123 replies to this topic

[cbe_88]

Recent news says Tom Brady agreed to a 3-yr/27mil contract. Are they making cap space to sign Welker to come back?

I still lean towards Welker hitting the open market. I truly believe NE values Welker, but thinks he's not irreplaceable since Brady can turn average options into fantasy studs.

Where do you think he goes if he walks? Nothing against Welker, he's a high effort route runner, and love his work ethic, but you can't expect the production Brady has been providing for him elsewhere unless he lands another elite QB. I'm thinking he'll be relatively fortunate to find WR2 status on another team. As long as he's in a pass-first offense, however, he should probably be regarded as a WR2.

I got every drop of juice out of him when I drafted him during his ridiculous year two years ago, but his TD-proneness is pretty low for my liking nowadays, and prefer options that have a role catering to getting in the endzone more frequently. He's no longer near the top of my list of WR's I desire for my week-in week-out starters.

I'll be even more hesitant to draft him if he does go elsewhere, since I think his ADP will likely be overvalued.

Back with the Pats: Pretty High-end WR2 as usual.

Somewhere else: potential to fall to a low-end WR2, or even just a high-end flex. Depending on QB and passing proneness of his new offense.

[rraayy3]

He's replaceable and I'll want nothing to do with him if he leaves NE

Good player but total product of the system

[J.T. Marlin]

Welker can't be happy with what the Pats did to him at the beginning of last season.  I'd go where the money is if I was in his shoes.  Teams like the Bengals, Bears, Browns, & Chiefs all make sense.

[DocJ]

rraayy3, on 25 February 2013 - 07:04 PM, said:

He's replaceable and I'll want nothing to do with him if he leaves NE

Good player but total product of the system

Nothing? I agree he automatically goes from WR1 to WR2 status even with a decent QB whose name isn't Brady, Rodgers, Brees or Manning but wouldn't you draft him as a WR2 if he ended up in let's say, IND?

[rraayy3]

I want nothing to do with him if he leaves NE. Nice player but total product of the system. His stock would plummet if he goes to any of those teams ^.

I think they do let him walk. He's not an elite talent, his production is replaceable with Edelman/Hernandez.

Indy I would like him in .. but they also have Hilton already so I'd assume they'd look for an outside WR.

should add i play in standard not ppr. if welker ended up in cincy/cle/kc he's a WR3 at best. when i say i want nothing to do with him, i mean early in drafts. ppr he should still be a solid WR2 wherever he goes.

Edited by rraayy3, 26 February 2013 - 12:33 PM.

[cbe_88]

Welker not an elite talent? I can agree with that, but he shows elite effort and is an elite route runner for sure with very good hands.

I'd be willing to take a good look at his new QB, team and role to try drafting him. But penciling him in as my WR2 on a new team? I'd be hesitant but surely wouldn't rule it out.

[Ryan81]

I have a few rules when drafting players. One of them is "Don't touch players on a new team". Yes, there are a few exceptions(Brandon Marshall reuniting with Cutler comes to mind) and I probably won't be touching this guy.

He's had an elite QB in a great system and there really isn't anyway to see how well he will do in a new system with a new QB. But who knows, he may resign with the Pats. If that's the case, then he will be elite in ppr leagues as usual.

[rraayy3]

what i've been saying for years.

ESPN's Ed Werder reported on SportsCenterTuesday that free agent Wes Welker would have "minimal" suitors if he hit the market.

Though video-game productive in New England, Welker is a scheme-specific slot receiver going on age 32. "People I've talked to around the league think that the Patriots have made a wise move here," said Werder. "That there's not gonna be a huge demand on the market for Wes Welker. He'll get a minimal number of teams interested in him and probably be no more valuable to anybody than he is to Tom Brady. ... I think Welker's gonna in all likelihood return (to Foxboro)." Mar 5 - 10:38 AM

[petekrum]

rraayy3, on 05 March 2013 - 12:36 PM, said:

what i've been saying for years.

ESPN's Ed Werder reported on SportsCenterTuesday that free agent Wes Welker would have "minimal" suitors if he hit the market.

Though video-game productive in New England, Welker is a scheme-specific slot receiver going on age 32. "People I've talked to around the league think that the Patriots have made a wise move here," said Werder. "That there's not gonna be a huge demand on the market for Wes Welker. He'll get a minimal number of teams interested in him and probably be no more valuable to anybody than he is to Tom Brady. ... I think Welker's gonna in all likelihood return (to Foxboro)." Mar 5 - 10:38 AM

Agree. Even as good as he has been for the Pats, no defensive coordinator is staying up nights thinking,..."Man we have to contain Welker."

[rraayy3]

welp, apparently they are close on a deal now to re-sign with the Pats so this could all be a moot point. sounds like wes knows he's much better off staying home and continuing to put up his 100 catches. i was afraid the pats were gonna save the money and throw a ton on a younger, more explosive Cruz and sacrifice the late 1st round pick. of course this would probably crush the Harvin/Belichek fantasy dream too ... but whatever.

A source tells CSN New England that the Patriots are closing in on a multi-year contract with free agent Wes Welker.

The source says the "two sides have come to the understanding that they are far better with one another than without." It's a logical resolution considering the state of the Patriots' receiving corps, Tom Brady's dependence on Welker and the slot machine's questionable fit outside of New England's scheme. Although no national outlets are confirming the report yet, we wouldn't be surprised to see a three-year deal announced prior to next week's free-agency window. It would have been extremely difficult for the Pats to replace Welker's average of 112.0 catches per season over the last six years.

Edited by rraayy3, 05 March 2013 - 12:59 PM.

[DocJ]

Yep, I bet this is only a 2-3 year deal.

[Proteus]

Smart player, smarter team. That's how you stay in contention for a SB for a decade plus.

[Ryan81]

Well it looks like Welker is waiting to test the free agent market.

[rraayy3]

Ryan81, on 06 March 2013 - 08:59 PM, said:

Well it looks like Welker is waiting to test the free agent market.

until tomorrow, when he signs a 5-year deal
and then friday, when he's released.
and then monday, when whothehellknows

this story has literally changed every day. i still expect him to end up in NE, once he realizes the rest of the league isn't overpaying a 30+ year old slot receiver.

[J.T. Marlin]

Per Rotoworld - DEN in serious talks with and trying to hammer out an agreement with Welker.  

Uh oh...Jacob Tamme dynasty owners are really going to have to sweat this one out and hope this doesn't happen...

[predator_05]

Jacob Tamme has dynasty owners? LOL

He sits on the free agency in all my leagues

[rraayy3]

Jacob Tamme dynasty owners are already screwed.

[My Dinner With Andre]

Don't know...I wouldn't be too interested in him if it turns out he is schizophrenic

http://oi48.tinypic.com/28wpefd.jpg

[rraayy3]

A typical NE move would be to just sign Amendola and move along ...

Maybe they go all in and target Cruz, who's better than both of them but more money.

NE was linked to Cruz before he switched agents so who knows.

[J.T. Marlin]

Yeah - being very tongue-in-cheek regarding Tamme.  Welker to DEN would obviously be bad news for DT & especially Decker.