Wes Welker is scheduled to be a free agent this off-season. After facing free agency last year, the New England Patriots decided to franchise tag him instead of giving the soon-to-be 32 year old wide receiver a long-term deal.
There has been rampant speculation on whether or not the Patriots will bring Welker back. But it appear he has at least a couple of great receivers on his side. Randy Moss and Michael Irvin specifically.
Per the Boston Herald: “Absolutely, absolutely crazy,” Irvin told the Boston Herald when asked if New England would be crazy to let Welker walk. “But I also think Wes would be crazy leaving the Patriots. What you need is a great coach that says, ‘I recognize your skill set. Let me make sure I ask you to do what you do best.’ That’s what Wes does. That’s what New England does with Wes. That’s why it’s a perfect fit.”
Randy Moss then reminisced on the time he and Welker were teammates in New England.
“It was a great combination because of what we were able to do to benefit from one another,” Moss said. “He’s the wide receiver that you need for your dirty work. … He takes the hits across the middle. He takes the short routes and takes them 20, 30, 40 yards for the first down or maybe the touchdown. You can really appreciate the guy’s work.”
I certainly agree with both that Welker has earned and deserves a long-term extension with the team.
But at 32 and technically on the downside of a career, are the Patriots willing to commit that type of money to Tom Brady’s favorite target?
We’ll have to wait and see.