Wes Welker worth $38.5 Million?

[maven]

Adam Schefter is reporting that the offer sheet that the Patriots and Wes Welker will sign is a deal worth $38.5 million over 7 years. That averages out to $5.5 million per year. That's an insane amount of money for a receiver who is just 5'9" and has just 96 career receptions and just one career touchdown. It'll be interesting to see if the Dolphins match the offer or if they will take New England's 2nd round pick (#60 overall) instead.


I know this has been casually mentioned, but damn that's a lot of money. Is Welker worth that much? If you're the fins do you match or take the 2nd round pick? Also, is this just another example of the crazy amount of money being tossed this FA?

[Florida_Bronco]

Guess with the cap situation this year, teams are throwing around the money pretty well.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

its not like any NFL contracts are guarenteed. I'd be willing to bet that's backloaded

[SoCalBronco]

Don't look at the total dollars that doesnt really mean anything.

[Crushaholic]

I have a sneaky feeling that New England is trying to force their division rival to overpay a guy. Will the Dolphins call their bluff?

[maven]

I know the total dollars don't mean anything, but there's definately going to be a large signing bonus, and a good amount guaranteed. All this for a 3rd WR/PR/KR. Money is flying around this year. Make no mistake, teams are spending. If you're the Dolphins you take that #2 without hesitation. I commend the Dolphins for acquiring picks rather than dumping them under previous regimes. Now the Patriots? They're gunning for that SB next year.

[-Slap-]

I guess it depends upon how the deal is structured. I like Welker and I think Brady will like him, too.

[DBroncos4life]

I know the total dollars don't mean anything, but there's definately going to be a large signing bonus, and a good amount guaranteed. All this for a 3rd WR/PR/KR. Money is flying around this year. Make no mistake, teams are spending. If you're the Dolphins you take that #2 without hesitation. I commend the Dolphins for acquiring picks rather than dumping them under previous regimes. Now the Patriots? They're gunning for that SB next year.

HE wouldn't be the number 3 guy with the Pats and he takes away a weapon from a division foe. Why wouldn't you offer something like that? It forces them to think hard and take time away from other things or other people to improve the team.

[Pendejo]

I have a sneaky feeling that New England is trying to force their division rival to overpay a guy. Will the Dolphins call their bluff?

I remember in '94 the Donks made an offer to Tim Brown that was creative. It was win win for them...as if the Fade didn't match the Great John Elway would have had Tim Brown to throw to....and when they did match...the contract was structured in such a way to give the Fade a few annoyances. Another Phillips/Ferguson deal. If only the fade wouldn't have matched. I remember granny al remarking after they re-signed Brown "They can't beat us on the field, and they won't beat us off the field either." Or something to that effect. Clearly that changed toot sweet.

Saying the above...while Welker is not a player of Tim Brown's caliber the situations are similar. Give him a a funky contract offer...make them match it...if they do...oh well. If they don't...you've got yourself a fine football player.

[bmanhas]

Look for a poison pill in the contract.

[Crowpointer]

Forget Girls Gone Wild, it's now Bill Belichick Gone Wild !

[rovolution]

Look for a poison pill in the contract.

I was just about to mention this. Theres a poision pill somewhere in that deal. Its probably really not $38.5mil

[boltaneer]

I like Welker a lot. Marty made a big blunder by keeping Tim Dwight over Welker in 2004 here.

But I think giving up a 2nd round pick is a bit much for him. I'm also very curious to see what kind of guaranteed money is involved and how this contract is structured.

[Play2win]

WTF is Wes Welker ?!?!!?

[Inkana7]

WTF is Wes Welker ?!?!!?
Skinny white dude who did pretty well returning kicks for the Fins last season.

[Play2win]

Skinny white dude who did pretty well returning kicks for the Fins last season.

Thanks... and I love your avitar...

[Inkana7]

Thanks... and I love your avitar...

Haha, you're welcome. I've always been a huge Farley fan.

[Rocket 7]

If he can play as well as this guy it is money well spent

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/dipsomaniac1/WalkerE.jpg

[400HZ]

There's gonna be WRs in the second round of the draft this year just as good or better than Welker who they won't have to pay $38.5 million. Strange rumor. I'd believe it if they were talking about the Skins or Queefs or somebody. New England? Really weird.

[GonzoLays]

Hell yea he is worth it. Wes Welker is a beast in fantasy football.

[PatsWin2002]

Looks like the Pats are still working........


http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/sports/BO45128/

Patriots looking to sign an ex-Eagles receiver

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The Patriots may not be done just yet. They are talking with Dante Stallworth.

He was traded from the New Orleans Saints to the Philadelphia Eagles last season.

Stallworth could help at receiver, especially if Troy Brown retires. Tom Brady would love to see him stretch the field, as Stallworth is known for his tremendous speed.

Last year Stallworth had 38 catches, 725 yards and 5 touchdowns in 11 games.

[worm]

Tom Brady would love to see him stretch the field, as Stallworth is known for his tremendous speed.


Stallworth is more known for his china-doll imitations.

[Crowpointer]

Pats also show interest in dealing for Moss :approve:
Quote: League sources last night indicated the Patriots coach has long been enamored with the Raiders wide receiver and would welcome the opportunity to bring him to Foxboro for the right price. Quote: Word out of Oakland is the 30-year-old wants to play on a contender before his career ends. The Raiders are intent on moving him following a miserable 2006 that saw him post career-worst numbers in receptions (42), yards (553), and touchdowns (three).
http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=186445

[SoonerBronco]

Had the pleasure of watching Wes Welker play HS football in OKC. He was a year or two younger than me and played HS about 2 miles away from where I got my degree. The guy was a scoring machine. Running, recieving, field goals, pick 6's, you name it...he was just a little undersized and played in a smaller class of football. Didn't get a scholly offer untill the 11th hour by Texas Tech and the rest is history... The guy works hard and will fit well in New England. Good for him...

[Steve Sewell]

I have a sneaky feeling that New England is trying to force their division rival to overpay a guy. Will the Dolphins call their bluff?

Man I wish our division was as weak as the AFC East so we could skate to the playoffs every year like New England.

[Rascal]

If they want to sign him for 38.5 million fine, but to give up a second rounder for Wes Welker? That is stupid.

But don't expect any of the experts out there to question the almightly patriots.

NE just got bent, and they did it willingly.

[Jens1893]

POSTED 5:34 p.m. EST, March 5, 2007

PATS TRADE FOR WELKER

Peter King of SI.com reports that the New England Patriots have acquired Dolphins receiver Wes Welker for a second-round pick and a seventh-round pick in the 2007 draft.

But the Pats could have gotten Welker for only a second-round draft pick, if they had tendered to him a beefed-up offer sheet with a poison-pill provision making it fully guaranteed under circumstances that would have applied only if Miami had matched the offer. Though there was a chance that the Fins would have bitten the bullet and given Welker a fully-guaranteed $38.5 million contract, it was highly unlikely.

So did the Pats simply piss away a seventh-round pick? The easy answer is yes. But given that they didn't have to spend the next seven days worrying about whether Miami might match the offer, giving up one of the very last picks in the draft isn't much of a sacrifice.

Also, even though the league seemingly legitimized the whole poison-pill thing by attempting to strike a deal with the union that would have removed it from the CBA, there's no guarantee that the device will be upheld the next time a case involving it ends up in arbitration. Last year, the Seahawks inexplicably abandoned their arguments on the merits of the matter and showed up at the hearing claiming that, because they had pushed around some of the money in left tackle Walter Jones' contract, Steve Hutchinson would have been the highest paid offensive lineman on the team, and thus Seattle could match the offer sheet that Hutchinson had signed in Minnesota without the deal being fully guaranteed.

What if this time around the Fins had opted to argue that, even though the poison-pill does not require a team to pay more money by matching, the device as a practical matter entails more money because it eliminates the team's inherent ability to terminate the deal early? And what if the arbitrator had decided that the poison-pill is a form-over-substance device that violates the spirit of the CBA?

Bottom line -- the Pats avoided a bunch of potential worries and headaches for a throwaway pick in the bottom of the draft.

[SoonerBronco]

If they want to sign him for 38.5 million fine, but to give up a second rounder for Wes Welker? That is stupid.

But don't expect any of the experts out there to question the almightly patriots.

NE just got bent, and they did it willingly.

Welker is worth his weight in gold. The Dolphins knew he would garner plenty of interest or they wouldn't have tendered him with 2nd and 7 round picks. NE special teams guy (Faulk) is getting older and Welker will fit in there nicely. Plus, it's always good to have an extra guy who can kick field goal on the roster.

He has worked hard and been productive everywhere he has been. I imagine in NE he will become a great wideout and dependable target in their system.

[Rascal]

You like him just because he is from Oklahoma.

Giving up a second for him is ridiculous.