on the Belichick way because it is so true..he releases players before fully expired:)

The real test is seeing how well Peyton's arm responds in the 2nd half of Nov. & Dec. games this year. I'm hoping that Welker can move the chains for Manning just like he did for Brady. Strengthen your legs & lower body Peyton. That's where a QB's power & accuracy really derives from. At least Welker can catch & block downfield, except for Willis McGahee, Denver sucks at this. 

[southwest1]

This just all so odd to see and try to imagine. Elway (horse teeth), Manning and Welker holding hands on the Broncos together with Fox being let out of the closet for air every once in a while.

 

Wes said he "wants to win". Did he just leave Oakland or the Patriots?

Mr. Ed & John Elway...There is an uncanny resemblance there Jules. 

 

 

[southwest1]

If you bring John Elway an apple, do you have to peel it with a knife first? Just Kidding John! Okay, I will stop the sarcastic jokes now. I promise.

 

 

 

[-JJ-]

The real test is seeing how well Peyton's arm responds in the 2nd half of Nov. & Dec. games this year. I'm hoping that Welker can move the chains for Manning just like he did for Brady. Strengthen your legs & lower body Peyton. That's where a QB's power & accuracy really derives from. At least Welker can catch & block downfield, except for Willis McGahee, Denver sucks at this. 

yeah at the min he will be a good blocker

[amfootball]

Talib will be a desperate signing considering his injury history. Same goes to Amendola. Too much risk.

 

Yes this is a very good system and it marks things up very well in regular seasons. But you may have to agree with me that the playoff loss to Ravens exposed all the weakness of the team and the most important one is lack of talents.

Talib does not have an injury history. He has a bad rap sheet. There is risk there for sure but I would imagine they will sign him for two years around 10 mil. He has the talent to be a very good corner and showed some great signs of galvanizing the secondary last year so you have to sign him I think. That is not high risk when he has the potential to be the team's best corner. Amendola has the potential to be better than Welker depending on how the Pats decide to utilize him. I highly doubt he will be as targeted as much as Welker was so that should help keep him upright.

 

I am not sure if you can say any team that made that the AFC champ is lacking talent or that  they have a lot of weaknesses. At this point, I think we know what the issue is, secondary primarily and then pass rush. That is about it and I believe they just signed Leon Washington to help with the return game which was also lacking. I think it is dangerous to look at just one game and think things are falling apart. I mean the Ravens beat Indy and the Broncos too and I don't think either of those teams have a lot of weaknesses or lacks talent. Like I have been saying, Bill's approach is getting 53 quality guys and not the flashy guys that cost you most of your cap leaving in a lurch when trying to build a compete team.

[amfootball]

"Belichick has had two years to give Welker a long-term contract and hasn't expressed even the slightest bit of interest in doing so. Having reportedly been given the final shot at matching what most people characterize as a modest two-year deal from the Broncos, Belichick turned the opportunity down. The Patriots are not built on getting every last drop out of their older players until they can no longer go. They've been built by having one constant — Tom Brady — and otherwise relying on change... Welker will very likely play well in Denver, as he'll spend two years catching passes from Peyton Manning in an offense that might even suit him better than the one he's leaving. But the Patriots will do just fine without him. They always do.

 

Nice article amfootball! 1 problem though. Wes Welker's NFL tank is far from empty & you typically judge a released player or no new contract with how well they perform in a new system. I realize that Bill likes to let players go with some tread left on the tires, but if Wes flourishes & Danny is Chad Johnson 2.0 the Foxboro fan base is going to be furious. When you give up a sure thing, for an unknown thing hesitation always creeps in. Plus, Welker deserved to finish his career in NE IMO. You gotta take care of your proven players. I don't hate Belichick for this. I'm just really surprised that's all. Sometimes, loyalty is more important than money. 

 

Wes Welker is far from E IMO...

 

yes, good points. But that is what the article is saying that for the most part, Belichick not only knows when to move on from a player, more often than not he replaces him with a better player. I remember when Troy Brown retired and everyone thought there was no way to replace him and in comes Welker, a relatively unknown punt returner from the Fins that Bill thought could play the slot. Same thing with Kevin Faulk until Danny Woodhead arrived and made us forget him. The fan part of me totally wants Welker to stay and finish as a Pat but realistically how many players ever finish their career with the same team? Even the great Manning is now a Bronco. And even Brady had to sign an undermarket deal in order to stay or else he too would have been gone in two years from what Kraft said. And something that no one seems to want to admit about Welker but perhaps he didn't want to stay. I mean he went to Denver for just 2 mil more after making 9.5 last year from the Pats. It's not like he cashed in and to boot his agent seemed desperate to find a contract for him so I think it was more Welker wanting to leave than anything. Can't lay this all on the Pats. They did offer him a contract that was fair market value and another team upped it by 1 mil a year. In the end, his choice. A contract was there for him.

 

I leave you with this quote from Bill Parcells that I have always loved that I think perfectly sums up this point about team loyalty/fandom vs. moving on, "If you start listening to what the fans want, soon you will be sitting with them."  Love Parcells. :-)

[The Old Crow]

Agreed. The reasons the Patriots and Ravens are always near the top is that they don't overpay for older players. Newsome and Bellichick came through the same system, and it is a proven one for long term competitiveness. I hate seeing alot of the Raven's defensive starts moving on, but in fact , this is gutting what was a 17th ranked defense that was slipping horribly. The window had closed on that 3-4 year cycle the Ravens had, and now they are moving onto younger players. The Patriots have the same philosophy, and with all the key drops Welker had, I don't blame Bellichick for not signing him.

 

The reason the Browns and Dolphins are usually at the bottom, is that they overpay for players like Kruger and Ellerbe, that are players made inside the Raven's system. Conversely, alot of the success Welker had, stems from the Patriot's system. Fortunately for him, he goes from one great quarterback to another, so his numbers will be good, but I still think the Patriots made the right call on this one.

[dynasty13]

Yes, I could be way off base in my losing Welker fear. Could the Pats flow like a smooth oiled machine & not even experience a hiccup? Sure, but Welker has been a constant, clutch presence for Brady since 2007. WRs come & go but Welker still remained a fixture in Foxboro until 2013, a five year tenure. This move makes me wonder: would Belichick ever consider trading Brady too if his completion percentage has a slight decline in 2 years? Brady is thinking that right now. If Welker isn't safe here, how long or short is my leash here? How far am I from getting a pink slip in NE? Yes, fear is a great motivator to succeed, but a SB winning cache must count for something right? 

 

To all my NE friends on here: Are you angry that Welker is gone? How confident are you that Danny Amendola will be a suitable substitute for Wes Welker? Did Wes deserve to end his NFL career in NE? 

 

To be completely honest, I am less concerned about Welker not being here than I am about Welker being there. If he went to Cleveland or Jacksonville, it would have softened the blow. But watching him go to the Broncos hurts. We'll miss him, and I think many fans who are in the camp of 'it was time, this is what the Patriots do its really no big deal' forget how big he came up for us in huge moments (SB drop aside ;)). He always got that yard. If we needed 3, he got 3 1/2. If we needed 8, he'd get 8 1/2. Literally every single time. Then he'd get crushed and pop right back up and do it again. He's a solid player who was as tough and reliable as we've ever had here. 

 

That said, I am very excited about the potential of Amendola. I refuse to sit here and act all 'oh Amendola is a younger Welker we wont miss a beat'...but the possibility is there and if he stays healthy it could be very, very successful. Time will tell...but hopefully I wont be sitting here in February watching Welker raise the Lombardi in an orange uniform wondering 'what if'.

[hawkeyes]

Welker wasn't being greedy. The Pats front office at 1 point was only a million or 2 dollars apart. NE needs a proven commodity...Welker is always on the field...

 

http://youtu.be/Pf8qWD5k0To

 

Never said he was .... I was talking about Brady ;)   Just a few months ago he restructured his contract and the media blew the story up like he had done a really great thing so that more money would be available for other players.   Course a few days after that restructuring was done it was revealed that he actually had increased in guaranteed money.  ;)

 

IMO Welker has been great in NE and should have been paid, though also think a long term deal just isn't in the books.  I also can not wait to see how he does with Manning!

[amfootball]

This is the situation the Pats are NOT in (see below) because Brady signed a 50 percent undermarket extension, guaranteed or not, his cap hit is 11M compared to Manning's 20M.

 

Dumervil had 11 sacks last season, second on the team behind Von Miller. Dumervil led the league with 17 sacks in 2009.

The Broncos need more cap space while trying to shore up their interior defensive line, cornerback and running back positions. Peyton Manning will earn $20 million in 2013, and if the Broncos had Dumervil play at his current number, those two would account for more than one-quarter of their cap space.

[tonychen]

This is the situation the Pats are NOT in (see below) because Brady signed a 50 percent undermarket extension, guaranteed or not, his cap hit is 11M compared to Manning's 20M.

 

Dumervil had 11 sacks last season, second on the team behind Von Miller. Dumervil led the league with 17 sacks in 2009.

The Broncos need more cap space while trying to shore up their interior defensive line, cornerback and running back positions. Peyton Manning will earn $20 million in 2013, and if the Broncos had Dumervil play at his current number, those two would account for more than one-quarter of their cap space.

 

In this department of helping the team I agree that Brady has done more than Manning. But I bet he would rather have 2M of his saved salary sent to Welker to keep him. Also the signing of leon washington together with Amendola is just to fill the single hole Welker left.

 

I want to see Dumervil stay since Denver's weakness is on the defensive side and it is generally the weakness determining the playoff faith. No matter how much they improve on offense, a leaking defense is going to fail them the way they lost to Ravens last season. Still they just lost because 3 bad secondary plays, while Pats looked completely flat in the entire 2nd half. Comparing the 2 Denver is still in better shape.

[GoPats]

I'm still pretty ticked off as a fan, but am reserving any final judgements until free agency and the draft are over. There's some speculation that the Patriots are working on something "big." Like, in terms of a trade. But it's just that. Speculation.

 

Still... I will give this a chance. If losing Welker means they're going to vastly improve the secondary, for instance, this will be easier to accept/take. In trying to find ways to justify this over the past couple of days, the following thoughts have passed through my mostly empty head:

 

- There has to be more to the offseason plan that Welker is not part of. Are they going back to the two-TE-centric sets they used last year, before Hernandez and Gronk were injured? And if so, what makes anyone believe both of those guys can stay healthy for 16+ games?

 

- On the upside for Patriots fans, as productive as Welker has been, and as much as the Patriots have dominated in the regular season, the team as it's currently constituted has not been good enough to win a Super Bowl. It could be that their style of offense is harder to execute against solid defensive teams you see in the playoffs. Perhaps this is indicative of a change in offensive philosophy a little. Or maybe they're going to run the ball even more than last year, which was the best Patriots running game since the days of Corey Dillon. They just signed Leon Washington, primarily as a return guy, but that would support the notion that there will be even more of an emphasis on the ground game.

[tonychen]

I'm still pretty ticked off as a fan, but am reserving any final judgements until free agency and the draft are over. There's some speculation that the Patriots are working on something "big." Like, in terms of a trade. But it's just that. Speculation.

 

Still... I will give this a chance. If losing Welker means they're going to vastly improve the secondary, for instance, this will be easier to accept/take. In trying to find ways to justify this over the past couple of days, the following thoughts have passed through my mostly empty head:

 

- There has to be more to the offseason plan that Welker is not part of. Are they going back to the two-TE-centric sets they used last year, before Hernandez and Gronk were injured? And if so, what makes anyone believe both of those guys can stay healthy for 16+ games?

 

- On the upside for Patriots fans, as productive as Welker has been, and as much as the Patriots have dominated in the regular season, the team as it's currently constituted has not been good enough to win a Super Bowl. It could be that their style of offense is harder to execute against solid defensive teams you see in the playoffs. Perhaps this is indicative of a change in offensive philosophy a little. Or maybe they're going to run the ball even more than last year, which was the best Patriots running game since the days of Corey Dillon. They just signed Leon Washington, primarily as a return guy, but that would support the notion that there will be even more of an emphasis on the ground game.

 

If they let go of Welker to sign a guy like Megatron I can see they have a plan. But instead they only take his money to pay a similar WR in Amendola with a much higher injury risk. Also this shows they are not goiing to change the offensive scheme.

 

The key is Pats for all these yrs do not want any player to dominate a contract negotiation. Just don't want Welker to get want he asks for.

[GoPats]

If they let go of Welker to sign a guy like Megatron I can see they have a plan. But instead they only take his money to pay a similar WR in Amendola with a much higher injury risk. Also this shows they are not goiing to change the offensive scheme.

 

The key is Pats for all these yrs do not want any player to dominate a contract negotiation. Just don't want Welker to get want he asks for.

 

This doesn't say anything about whether or not they'll change the scheme. They signed Amendola because they don't have a slot guy, and he was the best UFA they could get. In September last year, when they had both TEs, Welker saw about half the snaps he usually sees. It wasn't until injuries sort of "forced" him back into the gameplan that he really had any chance to produce.

 

I think your disdain for the Patriots is clouding your judgment. You're saying they let a productive, important player leave simply out of spite? They've been in these situations before (Wilfork, Mankins) and the player ended up getting his money. The Patriots haven't "won" every negotiation they've had. It would be imbecilic to not bring back a player who is important to your future merely because you want to win some kind of counterproductive war of attrition with him.

 

The plain truth? They didn't think Welker was worth it. They didn't value him. That means, to me, one of three things: 1) That they think they can replace his production; 2) That he wasn't a key component of any offensive plans moving forward; or 3) They thought that he's declined to a point where they didn't want to come up with another $2M over two years to keep him here.

 

Do I agree with the decision at this very moment? Not at all.

 

But does my opinion really count? Not at all. ;)

 

 

(BTW... I'm not bashing Welker here... but it would not surprise me to see Amendola have a career year in NE if he can stay healthy.)