Wes Welker signs with Denver Broncos / Amendola to Pats (Merged)

[BleedGreen1989]

Sorry didn't realize Amendola was added in the other thread heading. Feel free to delete this

[birdwatcher]

We all hate to see a player we admire move on, but I'm okay with it. Welker is a fantastic receiver and will fit great in Denver, albeit he won't be getting 100+ receptions a season with the other receivers they have on that team.
But remember that his remarkable amount of receptions and yardage was just that--he moved the chains. We didn't have a running game and needed to pick up yards somehow. All those slants and bubble screens--that's how he made a living for us and we really needed him then. Our offense is evolving now, we have a dynamic running game, two nearly uncoverable TE's and one of the best QBs in history. Wes was great, but his subtraction will actually help clear some space in the middle and help our offense be a little less predictable.
Amendola is only 3 years in the league, and although he isn't as durable as Welker, he has a similar skill set and is a burner. We're getting a similar player who is 4 or 5 years younger for the same money we offered Wes guaranteed for 5 more seasons. That is a solid value, and the kid doesn't have to be in the slot to be successful. He too is a Josh McDaniels product, along with Brandon Lloyd who was admittedly unspectacular. I really feel this offense is changing into something we haven't seen from a Patriots team yet. Hell, the Pats made slot receivers a vital position in this new passing dominant league, and now they are changing the mold with TE's. We may even see Hernandez move to the outside, lining up at WR and picking up another dynamic TE. Just a whole other layer of match up problems for defenses with lots of shifting and crosses that leave anyone in coverage spinning in circles. Let's just wait and see what their plan is. We may haven't won a Superbowl in almost ten years, but we have been pretty much right there EVERY YEAR. Hopefully we can seal the deal, and I know we can do it without Welker.

[blink]

Welker's deal w/ DEN: 2 yrs $10M all guaranteed.

Amendola's deal w/ NE: 5 yrs $31M $10M guaranteed.

Take it as however you want it.

Wow. I was trying to find the numbers on Amendolas deal but couldn't. Very sad to see him get the 6mill (plus an additional 3 years??) instead of Welker. Sad day for this Patriot fan

Believe me, every team in the AFC east is doing handstands.  Maybe Amendolas has some future upside?  I don't know.  Welker at least deserved to be matched at the 2 year 10mil range.  I am in shock.

Does Wes have some unknown injury or something else going on?

The thing about Amendola is he's quite good, he is Wes Welker like, but unlike Welker he is the opposite of durable.  And he hasn't played meaningful games either.

If you consider that your three best pass catchers can be considered injury prone now... well that could fall apart real quick.

That is one of the things I respect most about Wes.  He is as tough as they come.  He will get lit up going across the middle and he just keeps on coming back to burn you again. 

Maybe Amendola will be great?  I just can't see how they don't sign their own league leading future hall of fame (maybe?) guy for the same money.

[Donoghus]

Welker's deal w/ DEN: 2 yrs $10M all guaranteed.

Amendola's deal w/ NE: 5 yrs $31M $10M guaranteed.

Take it as however you want it.

Wow. I was trying to find the numbers on Amendolas deal but couldn't. Very sad to see him get the 6mill (plus an additional 3 years??) instead of Welker. Sad day for this Patriot fan

Believe me, every team in the AFC east is doing handstands.  Maybe Amendolas has some future upside?  I don't know.  Welker at least deserved to be matched at the 2 year 10mil range.  I am in shock.

Does Wes have some unknown injury or something else going on?

Guilty of being a 5'9" slot guy on the wrong side of 30.

[kozlodoev]

Welker's deal w/ DEN: 2 yrs $10M all guaranteed.

Amendola's deal w/ NE: 5 yrs $31M $10M guaranteed.

Take it as however you want it.

Wow. I was trying to find the numbers on Amendolas deal but couldn't. Very sad to see him get the 6mill (plus an additional 3 years??) instead of Welker. Sad day for this Patriot fan

Believe me, every team in the AFC east is doing handstands.  Maybe Amendolas has some future upside?  I don't know.  Welker at least deserved to be matched at the 2 year 10mil range.  I am in shock.

Does Wes have some unknown injury or something else going on?

The thing about Amendola is he's quite good, he is Wes Welker like, but unlike Welker he is the opposite of durable.  And he hasn't played meaningful games either.

If you consider that your three best pass catchers can be considered injury prone now... well that could fall apart real quick.

I guess they decided to take the risk and go with a more injury prone guy who's younger and could be had on a long-term, team-friendly deal.

If he doesn't pan out, I guess they can easily reassess in 2 years, which would have been pretty much the case with Welker anyhow.

[clover]

We all hate to see a player we admire move on, but I'm okay with it. Welker is a fantastic receiver and will fit great in Denver, albeit he won't be getting 100+ receptions a season with the other receivers they have on that team.
But remember that his remarkable amount of receptions and yardage was just that--he moved the chains. We didn't have a running game and needed to pick up yards somehow. All those slants and bubble screens--that's how he made a living for us and we really needed him then. Our offense is evolving now, we have a dynamic running game, two nearly uncoverable TE's and one of the best QBs in history. Wes was great, but his subtraction will actually help clear some space in the middle and help our offense be a little less predictable.
Amendola is only 3 years in the league, and although he isn't as durable as Welker, he has a similar skill set and is a burner. We're getting a similar player who is 4 or 5 years younger for the same money we offered Wes guaranteed for 5 more seasons. That is a solid value, and the kid doesn't have to be in the slot to be successful. He too is a Josh McDaniels product, along with Brandon Lloyd who was admittedly unspectacular. I really feel this offense is changing into something we haven't seen from a Patriots team yet. Hell, the Pats made slot receivers a vital position in this new passing dominant league, and now they are changing the mold with TE's. We may even see Hernandez move to the outside, lining up at WR and picking up another dynamic TE. Just a whole other layer of match up problems for defenses with lots of shifting and crosses that leave anyone in coverage spinning in circles. Let's just wait and see what their plan is. We may haven't won a Superbowl in almost ten years, but we have been pretty much right there EVERY YEAR. Hopefully we can seal the deal, and I know we can do it without Welker.

Yep.  I like the Amendola signing.  At four years younger, they well could get more production in the come years from him than they'd have got from Welker.  To get five years of this guy for a reasonable price but only have to guarantee $10M is pretty good, too.

[Roy H.]

We all hate to see a player we admire move on, but I'm okay with it. Welker is a fantastic receiver and will fit great in Denver, albeit he won't be getting 100+ receptions a season with the other receivers they have on that team.
But remember that his remarkable amount of receptions and yardage was just that--he moved the chains. We didn't have a running game and needed to pick up yards somehow. All those slants and bubble screens--that's how he made a living for us and we really needed him then. Our offense is evolving now, we have a dynamic running game, two nearly uncoverable TE's and one of the best QBs in history. Wes was great, but his subtraction will actually help clear some space in the middle and help our offense be a little less predictable.
Amendola is only 3 years in the league, and although he isn't as durable as Welker, he has a similar skill set and is a burner. We're getting a similar player who is 4 or 5 years younger for the same money we offered Wes guaranteed for 5 more seasons. That is a solid value, and the kid doesn't have to be in the slot to be successful. He too is a Josh McDaniels product, along with Brandon Lloyd who was admittedly unspectacular. I really feel this offense is changing into something we haven't seen from a Patriots team yet. Hell, the Pats made slot receivers a vital position in this new passing dominant league, and now they are changing the mold with TE's. We may even see Hernandez move to the outside, lining up at WR and picking up another dynamic TE. Just a whole other layer of match up problems for defenses with lots of shifting and crosses that leave anyone in coverage spinning in circles. Let's just wait and see what their plan is. We may haven't won a Superbowl in almost ten years, but we have been pretty much right there EVERY YEAR. Hopefully we can seal the deal, and I know we can do it without Welker.

Yep.  I like the Amendola signing.  At four years younger, they well could get more production in the come years from him than they'd have got from Welker.  To get five years of this guy for a reasonable price but only have to guarantee $10M is pretty good, too.

I understand your argument, but I disagree.  I think in the short term, Welker is clearly the better player and fit.  When you're a championship caliber team, I think the focus needs to be on maximizing a shot at a title.  The Pats took a step back, and I think that's potentially wasting some of Brady's last great years.

[BleedGreen1989]

Welker's deal w/ DEN: 2 yrs $10M all guaranteed.

Amendola's deal w/ NE: 5 yrs $31M $10M guaranteed.

Take it as however you want it.

Wow. I was trying to find the numbers on Amendolas deal but couldn't. Very sad to see him get the 6mill (plus an additional 3 years??) instead of Welker. Sad day for this Patriot fan

Believe me, every team in the AFC east is doing handstands.  Maybe Amendolas has some future upside?  I don't know.  Welker at least deserved to be matched at the 2 year 10mil range.  I am in shock.

Does Wes have some unknown injury or something else going on?

The thing about Amendola is he's quite good, he is Wes Welker like, but unlike Welker he is the opposite of durable.  And he hasn't played meaningful games either.

If you consider that your three best pass catchers can be considered injury prone now... well that could fall apart real quick.

I guess they decided to take the risk and go with a more injury prone guy who's younger and could be had on a long-term, team-friendly deal.

If he doesn't pan out, I guess they can easily reassess in 2 years, which would have been pretty much the case with Welker anyhow.

Exactly what I don't get. The guaranteed money was the same. If the Pats really wanted some youth at WR (understandable) they could of easily drafted Tavon Austin in the first round or EJ Miller in the 3rd round. Any way I look at this I'm very disappointed.

Why take away Brady's #1 guy in the last few years of his career?? Errrr the more I talk about it, the more mad I get.

[Snakehead]

Welker's deal w/ DEN: 2 yrs $10M all guaranteed.

Amendola's deal w/ NE: 5 yrs $31M $10M guaranteed.

Take it as however you want it.

Wow. I was trying to find the numbers on Amendolas deal but couldn't. Very sad to see him get the 6mill (plus an additional 3 years??) instead of Welker. Sad day for this Patriot fan

Believe me, every team in the AFC east is doing handstands.  Maybe Amendolas has some future upside?  I don't know.  Welker at least deserved to be matched at the 2 year 10mil range.  I am in shock.

Does Wes have some unknown injury or something else going on?

The thing about Amendola is he's quite good, he is Wes Welker like, but unlike Welker he is the opposite of durable.  And he hasn't played meaningful games either.

If you consider that your three best pass catchers can be considered injury prone now... well that could fall apart real quick.

I guess they decided to take the risk and go with a more injury prone guy who's younger and could be had on a long-term, team-friendly deal.

If he doesn't pan out, I guess they can easily reassess in 2 years, which would have been pretty much the case with Welker anyhow.

You hit the issue with it for me here.  Basically, yes Amdenola could be cut I suppose without too much money in a couple years if it doesn't work out.  But Welker's deal would have only been 2 vs 5 years and it lines up virtually perfectly with Brady's contract.  I don't get it.

My guess is that the Amendola deal might have been short and for less, but when Welker signed with Denver he had leverage.  If not... well yeah I don't get it from the Pats perspective.

Talking about how tough Welker is, think of the hits he has taken over the middle.  I believe Amendola broke his collarbone this season not getting hit on a diving catch.  So yeah, be prepared to see that happening.  It's a pattern.

[birdwatcher]

We all hate to see a player we admire move on, but I'm okay with it. Welker is a fantastic receiver and will fit great in Denver, albeit he won't be getting 100+ receptions a season with the other receivers they have on that team.
But remember that his remarkable amount of receptions and yardage was just that--he moved the chains. We didn't have a running game and needed to pick up yards somehow. All those slants and bubble screens--that's how he made a living for us and we really needed him then. Our offense is evolving now, we have a dynamic running game, two nearly uncoverable TE's and one of the best QBs in history. Wes was great, but his subtraction will actually help clear some space in the middle and help our offense be a little less predictable.
Amendola is only 3 years in the league, and although he isn't as durable as Welker, he has a similar skill set and is a burner. We're getting a similar player who is 4 or 5 years younger for the same money we offered Wes guaranteed for 5 more seasons. That is a solid value, and the kid doesn't have to be in the slot to be successful. He too is a Josh McDaniels product, along with Brandon Lloyd who was admittedly unspectacular. I really feel this offense is changing into something we haven't seen from a Patriots team yet. Hell, the Pats made slot receivers a vital position in this new passing dominant league, and now they are changing the mold with TE's. We may even see Hernandez move to the outside, lining up at WR and picking up another dynamic TE. Just a whole other layer of match up problems for defenses with lots of shifting and crosses that leave anyone in coverage spinning in circles. Let's just wait and see what their plan is. We may haven't won a Superbowl in almost ten years, but we have been pretty much right there EVERY YEAR. Hopefully we can seal the deal, and I know we can do it without Welker.

Yep.  I like the Amendola signing.  At four years younger, they well could get more production in the come years from him than they'd have got from Welker.  To get five years of this guy for a reasonable price but only have to guarantee $10M is pretty good, too.

I understand your argument, but I disagree.  I think in the short term, Welker is clearly the better player and fit.  When you're a championship caliber team, I think the focus needs to be on maximizing a shot at a title.  The Pats took a step back, and I think that's potentially wasting some of Brady's last great years.

Understood, everything comes down to chemistry and the final result will be delivered this time next year. Amendola was leading the league in receptions until his injury, and that was with Sam Bradford and a pretty inept offense. We aren't trying to replace Welker with Amendola, but yes, we still need a slot receiver, and this is a better value.
I give you credit Roy, you are always consistent with your arguments, as this is the same stance you took with the Perkins Trade.

[Cman]

The Amendola deal is a good deal. There is no questioning that (especially since most of it is non guaranteed).

But I just don't understand not resigning Welker for what seems to be very reasonable terms, especially given the rapport between Welker and Brady.

[blink]

We all hate to see a player we admire move on, but I'm okay with it. Welker is a fantastic receiver and will fit great in Denver, albeit he won't be getting 100+ receptions a season with the other receivers they have on that team.
But remember that his remarkable amount of receptions and yardage was just that--he moved the chains. We didn't have a running game and needed to pick up yards somehow. All those slants and bubble screens--that's how he made a living for us and we really needed him then. Our offense is evolving now, we have a dynamic running game, two nearly uncoverable TE's and one of the best QBs in history. Wes was great, but his subtraction will actually help clear some space in the middle and help our offense be a little less predictable.
Amendola is only 3 years in the league, and although he isn't as durable as Welker, he has a similar skill set and is a burner. We're getting a similar player who is 4 or 5 years younger for the same money we offered Wes guaranteed for 5 more seasons. That is a solid value, and the kid doesn't have to be in the slot to be successful. He too is a Josh McDaniels product, along with Brandon Lloyd who was admittedly unspectacular. I really feel this offense is changing into something we haven't seen from a Patriots team yet. Hell, the Pats made slot receivers a vital position in this new passing dominant league, and now they are changing the mold with TE's. We may even see Hernandez move to the outside, lining up at WR and picking up another dynamic TE. Just a whole other layer of match up problems for defenses with lots of shifting and crosses that leave anyone in coverage spinning in circles. Let's just wait and see what their plan is. We may haven't won a Superbowl in almost ten years, but we have been pretty much right there EVERY YEAR. Hopefully we can seal the deal, and I know we can do it without Welker.

Yep.  I like the Amendola signing.  At four years younger, they well could get more production in the come years from him than they'd have got from Welker.  To get five years of this guy for a reasonable price but only have to guarantee $10M is pretty good, too.

I understand your argument, but I disagree.  I think in the short term, Welker is clearly the better player and fit.  When you're a championship caliber team, I think the focus needs to be on maximizing a shot at a title.  The Pats took a step back, and I think that's potentially wasting some of Brady's last great years.

I agree with this 100%, and said almost the same thing.  Why mess with the pairing of brady / welker?  For the same money over the next two years, a super reasonable contract.  I think that this makes the Pats a little bit less deadly. 

I keep thinking there has to be more to the story?  But I guess not.

[jambr380]

It definitely stinks that we weren't able to bring back Welker. Obviously there must have been some underlying reasons since the terms are very similar. We do know that there has been plenty of tension over the last year.

However, it would have been much much worse had we not signed Amendola. Welcome to town, Danny, and I hope you have as much success as your predecessor!

[kozlodoev]

You hit the issue with it for me here.  Basically, yes Amdenola could be cut I suppose without too much money in a couple years if it doesn't work out.  But Welker's deal would have only been 2 vs 5 years and it lines up virtually perfectly with Brady's contract.  I don't get it.

My read is that with Amendola, if it works out you're not back to square 1 with the WR run in 2 years (which you would be with Welker), and if it doesn't -- you're no worse than you'd have been with Welker (except for potentially wasting 2 years of Brady's career ).

[Neurotic Guy]

As a trade for the next 2 years, Welker for Amendola is a risky deal based on injury history. 

However, it's a deal that could work out great for the Pats.  As every year, it's all about health.  If Danny, Gronk, Aaron, Julian, Ballard and others are healthy, the Pats will not miss Wes at all.