Another retired Patriot is speaking out about his displeasure with a current, active Patriots player.
“I just don’t like the diva attitude,” McGinest said on the NFL Network’s Total Access. “Let’s keep it real: prior to the Patriots, (Welker) is a guy who played three years, had 96 receptions and never had a 1,000-yard season.
“Due to a big part of the Patriots' offensive system and Tom Brady, he’s had five years where he’s had over 100 catches. Of those five years until he got hurt (in 2010), he had over 1,000 yards receiving (each year). Let’s just keep everything in perspective: a big part of that is due to the Patriots.”
While Welker’s talent isn’t really debatable, McGinest may have a point. We’ve seen it dozens of times: a player has paramount success playing for the Patriots, then signs somewhere else only to be mediocre or, sometimes, invisible. Whether or not this could, would or will happen to Welker is a big question mark, but it’s not hard to follow what McGinest is spewing.
“This $9 million-plus that they’re offering (for the 2012 season alone) is half of his last contract,” McGinest said. “That’s a lot of money. Let’s not forget that they signed Brandon Lloyd. They signed (Anthony Gonzalez). They signed (Deion) Branch back. They got the two tight ends. They have weapons on that offense.
“So, look, Wes: it’s time to take off the leopard-printed cowboy boots, get off the party tour and get back to work.”
Welker, however, isn’t buying it. He fired back at McGinest via Twitter at 3:02 p.m. EST on Wednesday:
“@WesWelker: @williemcginest why did u ever leave the Pats and play for the Browns?”
Welker was referring to McGinest’s refusal to resign with the Patriots for a reduced contract after the 2005 season, then being released. The former No. 4 overall draft pick then signed with the Browns as a free agent.
If Welker were to sign his franchise tag, he’d make $9.5 million this season. But it’s not just about money. Welker also wants long-term job security. He also knows that if he wasn’t being retained under the franchise tag, he could attract a more lucrative, long-term offer.
“Through my body of work, through the past five years, I think what I've done, I've earned a long-term deal,” Welker said on ESPN Boston Radio earlier this week. “It's what I am looking for and what I want. Hopefully that's the case and hopefully we come to something where we can make that happen."
The soon-to-be 31-year-old Welker claims he has not heard any contract negotiations from the Patriots’ end since they slapped him with the franchise tag at the end of the ’11 season.
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