Wes Welker to leave Patriots?
While the restructuring of QB Tom Brady’s contract seemed to spell certainty that Wide receiver Wes Welker would return to the Patriots in 2013, a recent development shows that may not be the case. In fact, Wes Welker may have very well played his final game in a Patriots uniform.
Wes Welker has made it clear that he will not return to the Patriots before testing the free agent market, while this does not mean he will not return it could spell bad news should a rival snatch him up.
Should Welker choose to walk you can bet his presence will be missed. While many fans seem to favor the ever personable and always entertaining Rob Gronkowski, you cannot dispute the fact that Welker finished last season with a team-high 118 catches and 1,354 yards, along with six touchdowns.
Teammate Tom Brady has a great deal of appreciation for Welker’s talent on the football field, giving him high praise and hopes that he makes a return in 2013.
“Everybody knows how I feel about Wes, our whole team feels that way about Wes,” Brady said in January. “He’s just one of the best players I’ve played with and played against. He’s just a phenomenal player, and he’s been the heart and soul of what our team is all about. He’s been so selfless, and the way that he carries himself and commits himself to help our team win, it’s second-to-none.
Indeed the Patriots may end up kicking themselves in the butt for balking at Welker’s requests for a new contact. Some may argue that Welker has the right to test the waters of free agency before he commits to his old team, surely there is another team in the NFL that values his skillset more than the Patriots and, more importantly, backs it up with a fat contract.
For the Patriots’ sake let’s hope they can work out a deal with Welker, there is no doubt how crucial of a player he is in the franchise and how important his presence is to their success. It will be tough to play against him, that is for sure.
