NFL Discussion Thread - Hall of Fame Game: August 3rd
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by 651akathepaul,
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I want to kick Cortland Finnegan in the face.
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you..me...dre...josh...take a number..
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mmg
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Dre put him in his place though , he wanted no parts 
do work son
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dre put the hands of god on him.
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Me either. You get starting caliber secondary players out there and those multiple third and longs don't get converted. I feel bad for the d line because they made plays and the back end let them down.
My biggest concern though is the LBs how many missed tackles did they have?
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NFC WEST BEST
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Wes Welker. Benched today ...
*Craig Mack* You Wont be round Next Year!!!
*Craig Mack* You Wont be round Next Year!!!
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Chiefs will never win big with Pioli in charge
By KENT BABB
By KENT BABB
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Scott Pioli pushed his way through a doorway, into the Ralph Wilson Stadium tunnel and then, alone, disappeared into the Chiefs’ locker room.
As the team he built was enduring the final minutes of death-by-Ryan Fitzpatrick, an embarrassing 35-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs’ general manager walked toward a few minutes of solitude. Days like this are lonely when you’re the king, and maybe he embraced what is obvious to so many others who saw Sunday’s loss: that another team he constructed looks lost and unprepared. No injuries and no excuses, no former head coach to blame, and no safety net below the Chiefs’ most powerful football man.
The Chiefs’ problems are with their coaches and players, but the bigger issue is about the man who brought in those coaches and players. Yes, this game and this season are on Pioli, and there’s no denying that anymore. And there’s no more denying another truth, whether you’re ready to read it or not: The Chiefs will never win big while Pioli is this team’s boss. His priorities are too misguided, his insecurities and denial too immense to allow Kansas City’s favorite team to win the Super Bowl that he was brought here to claim.
Pioli is now in his fourth year of trying to justify the hype that earned him accolades in New England, respect within the NFL, and a multi-million-dollar job as a GM. Expectations were unreachable, maybe, but Pioli has done himself no favors by obsessing over trivial details, spending too much time trying to feed his addiction to his own reputation, and engineering a team using the “discount football” philosophy that has made the Hunt family richer but has gotten the Chiefs only marginally closer to a Super Bowl.
Days like Sunday should be behind the Chiefs. This roster is so much better than the one Pioli inherited in January 2009. He’s responsible for that, too. But how much better could it be if Pioli weren’t so consumed by off-the-field nonsense? He arrived here and promised to curb a culture of losing. Instead, Pioli now oversees an organization shadowed in a culture of misplaced priorities and anxiety — and, yes, more losing.
Now in his fourth season as GM, Pioli has spent too much time trying to justify his decisions, rather than trying to improve them.
He whines to outsiders that the Chiefs’ salary-cap shortcomings are misunderstood? Well, spend more money, as team chairman Clark Hunt has said Pioli is authorized to do. Pioli excuses himself for his biggest mistakes, such as saying he just didn’t do his homework before hiring former coach Todd Haley? Well, why not? And he says privately that drafting a quarterback in the early rounds isn’t the point; it’s about drafting the right one. Well, Scott, then draft the right one. These things are big parts of Pioli’s job, but instead of acknowledging that, he chooses to tell himself — and, through back channels, you — that things are just fine.
In Scott We Trust? Not anymore.
Pioli cares more than you can imagine about what others think; about how his gilded reputation still shines nearly four years after it landed him this job.
He calls opinion-makers in Kansas City to plead with them to share his side of the story in exchange for a nibble of access, and he spends his own time compiling ultimately meaningless statistics in an attempt to spin unpopular draft choices and questionable spending habits into a more favorable light. He hints to anyone who’ll listen — in exchange for agreeing that you didn’t hear it from him — that the Chiefs’ playoff run in 2010 and a brief winning streak last season weren’t a result of Haley’s coaching. Those, he is convinced, were results of the magic of former offensive coordinator Charlie Weis two seasons ago and, last year, the motivating skills of Romeo Crennel. He obsesses over public relations, attempting to manipulate the message large and small. Pioli is as responsible as anyone for the misconception that Haley ruined the Chiefs and that, by firing him last December, Pioli helped to save it. How does that narrative look after the Chiefs’ second consecutive blowout loss?
Pioli craves credit and validation on good days, and he wants to hide and blame others after days like Sunday.
He worries so much about trivial matters that it’s impossible to think that such an emphasis hasn’t been an obstacle to the Chiefs’ success. He was concerned enough about what cornerback Brandon Flowers might’ve thought if Pioli had signed Brandon Carr to a richer contract that this factored into his decision to let Carr leave Kansas City and sign with the Dallas Cowboys.
Win, and nobody cares about how many dollars the Chiefs are under the salary cap, or which coach was responsible for past success, or why a free agent was allowed to walk. Lose, and all anyone wants to talk about is going to war with your first head coach, a new and considerably less shiny reputation built on micromanagement and insecurity, and stubbornly sticking with quarterback Matt Cassel just because you drafted him in New England, traded for him in Kansas City, and signed him to an extension.
Pioli has, for years now, learned from far too many mistakes. Haley. Sticking with Cassel. Thinking he can control every ounce of information. A growing number of unimpressive draft classes. The way front-office employees are treated and how bizarrely secretive everyone is expected to be. Pioli wasn’t brought to Kansas City to learn from trial and error; he was hired because he was advertised as being smart enough to avoid learning things the hard way.
Crennel is now the Chiefs’ head coach, and few people inside or outside the organization after last season would’ve suggested that elevating Crennel would be a mistake. But after an 0-2 start in which the Chiefs’ defense — Crennel’s baby — has allowed 68 points and has no idea why, that hire now looks like another blunder.
Fair or not, Pioli’s job is to anticipate days like this, put aside emotion and past allegiance in New England and with the New York Giants, and hire a coach who can take on one of the NFL’s most talented rosters and avoid this kind of start. This is the tradeoff of cashing those big paychecks, of sitting in that sprawling office, and taking on the role of one of sports’ most powerful men.
Pioli is a very bright man. He has made the Hunts a mountain of money and built the Chiefs into a team that should begin each season as a trendy playoff choice, and those things are enough to keep him employed for the foreseeable future. He has a cushion of otherwise undeserved job security because of this and because the Chiefs believe you’ll keep filling Arrowhead Stadium, keep tuning in to disasters like the one broadcast in Kansas City on Sunday, and keep believing that better days are ahead.
Maybe they are, but assembling a team at a discount and prioritizing things that don’t really matter only builds a team with a limited ceiling. As long as Pioli is in that office, your expectations should have a low ceiling, too.
As the team he built was enduring the final minutes of death-by-Ryan Fitzpatrick, an embarrassing 35-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs’ general manager walked toward a few minutes of solitude. Days like this are lonely when you’re the king, and maybe he embraced what is obvious to so many others who saw Sunday’s loss: that another team he constructed looks lost and unprepared. No injuries and no excuses, no former head coach to blame, and no safety net below the Chiefs’ most powerful football man.
The Chiefs’ problems are with their coaches and players, but the bigger issue is about the man who brought in those coaches and players. Yes, this game and this season are on Pioli, and there’s no denying that anymore. And there’s no more denying another truth, whether you’re ready to read it or not: The Chiefs will never win big while Pioli is this team’s boss. His priorities are too misguided, his insecurities and denial too immense to allow Kansas City’s favorite team to win the Super Bowl that he was brought here to claim.
Pioli is now in his fourth year of trying to justify the hype that earned him accolades in New England, respect within the NFL, and a multi-million-dollar job as a GM. Expectations were unreachable, maybe, but Pioli has done himself no favors by obsessing over trivial details, spending too much time trying to feed his addiction to his own reputation, and engineering a team using the “discount football” philosophy that has made the Hunt family richer but has gotten the Chiefs only marginally closer to a Super Bowl.
Days like Sunday should be behind the Chiefs. This roster is so much better than the one Pioli inherited in January 2009. He’s responsible for that, too. But how much better could it be if Pioli weren’t so consumed by off-the-field nonsense? He arrived here and promised to curb a culture of losing. Instead, Pioli now oversees an organization shadowed in a culture of misplaced priorities and anxiety — and, yes, more losing.
Now in his fourth season as GM, Pioli has spent too much time trying to justify his decisions, rather than trying to improve them.
He whines to outsiders that the Chiefs’ salary-cap shortcomings are misunderstood? Well, spend more money, as team chairman Clark Hunt has said Pioli is authorized to do. Pioli excuses himself for his biggest mistakes, such as saying he just didn’t do his homework before hiring former coach Todd Haley? Well, why not? And he says privately that drafting a quarterback in the early rounds isn’t the point; it’s about drafting the right one. Well, Scott, then draft the right one. These things are big parts of Pioli’s job, but instead of acknowledging that, he chooses to tell himself — and, through back channels, you — that things are just fine.
In Scott We Trust? Not anymore.
Pioli cares more than you can imagine about what others think; about how his gilded reputation still shines nearly four years after it landed him this job.
He calls opinion-makers in Kansas City to plead with them to share his side of the story in exchange for a nibble of access, and he spends his own time compiling ultimately meaningless statistics in an attempt to spin unpopular draft choices and questionable spending habits into a more favorable light. He hints to anyone who’ll listen — in exchange for agreeing that you didn’t hear it from him — that the Chiefs’ playoff run in 2010 and a brief winning streak last season weren’t a result of Haley’s coaching. Those, he is convinced, were results of the magic of former offensive coordinator Charlie Weis two seasons ago and, last year, the motivating skills of Romeo Crennel. He obsesses over public relations, attempting to manipulate the message large and small. Pioli is as responsible as anyone for the misconception that Haley ruined the Chiefs and that, by firing him last December, Pioli helped to save it. How does that narrative look after the Chiefs’ second consecutive blowout loss?
Pioli craves credit and validation on good days, and he wants to hide and blame others after days like Sunday.
He worries so much about trivial matters that it’s impossible to think that such an emphasis hasn’t been an obstacle to the Chiefs’ success. He was concerned enough about what cornerback Brandon Flowers might’ve thought if Pioli had signed Brandon Carr to a richer contract that this factored into his decision to let Carr leave Kansas City and sign with the Dallas Cowboys.
Win, and nobody cares about how many dollars the Chiefs are under the salary cap, or which coach was responsible for past success, or why a free agent was allowed to walk. Lose, and all anyone wants to talk about is going to war with your first head coach, a new and considerably less shiny reputation built on micromanagement and insecurity, and stubbornly sticking with quarterback Matt Cassel just because you drafted him in New England, traded for him in Kansas City, and signed him to an extension.
Pioli has, for years now, learned from far too many mistakes. Haley. Sticking with Cassel. Thinking he can control every ounce of information. A growing number of unimpressive draft classes. The way front-office employees are treated and how bizarrely secretive everyone is expected to be. Pioli wasn’t brought to Kansas City to learn from trial and error; he was hired because he was advertised as being smart enough to avoid learning things the hard way.
Crennel is now the Chiefs’ head coach, and few people inside or outside the organization after last season would’ve suggested that elevating Crennel would be a mistake. But after an 0-2 start in which the Chiefs’ defense — Crennel’s baby — has allowed 68 points and has no idea why, that hire now looks like another blunder.
Fair or not, Pioli’s job is to anticipate days like this, put aside emotion and past allegiance in New England and with the New York Giants, and hire a coach who can take on one of the NFL’s most talented rosters and avoid this kind of start. This is the tradeoff of cashing those big paychecks, of sitting in that sprawling office, and taking on the role of one of sports’ most powerful men.
Pioli is a very bright man. He has made the Hunts a mountain of money and built the Chiefs into a team that should begin each season as a trendy playoff choice, and those things are enough to keep him employed for the foreseeable future. He has a cushion of otherwise undeserved job security because of this and because the Chiefs believe you’ll keep filling Arrowhead Stadium, keep tuning in to disasters like the one broadcast in Kansas City on Sunday, and keep believing that better days are ahead.
Maybe they are, but assembling a team at a discount and prioritizing things that don’t really matter only builds a team with a limited ceiling. As long as Pioli is in that office, your expectations should have a low ceiling, too.
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Pretty funny how they weave you out in Foxboro. You buck the system they will show you what the deal is.
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MON5T3R
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He started the game on the bench from what I read. Dont know if he was benched later on in the game.
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only 2 of those guys putting the pressure were actual draft picks tho.
and they still gave up damn near 30 to a rookie QB
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yes, he was.
Feel bad for him man. he goes out there over the middle every game, and cant get himself a long term deal in return neither.
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mmg
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Smh these dudes trying to bench my man Welker so he doesn't produce so they have a reason not to pay him dirty Wes come to Houston, youll be fine come win a ring 
Pats we got you on a 7th round pick for the man
dirty Wes come to Houston, youll be fine come win a ring Pats we got you on a 7th round pick for the man 
thadocta
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Was watching highlights for Lions/Niners and they were talking about VD's TD celebration.
"Tony Gonzalez 60 and he can still dunk".
"Tony Gonzalez 60 and he can still dunk".
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Role of Patriots’ Welker further in doubt
By Greg A. Bedard
Globe Staff / September 16, 2012
FOXBOROUGH — This should have been a banner day in the career of receiver Wes Welker.
With a red-jacketed Troy Brown being inducted into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame and watching from Robert Kraft’s booth, Welker broke Brown’s record to become the all-time receptions leader in Patriots history with his 558th catch.
But instead of celebrating the remarkable career of Welker, we were left to ponder how much of it might be left.
After the Patriots’ absolutely stunning — and, really, inexcusable — 20-18 loss to the Cardinals Sunday at Gillette Stadium, there can be no doubt: Welker was set to be phased out of the Patriots’ offense.
Whether that was short term, or for the rest of the season, we don’t know. And it was likely rendered moot in the wake of the serious right ankle sprain that could sideline tight end Aaron Hernandez for at least a month.
But let’s not forget what transpired in the first two games of this season.
Welker likely won’t.
It was difficult to get a read on what was going on with Welker in the opener against the Titans, when he played 62.7 percent of the snaps.
Outside the second series — when it appeared Welker was benched for Julian Edelman after dropping a pass — most of Welker’s 25 missed snaps could have been explained by any number of legitimate reasons.
For one, now that Brandon Lloyd is here and a true “X” receiver on the boundary, Lloyd is going to get all the snaps in formations that call for one receiver. Whether that’s one back and three tight ends, or two backs and two tight ends, Welker is going to the bench on those plays. That’s going to happen.
Maybe the Patriots wanted to manage Welker’s snaps. He wasn’t quite as productive the second half of last season when he played nearly 90 percent of the snaps. Maybe Welker could be better at the end of the season if he played more along the lines of the 76, 73, and 75 percent of snaps he did the previous three seasons, according to ProFootballFocus.com. That would be a smart move by the Patriots. Welker is 31.
The other factor is even though Edelman is not a household name, he deserves more playing time. He had a terrific training camp. He’s more dynamic with the ball in his hand after the catch than Welker — though Welker is still elite at beating man coverage. And Edelman can’t play any position in the offense other than Welker’s spot, so Edelman should get a few snaps thrown his way.
All of those factors could have combined to explain the season opener.
But what happened Sunday was altogether different when it came to Welker.
People will look at the second half and see how much Welker was on the field. He did play 64 of the 81 snaps (including a penalty and the 2-point conversion attempt). That’s 79 percent. Certainly a healthy amount.
They’ll look at the 11 targeted passes thrown his way — second only to Lloyd’s 13 — and the five catches for 95 yards. And they’ll think nothing has changed.
Oh, but it did.
Edelman played 92.6 percent of the snaps (75 of 81).
Not only did Edelman start the game (the only time Welker didn’t start last season was against Dallas when Deion Branch got the nod) with the opening personnel grouping of Stevan Ridley, Rob Gronkowski, Hernandez, and Lloyd, Welker didn’t enter the game until the fourth play — after Hernandez was injured. And the first two passes of the game (Tom Brady’s interception, and a bubble screen) were plays that targeted Edelman.
And the most irrefutable evidence about the Patriots’ plans for Welker came in the “12” personnel of one back, two tight ends, and two receivers. As long as Gronkowski and Hernandez are healthy, this is the Patriots’ base personnel grouping.
The Patriots played 15 snaps of “12” personnel. Edelman played 13 of them as the No. 2 receiver. Welker played two. It used to be the other way around. The four other plays Edelman came off the field for had two-back, two-tight end sets.
If Hernandez was not injured, you really have to wonder how much Welker would have played in the game. He clearly was not part of the game plan going in.
“You know, you want to be out there,” Welker said. “I think as a competitor and everything else, especially on Sundays, it’s what we play for and what we work for and you want to be out there. At the same time, coach [Bill Belichick] felt like whatever was best for the team and I’m for that and I totally understand that and I’m just there to help out however I can.”
Belichick wasn’t asked about Welker after the game, not that he would shed any light on the topic.
“We did what we thought was in the best interest of the football team,” is the standard line from Belichick on everything.
Brady was asked if he was on board with Edelman playing ahead of Welker. After an extended pregnant pause, Brady said: “That’s always Coach’s decision, who’s out there. That’s not really my decision.”
Brady didn’t hold back when asked about Welker breaking Brown’s record.
“He’s a phenomenal player and when he makes plays, it really sparks our whole offense and he made a bunch of them today,” Brady said. “That’s what we need.”
Edelman was asked if it makes things awkward in the receivers room that he’s getting Welker’s snaps.
“You know, we just all come in here and, speaking for myself, do what the coaches tell us to do,” he said. “Whatever that is, that is. I’m here to contribute to the team and if that’s getting snaps, if that’s playing special teams, it’s whatever they say. All I’m going to do is take the coaching and try to contribute to this team.”
So now that we know Welker took a seat on the bench for Edelman the first two weeks, the big question is why?
Maybe Welker is dealing with an undisclosed injury. League sources said that is not the case. And if he was dealing with some sort of lingering concussion, does 20 plays really make a difference? Welker denied health is a factor.
“No, I feel great,” he said.
Maybe the Patriots think Edelman is better than Welker. That’s certainly a decision that Belichick is entitled to make. Maybe the Super Bowl play is still fresh in the mind of Belichick. A drop in Tennessee didn’t help. And Welker also dropped a big third-down play against the Cardinals that preceded a blocked punt that set up a touchdown that gave Arizona a 13-9 lead in the third quarter.
Maybe the Patriots know Welker is gone after this season, so they’ve decided to use the early part of the season to see what they have in Edelman, who is also a free agent after this season.
If the Patriots like what they see, perhaps they would be open to trading Welker before the deadline on Oct. 30. They’ve done it before (Randy Moss). The Patriots can get something for Welker now and determine what team he winds up with. If the team waits until after the season and doesn’t tag-and-trade him, Welker would be free to sign with any team, including those in the AFC East, and the Patriots would get a compensatory pick in 2014.
Those reasons, even though many won’t agree with them, are legitimate.
The other possibility is not.
The Patriots could either be punishing Welker for not accepting the team’s offer of a contract extension, and/or trying to hold his production level down so he won’t draw a big contract on the free agent market. That would increase the team’s chances of retaining him.
To do that to a player who has done everything asked of him and more, including playing at well less than 100 percent in 2010 after ACL surgery, would be beyond vicious and vindictive.
So let’s not even go there.
In the wake of Hernandez’s injury, we might not have to. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out.
The Patriots tried to phase Welker out, but now they likely need him. It’s funny how things work out like that.
Maybe we’ll end up having that celebration for Welker after all.
By Greg A. Bedard
Globe Staff / September 16, 2012
FOXBOROUGH — This should have been a banner day in the career of receiver Wes Welker.
With a red-jacketed Troy Brown being inducted into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame and watching from Robert Kraft’s booth, Welker broke Brown’s record to become the all-time receptions leader in Patriots history with his 558th catch.
But instead of celebrating the remarkable career of Welker, we were left to ponder how much of it might be left.
After the Patriots’ absolutely stunning — and, really, inexcusable — 20-18 loss to the Cardinals Sunday at Gillette Stadium, there can be no doubt: Welker was set to be phased out of the Patriots’ offense.
Whether that was short term, or for the rest of the season, we don’t know. And it was likely rendered moot in the wake of the serious right ankle sprain that could sideline tight end Aaron Hernandez for at least a month.
But let’s not forget what transpired in the first two games of this season.
Welker likely won’t.
It was difficult to get a read on what was going on with Welker in the opener against the Titans, when he played 62.7 percent of the snaps.
Outside the second series — when it appeared Welker was benched for Julian Edelman after dropping a pass — most of Welker’s 25 missed snaps could have been explained by any number of legitimate reasons.
For one, now that Brandon Lloyd is here and a true “X” receiver on the boundary, Lloyd is going to get all the snaps in formations that call for one receiver. Whether that’s one back and three tight ends, or two backs and two tight ends, Welker is going to the bench on those plays. That’s going to happen.
Maybe the Patriots wanted to manage Welker’s snaps. He wasn’t quite as productive the second half of last season when he played nearly 90 percent of the snaps. Maybe Welker could be better at the end of the season if he played more along the lines of the 76, 73, and 75 percent of snaps he did the previous three seasons, according to ProFootballFocus.com. That would be a smart move by the Patriots. Welker is 31.
The other factor is even though Edelman is not a household name, he deserves more playing time. He had a terrific training camp. He’s more dynamic with the ball in his hand after the catch than Welker — though Welker is still elite at beating man coverage. And Edelman can’t play any position in the offense other than Welker’s spot, so Edelman should get a few snaps thrown his way.
All of those factors could have combined to explain the season opener.
But what happened Sunday was altogether different when it came to Welker.
People will look at the second half and see how much Welker was on the field. He did play 64 of the 81 snaps (including a penalty and the 2-point conversion attempt). That’s 79 percent. Certainly a healthy amount.
They’ll look at the 11 targeted passes thrown his way — second only to Lloyd’s 13 — and the five catches for 95 yards. And they’ll think nothing has changed.
Oh, but it did.
Edelman played 92.6 percent of the snaps (75 of 81).
Not only did Edelman start the game (the only time Welker didn’t start last season was against Dallas when Deion Branch got the nod) with the opening personnel grouping of Stevan Ridley, Rob Gronkowski, Hernandez, and Lloyd, Welker didn’t enter the game until the fourth play — after Hernandez was injured. And the first two passes of the game (Tom Brady’s interception, and a bubble screen) were plays that targeted Edelman.
And the most irrefutable evidence about the Patriots’ plans for Welker came in the “12” personnel of one back, two tight ends, and two receivers. As long as Gronkowski and Hernandez are healthy, this is the Patriots’ base personnel grouping.
The Patriots played 15 snaps of “12” personnel. Edelman played 13 of them as the No. 2 receiver. Welker played two. It used to be the other way around. The four other plays Edelman came off the field for had two-back, two-tight end sets.
If Hernandez was not injured, you really have to wonder how much Welker would have played in the game. He clearly was not part of the game plan going in.
“You know, you want to be out there,” Welker said. “I think as a competitor and everything else, especially on Sundays, it’s what we play for and what we work for and you want to be out there. At the same time, coach [Bill Belichick] felt like whatever was best for the team and I’m for that and I totally understand that and I’m just there to help out however I can.”
Belichick wasn’t asked about Welker after the game, not that he would shed any light on the topic.
“We did what we thought was in the best interest of the football team,” is the standard line from Belichick on everything.
Brady was asked if he was on board with Edelman playing ahead of Welker. After an extended pregnant pause, Brady said: “That’s always Coach’s decision, who’s out there. That’s not really my decision.”
Brady didn’t hold back when asked about Welker breaking Brown’s record.
“He’s a phenomenal player and when he makes plays, it really sparks our whole offense and he made a bunch of them today,” Brady said. “That’s what we need.”
Edelman was asked if it makes things awkward in the receivers room that he’s getting Welker’s snaps.
“You know, we just all come in here and, speaking for myself, do what the coaches tell us to do,” he said. “Whatever that is, that is. I’m here to contribute to the team and if that’s getting snaps, if that’s playing special teams, it’s whatever they say. All I’m going to do is take the coaching and try to contribute to this team.”
So now that we know Welker took a seat on the bench for Edelman the first two weeks, the big question is why?
Maybe Welker is dealing with an undisclosed injury. League sources said that is not the case. And if he was dealing with some sort of lingering concussion, does 20 plays really make a difference? Welker denied health is a factor.
“No, I feel great,” he said.
Maybe the Patriots think Edelman is better than Welker. That’s certainly a decision that Belichick is entitled to make. Maybe the Super Bowl play is still fresh in the mind of Belichick. A drop in Tennessee didn’t help. And Welker also dropped a big third-down play against the Cardinals that preceded a blocked punt that set up a touchdown that gave Arizona a 13-9 lead in the third quarter.
Maybe the Patriots know Welker is gone after this season, so they’ve decided to use the early part of the season to see what they have in Edelman, who is also a free agent after this season.
If the Patriots like what they see, perhaps they would be open to trading Welker before the deadline on Oct. 30. They’ve done it before (Randy Moss). The Patriots can get something for Welker now and determine what team he winds up with. If the team waits until after the season and doesn’t tag-and-trade him, Welker would be free to sign with any team, including those in the AFC East, and the Patriots would get a compensatory pick in 2014.
Those reasons, even though many won’t agree with them, are legitimate.
The other possibility is not.
The Patriots could either be punishing Welker for not accepting the team’s offer of a contract extension, and/or trying to hold his production level down so he won’t draw a big contract on the free agent market. That would increase the team’s chances of retaining him.
To do that to a player who has done everything asked of him and more, including playing at well less than 100 percent in 2010 after ACL surgery, would be beyond vicious and vindictive.
So let’s not even go there.
In the wake of Hernandez’s injury, we might not have to. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out.
The Patriots tried to phase Welker out, but now they likely need him. It’s funny how things work out like that.
Maybe we’ll end up having that celebration for Welker after all.
Last edited:
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Can anyone say they are truly shocked by Welker's situation?
The Patriot way
The Patriot way
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Can anyone say they are truly shocked by Welker's situation?
The Patriot way
:smh
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