Last time I ran this clip was in 2009 when I wanted the Pats to pay Tom Brady. I told you then, I love Rounders. Awesome movie. Yet somehow my copy is missing. Errrrr…
Anyways, I run the same clip this morning because I want the Pats to go into their wallet again and pay Wes Welker. He signed his one year $9.5 million franchise tender but that’s where the good news ends.
He said yesterday that his negotiations on a long term deal with the team have gotten worse since last year. Last year they put a two year $16 million deal on the table, now the Pats are apparently offering less than that.
Take out the dropped pass in the Super Bowl. I know it’s hard to forget but really for the sake of argument, forget that one pass. When does this guy not catch what’s thrown to him? When is he afraid to go over the middle and take licks from linebackers and safeties. He’s not.
For all that he is not afraid to go over the middle and does catch pretty much everything thrown his way, he’s a product of the system. Don’t jump down my throat, he is. When Brady was hurt in 2008, Wes had one less catch and 10 less yards than the year before. That was with Matt Cassel-face throwing him passes instead of Tom Brady.
So yes he’s a good receiver, but he’s also a product of the system. Should he be the highest paid receiver on the team? Yes. Should he be one of the top receivers in the league? No.
Wes should be the highest paid receiver on the team and should be in the six or seven million dollar range. He won’t be the same player he is here in another market and system. The Pats know this and can leverage that in their negotiations.
So I say the team pays Wes. Just don’t break the bank in doing so. He’s a good player, a product of the system, and since he’s Tom Brady’s binky, let’s keep him around.
