Pats Propaganda

I love Wes Welker. I hope he remains a Patriot for life. Just like Tom Brady.

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—	Robert Kraft Kraft reiterates: We want Wes - Extra Points - Boston.com GET. IT. DONE.

I do believe Welker wants to be back in New England. I also think he realizes that as a player, you don’t often get a chance to see what you’re worth on the open market. This is the first time he’s had that chance and that’s why he’s testing it (and also, in part, because the Patriots haven’t blown his doors off with their offer).

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—	Mike Reiss Chat: Chat with Mike Reiss - SportsNation - ESPN Boston Nodding…

Patriots are aware that the noise about Wes Welker — and other free agents — soon could get louder - Patriots - Boston.com »

Good read breaking down what’s happening now and what will be happening over the next five days. Here’s his take on Welker, and I agree that they probably should move on but it’s doubtful they will…

I’m on the record saying the Patriots should move on from Welker for the good of the offense. While no one has more respect for or values Welker more than I do, I think to become the toughest team to defend for a defense, the Patriots need to get more dynamic on the outside, let the tight ends handle the middle of the field, and take Welker away from Brady. Get a viable downfield threat — Wallace and Jennings aren’t coming here, but the draft is full of them, the Patriots could make a trade, and more receivers could join the low-price market of Jerome Simpson, Mohamed Massaquoi, Brandon Gibson, and David Nelson — and get constant and athletic yards-after-catch from the other side in a combination of Edelman and Danny Amendola, Josh Cribbs, or a draft pick, and the Patriots would be tougher to defend in all parts of the field in the postseason, which has been a problem for them.

Welker had “mild disdain” – actually, a lot more than mild – for what happened early in the season (specifically the Arizona game) and it did stick in his craw for most of the season. I didn’t write he was being phased out for no reason. But, Welker and Bill Belichick got past that at some point during the season. I think the team began to see Welker in a new light after everyone else kept getting hurt, yet Welker endured, and so did the offense;
Welker never complained internally or externally about what was going on, which earns points from the Patriots;

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—	Wes Welker update - Extra Points - Boston.com Breathe everyone… BREATHE…

Wide receiver Wes Welker has no plans to re-sign with the Patriots before testing the free agent market next week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

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Report: Welker will test free agent waters

Makes sense for Welker to see what’s out there, he might never get another chance. Still think he comes back to New England, but he’d be foolish to just take the Patriots deal without hearing what other teams would be willing to offer him.

If you love a player, set him free, if he comes back to you it was meant to be…

He’s probably going to stay, because he realizes this is the best place for him to be,” Cole said. “Even if that costs him a little bit of money vs. what he can make somewhere else, you’d make the good choice and stay with a team that knows you well, is going to pay you decently and is going to give you every opportunity. “Is he a little bit concerned about how things could go here in the future? A little bit. But I think that that’s going to get outweighed by the fact that playing with Tom Brady is the best option for him.

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—	It Is What It Is » Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole on M&M: Wes Welker ‘realizes this is the best place for him to be’

New England Patriots free agency 2013: Wes Welker's value on 3rd down should not be overlooked | masslive.com »

Good stuff, Welker’s vital on the the most vital down…

Of the 150 passes Brady threw on third down in 2012, 43 were intended for Welker, 20 for Aaron Hernandez and 16 for Rob Gronkowski. Welker cleaned up with 30 receptions for 318 yards, while the tight end duo caught a combined 23 passes for 158 yards. The bigger disparity comes to light in high-pressure situations where the Patriots needed nine or more yards on third down. Welker made 14 catches for an average of 13.3 yards per reception in those situations, while Gronkowski and Hernandez had two catches for a combined 26 yards. It should then come as little surprise that Welker accounted for 21 of the 73 third-down conversions that Patriots had through the air in 2012. Gronkowski (11) and Hernandez (10) are next on the chart.

With the salary cap barely rising, and nearly half the teams in the league either scrambling to comply or fitting so close to the cap that they won’t be big spenders, it’s quite possible that there won’t be many big-money deals. In that sense, Welker’s timing in hitting the market isn’t great, and one could envision his representatives coming to the realization that the best deal is the one on the table in New England, where Welker’s fit in the system is unique.

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—	Wes Welker, New England Patriots may find timing right for deal - ESPN Boston

What’s important to consider is Welker’s somewhat mild disdain for the Patriots right now, according to a source close to the player. Welker apparently is a little miffed at how he was treated in last year’s opener, when offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had him targeted for a season-low five pass attempts that resulted in a season-low three receptions.
That bit of tweaking stuck in Welker’s craw all season. So did the notion that if tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski hadn’t both gotten hurt at different times, there’s a strong belief that Welker would have been limited to far fewer than the 118 receptions he finished with last season. In short, there’s a little paranoia in the Welker camp these days about his role with the Pats.

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—	Wes Welker risks legacy if he leaves Patriots - Yahoo! Sports