Time to see Welker in a Broncos jersey...
Even now, months after Patriots All-Pro wide receiver and fan favorite Wes Welker signed with the Denver Broncos, it is still going to hurt seeing him in a different jersey. Welker sported #83 during his time in New England, shattering various team receiving records while asserting himself as the prototypical slot receiver. Seriously, try to name another player who owns the short/intermediate passing game better than Welker does.
Anyways, all good things must come to an end. Both Welker and the Patriots knew the day was coming, especially after he disappointingly signed the franchise tag that the team slapped him with a year ago. The All-Pro called this signing a 'leap of faith' at the time. Unfortunately, even a year later the two sides were unable to negotiate a contract that would keep Welker in a Patriots uniform for upcoming seasons.
In the NFL, we hear all the time that at the end of the day, the league a business. This is true, but getting attached to players is something that fans do all the time. Even players and coaches find themselves creating great relationships with their 'co-workers'. Wes flat out said that he himself and quarterback Tom Brady were upset that they would be parting ways. Splitting such a good connection is something that nobody wants to see, but is a part of the game.
The Patriots have moved on as well, signing Danny Amendola and drafting some young talent that will (hopefully) fill the void that Welker left. By looks of the preseason, the Pats seem to be fairing pretty well. Regardless though, for years to come we will all wonder 'what if?'
When we look back on Welker's departure, the major factor will be Super Bowl victories. Will the Patriots finally get over the hump and win a fourth Super Bowl, but without their all-time leading receiver? If they do then we can look back with comfort and say 'maybe it really was for the best', similar to when the Red Sox traded Nomar Garciaparra then won the World Series twice. If the Pats don't win one... the 'what if?' question will always be stuck in our heads, especially if Welker and the Broncos were to win the Lombardi Trophy. If that is the case, this could be as devastating of a break-up as we could imagine.
The thing is, we won't really know what was best until the window of opportunity for the Patriots is clearly and undoubtedly shut. Until then, we can only appreciate what Wes Welker has done for the team in his 6 years playing in Foxboro. I absolutely will be rooting for him to be successful, as it's hard to root against a guy that puts 100% effort for his team every day. With that, all Patriots fans should be fully supportive of him.
Tonight Wes Welker will still be wearing #83, but in the Broncos' orange and blue rather than the Patriots' red, white, and blue. Tough to imagine, but like I said before and as we all should understand by now, it's just part of the game.
Anthony Aidonidis
@aidonidis18
Anyways, all good things must come to an end. Both Welker and the Patriots knew the day was coming, especially after he disappointingly signed the franchise tag that the team slapped him with a year ago. The All-Pro called this signing a 'leap of faith' at the time. Unfortunately, even a year later the two sides were unable to negotiate a contract that would keep Welker in a Patriots uniform for upcoming seasons.
In the NFL, we hear all the time that at the end of the day, the league a business. This is true, but getting attached to players is something that fans do all the time. Even players and coaches find themselves creating great relationships with their 'co-workers'. Wes flat out said that he himself and quarterback Tom Brady were upset that they would be parting ways. Splitting such a good connection is something that nobody wants to see, but is a part of the game.
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| Probably the greatest 'what if?' question... |
When we look back on Welker's departure, the major factor will be Super Bowl victories. Will the Patriots finally get over the hump and win a fourth Super Bowl, but without their all-time leading receiver? If they do then we can look back with comfort and say 'maybe it really was for the best', similar to when the Red Sox traded Nomar Garciaparra then won the World Series twice. If the Pats don't win one... the 'what if?' question will always be stuck in our heads, especially if Welker and the Broncos were to win the Lombardi Trophy. If that is the case, this could be as devastating of a break-up as we could imagine.
The thing is, we won't really know what was best until the window of opportunity for the Patriots is clearly and undoubtedly shut. Until then, we can only appreciate what Wes Welker has done for the team in his 6 years playing in Foxboro. I absolutely will be rooting for him to be successful, as it's hard to root against a guy that puts 100% effort for his team every day. With that, all Patriots fans should be fully supportive of him.
Tonight Wes Welker will still be wearing #83, but in the Broncos' orange and blue rather than the Patriots' red, white, and blue. Tough to imagine, but like I said before and as we all should understand by now, it's just part of the game.Anthony Aidonidis
@aidonidis18
