Wes Welker may be ready to go from Tom Brady to Peyton Manning.
Welker, the free agent receiver who appears to be far apart in his contract talks with the Patriots, is now in “serious talks” with the Broncos, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Although wide receiver isn’t necessarily a position of need for the Broncos, who already have Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, they surely wouldn’t mind adding a slot receiver like Welker, who has topped 110 catches in five of the last six seasons. Last year’s No. 3 receiver, Brandon Stokley, is an unrestricted free agent, and bringing in Welker while losing Stokley would be an upgrade for the Broncos’ offense.
Stealing Welker away from New England would carry the added benefit for the Broncos of weakening one of their biggest rivals for the AFC title.
It’s also possible that seeing what the interest level is from other teams is just what both Welker and the Patriots need to work out a deal of their own. So it’s no sure thing that Welker will leave New England. But if he does, Denver is looking like a strong possibility.
