Scott Cunningham - Getty Images
over 1 year ago: MIAMI - OCTOBER 4: Wes Welker #83 of the New England Patriots is tackled by Sean Smith #24 of the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Field on October 4 2010 in Miami Florida. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
In 2004, the Miami Dolphins signed a recently released wide receiver from the San Diego Chargers. Coming out of Texas Tech, Wes Welker had been undrafted, before being signed by the Chargers for training camp. Eventually, the team would attempt to sign him to their practice squad, but the Dolphins were looking to use him on the active roster, and he headed to Florida.
Welker would spend three years with the Dolphins, developing into a high successful slot receiver, and shining on special teams. During his rookie year, Welker became just the second player in NFL history to return a kick, return a punt, kick an extra point, kick a field goal, and make a tackle in one game.
After the 2006 season, the Dolphins offered Welker, a restricted free agent, a second round tender, with a $1.35 million one-year contract. However, the New England Patriots suddenly came into the picture, and looked ready to snatch the wide out from the Dolphins. The Patriots were free to negotiate a contract with Welker, but Miami would have had seven days to match.
So, the Patriots were looking to add a poison pill to the deal. Essentially, New England was looking to add a stipulation stating that if Welker played a certain number of games (around 5) in the state of Florida, a huge bonus would kick in. That bonus would prevent the Dolphins from being able to match the offer, and New England would be able to sign Welker, sending a second round pick to Miami for him.
In the end, rather than officially put the poison pill into an offer, the Patriots worked out a trade with the Dolphins, sending their 2007 second and seventh round picks to Miami for Welker.
Since arriving in New England, Welker has caught the most passes in the league - 80 passes more than anyone else over that span.
But, now the Patriots are left in the same position as the Dolphins. Welker is most likely going to be a free agent this offseason. There's a good chance that New England will throw the franchise tag on Welker, paying him the average of the salaries of the top five wide receivers in the game. But, the Patriots also don't want to pay Welker as a top wide receiver, given his role is really as a slot receiver, not a typical number one. And, the Patriots historically aren't afraid of letting a veteran player walk away, rather than over paying for him.
But, could the Patriots really let Welker walk away? And, would the Dolphins be interested in bringing him back? Miami already has Davone Bess filling the slot receiver role, so how would Welker even fit?
I don't see the Dolphins going for Welker, even if he some how does not end up back in New England, which I think is a near certainty. But, I do really enjoy the idea of him being back in a Dolphins jersey, mostly just because he wouldn't be in a Patriots jersey anymore.
What do you think?
0 recs | 27 comments
I'll stick Bess!!!...
GLGL - February 12, 2012
*with
GLGL - February 12, 2012
Sign Welker
The problem is going to be there will be a bidding war for Welkers services, which will make him prohibitively expensive. Though if Miami did, they could trade Bess. I do think Miami is better off going with Marlon Moore in the slot. He has a lot more speed than bess, though probably not as good hands.
tpl - February 12, 2012
speed doesn't matter in the slot
You need quickness(agility), great route running and great hands, none of which Moore has. If we were to develop Moore, he would fit better as a replacement to hartline, not bess, while Roberto wallce would fit a Brandon Marshall-esque role. I’m not saying Wallace and Moore are even close to the talent of marshall and hartine, thy is just the type of players they are, neither of them would successful in the slot.
AnishB15 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
stay out of it
leave welker alone we will need cap space for flynn and others
aldolphins13 - February 12, 2012 via Android app
stick with Bess much younger& more mileage left....too many
other needs to fill!
We don’t know how Gates is working out & we need speed to stretch the field opposite Brandon the “Beast”!
MassFinFan65 - February 12, 2012
gates is looking like a bust right now, even though that may change
We would be better served getting manningham or garçon in free agency.
AnishB15 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Jeez
The guy was only played one year, only hit the field a handful of times and targeted less than five times (that I remember), two of which resulting in PI calls in his favor. Don’t throw a bust tag on him already.
PhinNomenol! - February 12, 2012 via Android app
while he may still be able to succeed, he is approaching 27, and doesn't have much time left
AnishB15 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Except Gates is 25...
He has plenty of time.
Finhead83 - February 12, 2012
Sorry 26, not 27
That is still pretty old for a 2nd year man, though not as bad. He still seemed to struggle when he was on the field, and did not have many game changing kick returns. He is good as the 5th WR, but we should get someone in FA.
AnishB15 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
He still has plenty of years based on age.
This isn’t like a John Beck or a Brandon Weeden situation with his age. There are plenty of players, like our own Jimmy Wilson, that enter the draft at 23 or 24. The kid can still play a decade longer in the NFL. It’s way too premature to say a 2011 4th round pick looks like a bust. He isn’t ready yet to be the #2 WR, but the kid does have some skill and did improve his returns quite a bit as the season progressed.
Finhead83 - February 12, 2012
Vincent Jackson is 29
not a burner but a reliable reciever. gates still has room to grow.
caneiac27 - February 12, 2012 via Android app
Although that trade ranked as one of the worst mistakes in Dolphins history (In my opinion)...
He is not getting younger and I think there are plenty of young Wes Welkers out there coming out of college…. sooo gonna vote “NO”
Dolphinator - February 12, 2012
The mistake they made was not tendering him higher. In the end it was a trade that they had to make.
Also the trade that reportedly caused the owners to collectively come to a “gentleman’s agreement” to no longer use them against one another. There was talk that it would somehow be worked in as part of the new collective bargaining agreement but I have not read anywhere if that in fact happened or not. Either way I would imagine that we are very unlikely to see it happen again.
texascowpunk - February 12, 2012
Too little, too late
Letting Welker go was another bonehead mistake made by the past Fins front office. They’ve been piss-poor at evaluating talent for years. That being said, Welker is older and likely to be seriously hurt sometime in the not-to-distant future. We missed the window on Welker. He’d command too much money for the risk involved in taking him. I wish he had played for us all these years instead of New England because he was one of my favorite players because of his toughness and ability to play bigger than his size. I was pulling for him to win a Super bowl, but I think New England’s days at the top are over.
straighttalk - February 12, 2012
It's not like they had any other choice
If they hadn’t traded him, the pats would have gotten him anyways and we wouldn’t have gotten anything in return.
AnishB15 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Well...
We woud have still received their 2nd round pick, but not their 7th rounder.
Finhead83 - February 12, 2012
juz get him away from the patriots
Davone_Is_BessT - February 12, 2012 via mobile
But ... But ..
We already have someone who plays slot receiver...If someone with more talent than the guy you have is available and you can bring them in… you bring them in… what does Belicheat do? Bring in 2 TEs. But Mr. Belicheat, we already drafted a TE earlier in the draft… what are we going to do with 2 TEs?
Jason Scott_90 - February 12, 2012
Not Happening!
I love Welker, he’s probably the only Pat i like but he won’t be in Miami next year. We already have Davone Bess and signing Welker as a crowded WR corp will make no sense. Our money is best spent elsewhere.
Welker thrives in NE system, as long as Brady and Belichek are in town, expect him to stay there.
Otherwise look for him to go to another successful team with a solid QB option to max his potential… I think he fits well in PIT, HOU, DET, BAL, SF or CHI.
BSerious72 - February 12, 2012
I think we go QB and DE in free agency, Welker doesnt exactly fill a need, unless you plan to utilize his speed as a number two.
I can see us also dropping back and drafting oline and secondary help in 1st and second rounds. We need a safety, though our new DC can probably do sumthing with what we have, i dont see us keeping Bell, and both Carey and paper bag RT should be gone. I really hope we make a play at Finnegan, but he doesnt fit the profile of the type of player were looking for.
dolphinfan4lyfe - February 12, 2012 via mobile
loved him while he was here, but bess has earned his spot on the team
let’s not make the same mistake with him , he’s younger, and arguably , one of the best slot receivers in the game. this past season was not his best, but I think that was a symtom of the system he was in , with daboll and sparano looking to stretch the feild . hopefully philbin will use him to his full potential in the new system, and we get many great years with him across the middle. That being said, wes welker was and is a great player, but his future production is in question, and is not worth the risk.
daytonadolfan - February 12, 2012
just
because he thrives in that system, doesn’t mean he would in the miami system. i liked him when he was in miami, but i believe we could use the money for other things than him.
yappy007 - February 12, 2012
Welker is a playmaker ... he thrived in our crappy system when he was here...
The problem was he was our only weapon and they started to just flatten him.
Jason Scott_90 - February 12, 2012
Just fine with Bess
Welker’s time is running out and our biggest needs on offense is shoring up the right side of the line, a speed rcvr to stretch the field and a seam busting TE. Would list franchise qb, but I could live with Moore if we don’t land Luck or RG3.
fin4three5yrs - February 12, 2012
too late
please dont try and correct the 2007 mistake by throwing buckets of money at him. sign peyton or flynn, or trade up for RG3…they have the receivers to be a big play offense, marshall is a beast, bess is solid, and hartline is way underrated. We’ve all seen what Peyton can to for an unathletic tight end (Dallas Clark). He could make Fasano a formidable threat. Stick with what yo u got and get elite at the QB position for once.
Shane Baglini - February 12, 2012
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