Patriots receiver Wes Welker, who currently isn’t under contract and who has on the table a one-year, $9.5 million franchise tender, appeared Thursday night on NFL Network. Among other things, he talked about whether he’ll be attending the team’s upcoming OTAs.
“Still looking to try and decide on that. I’m in no rush and we’ll figure it out,” Welker said, via the Boston Herald.
But since he can’t show up without being under contract, the only way he could show up is (absent a long-term deal) by signing the franchise tender.
Given that he made $18 million during five prior seasons with the Pats, it sounds like Welker is tempted to accept.
“How can you ever be upset about that?” Welker said. “It’s more than half of what my last contract was over five years. So one year, $9.5 [million] -- it’s not a bad deal. I’m not too worried about it.”
Welker can show up at any point before the start of the regular season and still receive $9.5 million, fully guaranteed, for 2012. The only risk he’s taking is that the Patriots could rescind the offer.
Tom Curran of CSN New England joined PFT Live on Thursday to discuss Welker’s status and other issues relating to the Patriots. (What did you expect me to do? Paste the video into a blurb that deals with a team other than the Patriots?)