The Patriots Organization have been one of if not THE most successful franchises in the NFL over the past decade and it has a lot to do with personnel moves. The Patriots know when it is time to cut a player lose and have been able to make those hard decisions that other teams might not have. Look at guys shipped out like Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour. Those guys were players that the Patriots had tremendous success with and were back bones to much of the franchises success. Those men were leaders. Then there were guys like Randy Moss, Brandon Merriweather, Albert Haynesworth and most recently Chad Ocho Cinco. When it was their time the Patriots got rid of them. The Patriots hold no player a higher standard of another. As much as Wes Welker has been a model Patriot the Patriots shouldn’t over pay for a player because of past accomplishments and sacrifices. The contract that should be given to Wes Welker should be at what his current worth is and what he will do from the day he signs and going forward into the future.
Wes Welker is 31 years old. Welker is the best slot receiver in the NFL. Is Wes Welker an elite all around receiver? When you say the words elite in regards to the wide receiver position I think of Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson. I do not think Wes Welker is on that elite tier of receivers. I think Wes is a very good receiver that is successful partly because of the Patriots system and partly because of Tom Brady being the elite Quarterback he is. Tom Brady had success before Welker and will have success after Welker. Welker is reliable and a very good player but is Wes Welker great? I would love to see Wes Welker in
I truly believe Wes Welker needs the Patriots more than the Patriots need Wes Welker. Guys like Aaron Hernandez who is only 22 years old and is a dynamic playmaker in the Patriots offense –deserves to get paid. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have changed the tight end position in the NFL and had the most prolific dual tight end offense in the history of the NFL. My question to everyone out there who would like Wes Welker to get paid is this- Would you rather pay a impact young talent in Hernandez? Or pay a reliable aging talent in Welker? Not sure if many of you have noticed but Aaron Hernandez is virtually a slot receiver in a tight ends body. If Wes Welker were gone the slot role could be filled by Hernandez or how about the guy that backs up Wes Welker in Julian Edelman? Every time Julian has stepped into Wes’s role he has been productive and has earned Tom Brady’s trust. The reason Julian isn’t starting is because Wes Welker is in front of him. I know I sound like I am running Wes out of town but that is not the case at all. My point is there are players on the roster that can step in and fill the slot position. Will they be as good as Wes Welker? -Maybe? -Maybe not. Either way, the show must go on and will go on with or without Wes Welker in
Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the Comments Section Pats People!
-Mike Onofrio
Follow me on Twitter @MikeOnofrio
I think that the Patriots resigned him before Welker because Gronk is a player that you want to make happy and the oppertunity presented itself so they took action. he also would have most likely held out after this year anyway and every team wants to aviod that.
ReplyDeleteGreat move by the Pats to re-sign a player of Gronk's talent. in 8 years the Pats will probably NOT HAVE Brady AS QB, but to have a premier player who catches everything thrown is way is key for a young QB. See Drew Bledsoe and Ben Coates.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with the both of you. Gronkowski clearly out played his rookie contract. Why not avoid a potential hold out and pay a deserving player who the Patriots believe is the best tight end in football. If Gronkowski can keep posting similar production in upcomming seasons we might not be talking about Rob Gronkowski as the best tight end in football, but the best tight end to ever play!
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