Welker’s Loyalty Not Returned By Patriots

[Hammock Parties]

Hmmm. Curious.

http://www.golocalprov.com/sports/sc...d-by-patriots/

Wes Welker learned a valuable lesson this week. He learned that when it comes to doing business with the New England Patriots, that loyalty isn’t a two-way street.

Welker learned Monday at 4pm that the Patriots were not interested in giving him a lucrative multi-year contract like the one he was seeking. Instead, they were happy to pony up the $9.5 million in salary this season to pay him as their “franchise” player.

Yes, when it comes to the business of football, the New England Patriots mean business. They will pay whom they want to pay and how much they want to pay them and nothing more. Wes Welker learned this the hard way.

In the National Football League, a player’s leverage when it comes to getting paid is the threat of holding out is they do not receive the deal that they want. Welker knew this, but made it clear that he would not hold out if he could not reach a long-term deal with New England and, instead, he signed the franchise tender.

Welker did this because he is a man of principle. He assumed that showing a little loyalty to the Patriots might buy him a little in return from the organization. Fat chance!

Since 2007, no receiver in the NFL has had more receptions than Welker including a league-leading 122 catches last season. Some might argue that he is a product of the Patriots’ system and playing alongside Tom Brady. Fair enough. But he has just concluded a 5-year, $18 million contract, a deal he outperformed by a large margin.

But the Patriots don’t care about what you did yesterday. They want to know what you can do for them tomorrow. And, obviously, they have some questions as to how long the 31-year old Welker can perform at such a high level.

No one epitomizes the “Patriot Way” of doing things more than Welker. He is a hard-working, selfless player who says and does the right thing. At the end of the 2009 season, he suffered a torn ACL leaving many to wonder how he would perform after having surgery. Two seasons, 208 receptions, 2,417 yards and 16 touchdowns later, I think we have our answer.

There have been many players who have given into the Patriots in contract negotiations because of their desire to remain a part of a winning organization. But there have also been some who have challenged the Patriots and many of them have cashed in.

Richard Seymour, Assante Samuel, Deion Branch and Logan Mankins are a few examples of those who made it clear that they would not bow at the altar of Bob Kraft and, as a result, they got paid. The squeaky wheels got the grease.

Meanwhile, Welker tried to play the good soldier and all that it got him was a 1-year deal.

I guess it’s true when they say that nice guys often finish last.

[007]

It's the Patriot way bitches!!!!

[Hammock Parties]

Oh. My.

Originally Posted by king of kings

BB has a very long history of doing this. They offered him a descent contact. He just wanted more years & money. This will be the last year he is a patriot.

[RealSNR]

I can't wait until Brady retires and the Patriots struggle to find a replacement.

Let's see Belichick openly show the door to a player like Welker THEN and not break a sweat

[Hammock Parties]

Oh. Oh my, you mean the Patriot Way lowballed? NEVER!

http://www.boston.com/sports/columni...ts_decisi.html

Welker dropped the ball on these negotiations (insert bon mot about his reception gone awry in Super Bowl XLVI here). He sacrificed his leverage the same way he has so selflessly sacrificed his body over the middle the last five seasons, signing his $9.515 million franchise tender two months ago.

Welker's pledge to do the right thing was his undoing. His relatively modest contract demands -- he would have done a deal for three years and $22 million, $5 million less than the deal Randy Moss got in 2008 -- weren't met. The team's best offer was two years, $16 million.

It was not a coincidence that the three franchised players who won their multi-million dollar staring contests on Deadline Day and got profitable new pacts -- Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee -- all balked at signing their tender. The only recourse a player has is withholding his services or threatening to withhold them.

So, the financially-savvy folks in Foxborough won yet another contract debate, but at what cost? They have sent a powerful message by not rewarding either Welker's production or his unfailing fealty. Playing nice with the Patriots doesn't pay off. Playing hardball does.

[Hammock Parties]

Only way to beat the Patriot Way? Be a complete ****ing dick.

Vince Wilfork didn't get his five-year, $40-million deal from the Patriots in 2010 until he abstained from voluntary OTAs (organized team activities) before the 2009 season, and then following it called the franchise tag "basically a slap in the face."

In 2010, a displeased Logan Mankins, deprived of free agency by the machinations of an uncapped year, publicly accused owner Robert Kraft of reneging on a contract pledge and demanded a trade. He then proceeded to engage in a protracted sit-out, missing training camp and the first eight weeks of the season. Mankins got the franchise tag following the season, and then got a six-year, $51-million extension last summer.

Even Tom Brady had to express some displeasure before getting a deal.

[SPchief]

Gochiefs, what's your point in this?

[listopencil]

At $9.5 MIL for a year, he's getting paid well. His salary was just tripled.

[kstater]

CHEAPS

[Silock]

Couldn't care less. They have trophies. It's a business. And Welker is getting paid a phat load of money for a year.

[Red Dawg]

Originally Posted by Silock

Couldn't care less. They have trophies. It's a business. And Welker is getting paid a phat load of money for a year.

Not Welker. He's go no rings and won't get one.

[Aries Walker]

Maybe we can pick him up next year, to replace Bowe.

[BillSelfsTrophycase]

Nick Wright said it best...


The Patriot way = one thing....

Draft Tom Brady

[BoneKrusher]

Originally Posted by BillSelfsTrophycase

Nick Wright said it best...


The Patriot way = one thing....

Draft Tom Brady

yep.
good luck to any team trying the Patriot way and drafting Tom Brady.
that shit only happens once in a lifetime.

[Deberg_1990]

Hes certainly caught a ton of passes, but the Pats are doing the right there here.

His stats are somewhat inflated because of their system. Hes not an "elite" talent.