In hindsight, Pats were right to let Welker walk
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The reason, sadly, is concussions. The diminutive slot receiver went down with a dreaded "C word" last night after taking a shot from Texans safety DJ Swearinger. Welker now has three diagnosed concussions since November 17, leading fellow and former players concerned about his safety long-term.
Wes welker you've put up really good nbers and made a lot of money now pls consider walking away. The constant. Concussions aren't worth it
— Derrick Mason (@deemason85) August 24, 2014
Welker was productive last year, catching 67 balls for 697 yards and 9 touchdowns in his first year in Denver's prolific offense. However, he's starting to look like damaged goods just one year after leaving Foxborough, and it's hard to imagine him getting any significant offers after his contract expires this year due to that terrifying concussion history.
While it's unlikely the Patriots forsaw Welker's health deteriorating this quickly, they obviously had some reservations about making a big, long-term investment in the wideout. Many have speculated that the decision was influenced by a rift between Welker and head coach Bill Belichick and, given what we know, it's not unreasonable to think that may have played a role.
However, we're now seeing some of the more logical reasons for the Pats to hold off on a big contract play out. Welker was approaching his 32nd birthday when free agency opened last year, and had a lot of tread on his tires after six years as one of Tom Brady's go-to guys. At that point, it should have been clear to everyone that Welker's best football was behind him, not ahead.
How many times did we see Welker get popped over the middle by a much bigger player, only to marvel at how quickly he bounced back up? As impressive as his toughness was, those hits have clearly added up over the years. Who knows how many undiagnosed concussions he's sustained over a lengthy career?
Welker's lack of size (5'9, 185) contributed to his status as a fan favorite, but also made it more unrealistic that he would continue to withstand the amount of physical punishment he was taking in New England. Simply put there's no way for anyone, especially at that size, to keep taking that many hits without physically breaking down, especially when said player is entering his mid-thirties.
We all watched Welker get up time and time again after taking a beating. The Pats were willing to keep Welker around, hence the "low-ball" offers they made at the time, but were unwilling to pay Welker based on past performance without taking factors like age, workload and health into consideration. After looking at Welker now, just a year later, it's hard to argue with their reasoning.
Again, hindsight is 20/20. But, just like they were right with Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Willie McGinnest, Mike Vrabel, Lawyer Milloy and Deion Branch, it appears the Pats once again made the tough decision to move on from a popular player just in the nick of time.
