Welker/Edelman

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

Talking about a lack of class act here by the New England Patriot organization. After all that Welker has done for them, the pats refuse to award Welker with a contract that he deserved in the off season. Instead they gave Hernandez and Gronk the big money. After slapping Welker on the face with those contracts, they limited his play snaps in week 1. Week 2 is probably the biggest story of the week. Julian Edelman started ahead of Welker.

 

This look like a straight up 'EFF U' Welker move by the Patriots.

 

Edelman needs to be added in all leagues.

[Big Blue 06 195]

Yeah, they're going to be phasing him out it looks like. It sucks, because nobody has worked harder for the Pats than he has.

[Djgb13 2,338]

With Hernandez out and Welker being Bradys go to guy yesterday I think the Pats might need to reconsider and probably will. Expect Welker to start getting more passes in week 3.

[edjr 5,567]

Yeah, they're going to be phasing him out it looks like.

 

Not so fast Giants fan.

 

No one knows wtf is going on.

 

Why pay him 9.5 million to "faze him out"

 

 

The Patriots are changing their philosophy and don't want to be a team that lines up 5 wide and sling it around, Edleman is a far better blocker than Welker, that is why he has been playing more. it's only week 2 fellas, let's see what happens.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

Not so fast Giants fan.

 

No one knows wtf is going on.

 

Why pay him 9.5 million to "faze him out"

 

 

The Patriots are changing their philosophy and don't want to be a team that lines up 5 wide and sling it around, Edleman is a far better blocker than Welker, that is why he has been playing more. it's only week 2 fellas, let's see what happens.

 

So by season's end, his numbers will look chit. Which will prevent him from getting the big bucks from anyone else.

NE can then low ball him...

 

Makes perfect sense.

[edjr 5,567]

So by season's end, his numbers will look chit. Which will prevent him from getting the big bucks from anyone else.

NE can then low ball him...

 

Makes perfect sense.

 

That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard in my life.

 

why would Welker stay here if that happens to him?

 

i can almost promise you, he will take less money to play somewhere else. He is done with New England by now.

[SweetnessWJP 0]

This is a highly unintelligent thread by someone who either has Welker in fantasy or just has disdain for the Patriots.

 

After all that Welker has done for them, the pats refuse to award Welker with a contract that he deserved in the off season. Instead they gave Hernandez and Gronk the big money.

 

So let me get this straight, you'd prefer to pay a 31 year old receiver a long term deal (when WR's have a history of falling off after 30) for more money than he is worth, rather than pay two young phenomenal tight ends who cause match up problems galore? Solid GM skills.

 

You act like this is a one way street, with the Patriots owing Welker everything. The Patriots brought in Welker from a horrible situation in Miami and made him a superstar, at the same time giving him over $15 million dollars in his time in New England. He signed a 5.5 million dollar signing bonus in 2007, made nearly 2 million the past three seasons, and is now getting 9 million per year. Welker was good for the Patriots as much as the Patriots were good for Welker.

 

Surely, it makes sense to invest 9 million in a player this season, undercut him and then sign him for less next year. Not like there's 31 other teams who would overpay for his services. If anything, the Patriots would overuse Welker and get the most of their money, and then cause a team to overpay for him in the off-season. There's no way Welker is coming back to New England.

 

Lastly, now you want to cut him and pick up Edelman AFTER Hernandez goes down? You could have made this thread as a panic move after week 1, and it'd have a little more weight. Welker had 11 targets (more than Gronk) on Sunday, with 100 yards receiving. You're out of your mind if you think the Patriots are going to shy away from Welker in these next six games.

 

Welker was the Patriots run game, its why he had 100+ catches every year. Now they have a running back and do not need him to 'run' the ball with 5 yard catches. The Patriots are simply moving to a balanced attack and Lloyd is a better option in a 3 tight end set. However, no Hernandez now means Welker is that much more important.

[Djgb13 2,338]

This is a highly unintelligent thread by someone who either has Welker in fantasy or just has disdain for the Patriots.

 

 

 

So let me get this straight, you'd prefer to pay a 31 year old receiver a long term deal (when WR's have a history of falling off after 30) for more money than he is worth, rather than pay two young phenomenal tight ends who cause match up problems galore? Solid GM skills.

 

You act like this is a one way street, with the Patriots owing Welker everything. The Patriots brought in Welker from a horrible situation in Miami and made him a superstar, at the same time giving him over $15 million dollars in his time in New England. He signed a 5.5 million dollar signing bonus in 2007, made nearly 2 million the past three seasons, and is now getting 9 million per year. Welker was good for the Patriots as much as the Patriots were good for Welker.

 

Surely, it makes sense to invest 9 million in a player this season, undercut him and then sign him for less next year. Not like there's 31 other teams who would overpay for his services. If anything, the Patriots would overuse Welker and get the most of their money, and then cause a team to overpay for him in the off-season. There's no way Welker is coming back to New England.

 

Lastly, now you want to cut him and pick up Edelman AFTER Hernandez goes down? You could have made this thread as a panic move after week 1, and it'd have a little more weight. Welker had 11 targets (more than Gronk) on Sunday, with 100 yards receiving. You're out of your mind if you think the Patriots are going to shy away from Welker in these next six games.

 

Welker was the Patriots run game, its why he had 100+ catches every year. Now they have a running back and do not need him to 'run' the ball with 5 yard catches. The Patriots are simply moving to a balanced attack and Lloyd is a better option in a 3 tight end set.

 

 

+1

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

This is a highly unintelligent thread by someone who either has Welker in fantasy or just has disdain for the Patriots.

 

 

 

So let me get this straight, you'd prefer to pay a 31 year old receiver a long term deal (when WR's have a history of falling off after 30) for more money than he is worth, rather than pay two young phenomenal tight ends who cause match up problems galore? Solid GM skills.

 

You act like this is a one way street, with the Patriots owing Welker everything. The Patriots brought in Welker from a horrible situation in Miami and made him a superstar, at the same time giving him over $15 million dollars in his time in New England. He signed a 5.5 million dollar signing bonus in 2007, made nearly 2 million the past three seasons, and is now getting 9 million per year. Welker was good for the Patriots as much as the Patriots were good for Welker.

 

Surely, it makes sense to invest 9 million in a player this season, undercut him and then sign him for less next year. Not like there's 31 other teams who would overpay for his services. If anything, the Patriots would overuse Welker and get the most of their money, and then cause a team to overpay for him in the off-season. There's no way Welker is coming back to New England.

 

Lastly, now you want to cut him and pick up Edelman AFTER Hernandez goes down? You could have made this thread as a panic move after week 1, and it'd have a little more weight. Welker had 11 targets (more than Gronk) on Sunday, with 100 yards receiving. You're out of your mind if you think the Patriots are going to shy away from Welker in these next six games.

 

Welker was the Patriots run game, its why he had 100+ catches every year. Now they have a running back and do not need him to 'run' the ball with 5 yard catches. The Patriots are simply moving to a balanced attack and Lloyd is a better option in a 3 tight end set. However, no Hernandez now means Welker is that much more important.

I agree that welker probably returns to form after the hernandez injury, it doesnt change the fact that belichik is being sh!tty about the situation. Not looking at it from a conspiracy to undercut his value, why pay the guy $9 mil to come off the bench? Now they will use him more because they have to but i just dont get the logic of starting edleman.

[edjr 5,567]

I agree that welker probably returns to form after the hernandez injury, it doesnt change the fact that belichik is being sh!tty about the situation. Not looking at it from a conspiracy to undercut his value, why pay the guy $9 mil to come off the bench? Now they will use him more because they have to but i just dont get the logic of starting edleman.

 

Edleman is a much better blocker than Welker, the patriots have been trying to run the ball more.

 

HTH

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

Please explain why Welker was benched?

[SweetnessWJP 0]

I want Edelman off the field more than anyone here (I absolutely despise him, he has a history of trying to be Barry Sanders instead of going forward and getting yards), but I don't think the team would pay Welker $9 million dollars and then bench him if it meant they have a greater chance at losing games. There has to be something more to it than us fans would know, ie: coaching schemes. The run blocking idea could be correct.

 

Think of it this way...

 

Welker doesn't fit the current scheme, he doesn't get a lot of snaps.

 

Hernandez goes down, the scheme changes, Welker gets all the touches. It's not an FU, it's a scheme.

 

People are just expecting things to stay the same, but gameplans change. Welker's heavy dosage of receptions are no longer needed.

[DAGAME 0]

Can you tell me examples of WR's falling off after age 30, this only applies to RB's from my understanding. There are plenty of WR's that are 30-34 enjoying success now and in the past.

[parrot 789]

So by season's end, his numbers will look chit. Which will prevent him from getting the big bucks from anyone else.

NE can then low ball him...

 

Makes perfect sense.

 

Right, because all NFL GMs go off of is a player's most recent season and there's no way that teams who otherwise would be willing to pay Welker big money could see through such a clever ruse by the Patriots.

 

If the Patriots continue to limit Welker's snaps this year they are doing both him and the team he goes to next a favor.

[TD Ryan2 314]

Please explain why Welker was benched?

I can almost guarantee that it isn't bc they want to weaken their team to prove a point about contracts!

 

Love Welker but he's had the dropsies lately - is he dropping them in practice too?

 

There are no sacred cows in NE - if Welker isn't practicing well (drops or attitude) that could easily answer it.

Maybe he's injured and nobody's talking about it.

Maybe they know he won't be healthy all year with another 100 catches over the middle so they're pacing him.

Maybe they know Brady won't stay healthy with 50 attempts a game and a struggling Oline and Edelman is just a better run blocker.

Or maybe it is back and to the left with Bush blowing up the trade center bc Elvis told him too.

[parrot 789]

Please explain why Welker was benched?

 

He wasn't "benched", he played in various sets the whole game.

[Serpent 51]

How cute, a Patriots fan storms in to defend the organization at all costs, as if he actually has an ownership interest and it matters what somebody posts on a fantasy football forum. That doesn't mean I disagree with you, it just means I laugh at you for playing white knight so hard.

 

The Patriots are being intelligent like they usually are. Those TEs (Hernandez is more a H-back actually) are monsters and are young, so it makes sense to lock them up and keep them happy for years to come. I think they had time left on their rookie contracts but obviously they got new deals anyway, good move from a financial standpoint and a team happiness one.

 

But Welker isn't going to get a big contract from anybody else. People credit Brady a lot for Welker's success. Even an all-time great like Randy Moss didn't have people breaking down his doors to pay him big money after he was phased out of NE. Welker isn't half the talent Moss was, and probably still Moss is an overall better player than Welker even now.

 

The Jets already overpaid a small receiver and probably can't do it again. Outside of them nobody is stupid enough to give big money to a small WR who isn't even that fast.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

He wasn't "benched", he played in various sets the whole game.

 

Well, Edelman starting ahead of him and playing MORE snaps look like a classic benching to me.

[parrot 789]

How cute, a Patriots fan storms in to defend the organization at all costs, as if he actually has an ownership interest and it matters what somebody posts on a fantasy football forum. That doesn't mean I disagree with you, it just means I laugh at you for playing white knight so hard.

 

The Patriots are being intelligent like they usually are. Those TEs (Hernandez is more a H-back actually) are monsters and are young, so it makes sense to lock them up and keep them happy for years to come. I think they had time left on their rookie contracts but obviously they got new deals anyway, good move from a financial standpoint and a team happiness one.

 

But Welker isn't going to get a big contract from anybody else. People credit Brady a lot for Welker's success. Even an all-time great like Randy Moss didn't have people breaking down his doors to pay him big money after he was phased out of NE. Welker isn't half the talent Moss was, and probably still Moss is an overall better player than Welker even now.

 

The Jets already overpaid a small receiver and probably can't do it again. Outside of them nobody is stupid enough to give big money to a small WR who isn't even that fast.

 

Who is it you're talking to?

[parrot 789]

Well, Edelman starting ahead of him and playing MORE snaps look like a classic benching to me.

 

Well, he played 77% of the team's offensive snaps and was targeted 11 times (to 6 for Edelman), including both of the team's last two passing plays in the game. That's a funny kind of benching.

[SweetnessWJP 0]

How cute, a Patriots fan storms in to defend the organization at all costs, as if he actually has an ownership interest and it matters what somebody posts on a fantasy football forum. That doesn't mean I disagree with you, it just means I laugh at you for playing white knight so hard.

 

The Patriots are being intelligent like they usually are. Those TEs (Hernandez is more a H-back actually) are monsters and are young, so it makes sense to lock them up and keep them happy for years to come. I think they had time left on their rookie contracts but obviously they got new deals anyway, good move from a financial standpoint and a team happiness one.

 

But Welker isn't going to get a big contract from anybody else. People credit Brady a lot for Welker's success. Even an all-time great like Randy Moss didn't have people breaking down his doors to pay him big money after he was phased out of NE. Welker isn't half the talent Moss was, and probably still Moss is an overall better player than Welker even now.

 

The Jets already overpaid a small receiver and probably can't do it again. Outside of them nobody is stupid enough to give big money to a small WR who isn't even that fast.

 

Oh.. erm.. right, right! Let me retry, and hopefully fit in:

 

"The Patriots are playing a game to get Welker back next year for 3 million dollars! They should invest in the older WR who is limited to slot duties and let Aaron Hernandez or Rob Gronkowski go to free agency because Welker's done so much for the team!"

 

Welker is still seeing snaps and targets, and is struggling to catch passes thrown his way. He already has 3 drops, and only caught 5 of his 11 targets yesterday and a total of 8 of his 16 on the season. For a possession receiver, this is awful.

 

Not sure how you can't disagree, yet then proceed to say I am white knighting. You either disagree and I'm a white knight, or you side with logic. Can't be a fence straddler.

[Serpent 51]

Oh.. erm.. right, right! Let me retry, and hopefully fit in:

 

"The Patriots are playing a game to get Welker back next year for 3 million dollars! They should invest in the older WR who is limited to slot duties and let Aaron Hernandez or Rob Gronkowski go to free agency because Welker's done so much for the team!"

 

Welker is still seeing snaps and targets, and is struggling to catch passes thrown his way. He already has 3 drops, and only caught 5 of his 11 targets yesterday and a total of 8 of his 16 on the season. For a possession receiver, this is awful.

 

Not sure how you can't disagree, yet then proceed to say I am white knighting. You either disagree and I'm a white knight, or you side with logic. Can't be a fence straddler.

 

I told you I don't disagree, I just laugh at how passionate you are in your defense of an organization that obviously doesn't give a ###### and doesn't need the defenders.

 

Also you can't have it both ways. Do you think Welker is going to get a big contract from someone else or not? If he is struggling why would he get a big contract somewhere else? In what world is that logical to you?

[ricanrockers 39]

Welker's stats would've looked better if he didn't drop so many passes....just saying!

 

With Hernandez out, Welker will be involved more!

[Matt Mueller 146]

Edleman is a much better blocker than Welker, the patriots have been trying to run the ball more.

 

HTH

 

I read this too. Patriots, maybe more than any other team, historically look to exploit certain match ups and have varying game plans week 2 week. I don't think this was as mucha benching as a personnel package.

 

I do think Welker is done in New England after this year though.

[TD Ryan2 314]

I read this too. Patriots, maybe more than any other team, historically look to exploit certain match ups and have varying game plans week 2 week. I don't think this was as mucha benching as a personnel package.

 

I do think Welker is done in New England after this year though.

all true.

Belichick has been trying for this 2 TE attack since the Dan Graham/Ben Watson days - go back and look at NEs drafts and all the TEs they've brought in.

Belichick believes in this matchup/attack... as a great Defensive mind, he must have figured out long ago that he'd have a tough time scheming against a team that could throw out a Gronk/Hernandez/SlotWR/DeepWR/RB formation... or the "12" formation as NE (I guess) is calling it.

And if you and I know Edelman is a better blocker, so too does the NFL and the last thing Belichick wants is a red flag telling the opponent if you're running or passing... so they mix it up and Edelman makes some catches too.

And if you asked BBelichick who's more valuable to the team: Welker or Edelman, he'd might say "Edelman"... Welker's a better receiver, but Edelman plays so many roles on that team, WR/KR/PR/DB/QB - yup, I believe he's NE's "3rd - Emergency QB too" seeing as only Brady and Mallet are at QB.

 

When Welker had the ACL - NE fans saw Edelman come in and do a very good job replacing him - not quite as good, but an above average replacement; now we've seen Edelman play all these other roles on the team too.

In the end, this isn't about black balling Welker, it's about versatility, scheme, matchups, disguise, maximizing the 53 man roster and most importantly - winning football games.