Two things happened today that we all knew would transpire: the New England Patriots placed its franchise tag on wide receiver Wes Welker and they waited until basically the last minute to get it done.
From ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss:
"Wes Welker is a remarkable football player for our team and has been a vital component to our offense and special teams since we traded for him in 2007," the team said in a statement. "Utilizing the franchise designation allows both sides more time to try to reach an agreement, which is the goal. Wes remains a contractual priority and we are hopeful that he will remain a Patriot for years to come."
On Monday night, Welker wrote the following on Twitter: "Glad that I will be a Patriot in 2012. and hopefully '13,'14,'15,'16,'17,'18 ..."
The tag is estimated to be $9.4 million and will restrict Welker from fully experiencing unrestricted free agency. Welker, who turns 31 on May 1, has played out the five-year contract he signed with the Patriots in 2007.
New England used the "non-exclusive" tag which means that Welker can negotiate with other teams but the Pats would have the option of matching any offer. If he were to sign elsewhere (unlikely), they would receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.
The Boston Globe reported today that the Patriots offered a two-year during the season that was worth $8 million per year but it was rejected. Apparently, there hasn't been much progress since then but they still have until July 15 to get a long-term contract signed.
Just in the past two years, the Pats have done the same thing with defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (2010) and guard Logan Mankins (2011) before taking the tag off and getting them locked up for longer deals.
Everybody knows how valuable Welker is to Tom Brady and the Patriots. Yes, he's not a force of nature like Larry Fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson but he's a perfect fit for New England's offense and tailor made for Brady's skills. That's why it's so important to pay the man and not have any distractions in the summer or into training camp.
Last season, Welker led the NFL with 122 catches for 1569 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 12.9 yards per catch with a long of 99 yards (vs. Miami) and 732 yards after the catch. Since 2007 (when he came to New England), Welker leads the NFL with 522 catches. For perspective, Brandon Marshall is next with 442. Welker and Cris Carter are the only receivers with two seasons of 120+ catches.
The fact that Welker dropped a potentially game-clinching pass in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 46 is a cruel irony given the man's talents and dependability. Seeing him being interviewed after that brutal ending was about the most painful press conference I've ever witnessed. This guy is a winner, he's overachieved all his career and he's someone that we can all be proud of and root for.
Now it's time for both sides to figure out what works for the Patriots and what Welker wants. It's called negotiating.
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