Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk.com, says Welker may not get big money

Doesn't count I am very pleased to kick off our number four of the DNC -- are different from pro football talk dot com Mike -- -- not got caught out of the end of NBC sports joins -- Michael how are you guys do for hours -- In England and three in your brain starts to -- out your years as my brings. So I'm not done early on the day. -- any theories on new England's incomparable. Regular season records. And in the recent run of post season failures is that possible. Is it possible the soft schedule of AFC east does that hard them for the playoff crunch. I don't know that that's the case looked every NFL team is is. A challenge. That there's so much parity now that the gap between the best team in the worst team is narrower than ever before. It's just the reality when you get to the post season it's so intense and everybody's reaching for that brass ring. And to be in the conversation every year -- mean you think back over the last decade is only one year the patriots have a qualify for the postseason and they were eleven of five without Tom Brady a year. This is a team this consistently knocking on the door. And he gets spoiled by that run of success early on those three Super Bowls in four years. Set a standard for the franchise a standard for bill ballot second -- for Tom Brady. That it's just virtually impossible to continue that I mean every other quote unquote dynasty we've seen. Fades at some point not long after winning their last Super Bowl. These guys haven't faded they continue to hang around they continue to get to the final four they continue get the Super Bowl the only problem is. And I don't want one in eight years and count. If you are immersed yourself Mike yet -- Wes Welker a saga it is the topic the biggest topic -- -- imagine appeared do you get a sense either way giving you stay do you think he's gone how much money do you think he would command on the open market. Well he falls into the category of a veteran player who's going to have to see what else is out there before he realized -- whether or not he'll take. What the patriots are offering in the risky you'd take as the patriots is that they'll be some team. That has an owner who decides to make what could be a bad football decision but what definitely is a good business decision. And jump on Wes Welker for the name recognition. To have the press conference in March where you hold up the New Jersey. And you get people excited and get him to buy tickets and maybe you can also hurt. A division rival if you're the bills the the jets -- the dolphins not today there's three teams are gonna go after a -- that would be the kind of a formula. 818 willing to spend more. Then the patriots will spend and -- team willing to maybe make what would be a bad decision has may be walkers at the same guy and any other offense. And about -- about a Denver green bay of veteran quarterback who would. Get the most that a welcome the way Brady does. You CDC eighteen or two. That would make sense wouldn't be summed them crazy owner -- -- makes good football sense small bet that but for good football sense see those teams that would make good football sense also have good business sense. And they're not gonna go out overpay for Wes Welker now the question is would he take less money. To go somewhere else is he got to deport Horry doesn't wanna play for the pages I haven't sensed that he got paid a heck of a lot of money. In 2012 we still had a good season he still got some gas in the tank. Does he want to this day. With the patriots with Tom Brady with -- the second. You don't we just assumed it and had nationally people just assume that everybody now lock -- got a Super Bowl ring Wes Welker doesn't have one. The vast majority of those guys don't have one there's still pushing for their first one so there's still a sense of unfinished business I would assume that Wes Welker has. After completing his six seasons with the patriots. When Aqib Talib arrived mid season we started to seek incremental. Increases and held -- defensive backs played until the together they were pretty solid. We have some that adding a good player like that. Also somehow fix the scheme in the end and and and and the way they're playing defense and -- goes down on the football game and they seem to revert back to the days before Talib was here is the scheme brought the players not the good ones that they need to have in their. Site and its players it's it's definitely players when you lose a good player and all of a sudden the defense gets worse it's because of the player and and that you get elite player and your your teams you look a lot better regardless of what scheme you run in now I have to decide what to do. With to leave Verity gave up the draft pick to get him. And now I have to decide how much money wanna pay to keep them around and and he falls in that same -- were mean he has to go out see what's out there because. He brings a heck of a lot of baggage and I don't know that anybody's gonna give him huge money. See the best one best cover corner out there of their other guys available. Hitting free agency he's probably the best is because good cover corners don't hit free agency -- just doesn't happen -- good in their you know young guys going for the second contract I mean there may be some aging guys out there that get cut. And the son to Samuel was available in trade for peanuts last year. But but from the standpoint of of a guy who's on the front end right -- over as prime. He's he's the best one but do you wanna bring a got a town that's gotten in -- -- -- -- got big money and bring in the town what he's gotten in so many issues off the field. We watch what ray Lewis and Suggs and certainly Bernard Pollard did in terms of this to Kelly and aggressiveness in that football game you consider the patriots Mike -- be a physical aggressive football team. Not comparison to the -- right then again who is in comparison. And Baltimore -- -- mean the jets would love debate but they just don't have that the personnel to do with the forty niners fall into that category of -- endemic. I remember that -- ravens 49ers -- Thanksgiving night even though it was only sixteen to six that was just hard hitting intense game the Seahawks are getting close in that category. I mean I think teams are realizing the only way to deal with the physical NFL team has to be physical and if you're not the it's going to be very difficult to beat them. Was that the difference in this football game. That let Pollard did seem to change everything and just just changed the whole tone and -- around -- football game and I'd love to know more about the x.s and those behind the scenes because something happened at halftime that it was like rocky switching from my hand back to south hall where all of a sudden. The ravens offense can do no wrong. And the Patriots offense can do no right and it LL mail was some mayor Mike. And Terrell Suggs and god knows we all heard him talk real hurt him rant and -- after the game. Calling the patriots the most arrogant pricks in the world I I understand. Where he would come off -- -- Dick coach. Is on the arrogant side he -- Steve tasker is kinda got that reputation but. The players I mean we talked to him all the time. There they are just the opposite they don't say anything there is no bravado there is no. You know cocky this there's no Terrel Suggs in this at least publicly we never accurate. Who's arrogant a well I. I think that he focuses on the top of the pyramid in Bill Belichick in one step down and Tom Brady even though when you talked to Brady he's a different guy carries himself in a way. That that especially defensive players who -- wired to hate every quarterback even the ones on their own team. Then he's gonna fall within that splash zone as well as -- do you talk about Belichick and Brady. And he resist it which -- Suggs being sides he just needs as the big blow hard and -- does a lot of times with a smile on his face. And many apologizes for a few minutes later but he's gotten he's gotten the fun of us saying whatever is -- set. San Francisco seems to have the better team the Baltimore Ravens seem to have the motivation of the inspirational Ray Lewis is very shelf life to this or can he sustain this for two more weeks and one more game. All all he can sustain it I mean the guy gets himself so worked up -- it spills over the rest of the players and it was so obvious when he told his teammates the Wednesday before the wild card game against the colts. That the timing was named Asia kicking those guys in the but because they've really lived down the stretch they lost. Four out of their final five games I believe they were 93 at one point and -- started to fall apart and and they just. They just did not look like a team that was ready to succeed in the post season you got to credit John Harbaugh the head coach for making what ultimately it was a move desperation getting rid of the office coordinator Cam Cameron. Giving the at the reins to Jim Caldwell and Caldwell who was never an offensive coordinator in Indianapolis -- quarterbacks coach and then head coach. He came in there and he's done great things with that offense so between the coaching move. And between the Lewis retirement. Angle that has carried this team I think the 49ers are built to sustain what they've done the last two years a lot more in the ravens decided there's a chance after this Lewis influence is gone. And some of these freeagent sleeve. Did the ravens may crumble. You don't like it seems to me even more improbable than two Brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl. Is that two Brothers both decide to make monumental mid season changes one as you referenced the offensive coordinator. The other from one quarterback who don't pretty damn good to another quarterback and somehow it works out in both cases they get to the Super Bowl. Yet Johns was a move of desperation engines was a move of opportunity and he was criticized heavily at the time for doing it and -- tell you what is one of the few times I got on the right bus when this all happened because I said look the one thing Jim Harbaugh has access to that none of us who were questioned him. Would would know. Is how calling -- conducts himself in the meeting room. How he conducts himself with a homer. How he looks on the practice field mean yes you see him at times in pre season but that's misleading -- disease out there with other backups as well -- look good in the pre season and he looked at the spot duty. Earlier this year and Harbaugh had faith in him. And it was a move both for the president and for the future and if it didn't work out this year they didn't get any farther than Alex Smith took them well you're laying the foundation for future success which are not gonna have a -- -- Alex Smith. It worked short term it's gonna work long term. And and heart was a guy we so we you know he's a good quarterbacks coach she's got the most out Alex Smith and -- capita. But seven of those pro bowlers on the team this year they -- pro bowlers before Jim Harbaugh was the head coach. Where does honey badger and up and always talk a budget teams now. Weir's eagle on the draft you know I I've. Vaguely recall somebody high up with one of the team suggesting mid round pick that he just doesn't have the size and with -- that the baggage and you know the NFL. Generally the teams don't care if someone smokes marijuana. The question is if you find yourself in the position where you have to choose between marijuana and football. Will you choose football because once you get into the programming of -- realized before you're in the program you can smoke all you want. Unless it falls out of your your jacket. -- you know you have your test pre season early training camp you don't get randomly tested for marijuana. It's only if you do something then now all of a sudden then you're -- -- but once you're caught watcher in the system. You're tested multiple times you've got to step away from -- you get suspended ultimately like Ricky Williams suspended for a year. So that's the key. As as the honey badger got to the port where he can choose football over marijuana that's going to be the biggest question for anyone -- interest in. And Monica and -- I want -- ask about your partner -- NBC partner Peter King. Thanks Scott Pioli will go on -- TV now I never look at -- appeal and said there's a TV guy. Is he is he is in is gonna get back in and a football back on the front office included -- here Floyd Reese. Just part and just departed. How could we see the return appeal why they gave a possible mean we've seen that dynamic over the years were guys who were successful in New England not successful wells were comeback to New England again. But what it looked. I can speak for myself -- somebody was paying me however many millions a dollar Scott Pioli gonna get in 2013. To not work for the chiefs. I'd I'd be inclined to it to take it easy for year -- survey mile options very carefully not just jump back into a situation. Without really having an opportunity to think things through would surprise me if we see him in TV. At and the thing is just you know we shall we we get an image of someone based on the role that they have. It you know because look the general manager and VP of player personnel are supposed to take a backseat for most of these teams. It becomes different when you're sitting out their front Saturn finally have a chance to speak your mind. Speaking of new faces in new places Mike which new head coach is in the best position to win and win quickly and the other side of that -- question is. Which new coach in a new place is. Has in front of him the hardest road -- well let me start there because I think pre series in Arizona really has a tough challenge they've got no quarterback their offensive line is in shambles. Enter -- division where you've got the Super Bowl possible champions 49ers this. Hawks are right up there. The rams are on the upswing not that long ago -- NFC west was attractive destination. For coach now you look at it's I don't wanna be there's less about a quarterback or offensive line. And my defense is going to be very different because the defensive coordinator got upset and laughed and now he's with the browns on the other side of that. Mike McCoy -- San Diego it makes some sense to me because you've got a franchise quarterback and you're in a less competitive division. In that same vein mark -- minute Chicago because you have a quarterback but the NFC north a much tougher division right now in the AFC west so I think McCord stepped into a pretty good situation at -- Diego and a lot of guys want a bad job. You had. Andy Reid warning that job Bruce areas one of that job people wanted that job and chiefs owner mark hunt made sure he locked eighty read a room and said if you go anywhere else we're gonna hire somebody else. And that's what kept read from off from really exploring what could have been their -- in San Diego. -- this new uprising final question dream Mike Florio of the athletic quarterback who can make plays with his feet is this going to be a passing bad. -- injuries like the one we saw RG three suffer start to pile up on other guys like a cap or nick or Earl Wilson. No because the key is. Having the instinct to both avoid contact. And you know how to absorb contacted a way to keep you from getting injured in Barry Sanders was very good at this is one of the reasons why last as long as he did the NFL's it -- walk away on his own terms when you -- Russell Wilson. When he takes a hit. He instinctively positions his body at the last second to take that hit a way that doesn't injure him not to happen it got twisted up like a pretzel in the pocket. On Sunday but I haven't any quarterback in the pocket when -- long and lanky like that you're gonna get twisted around you better be flexible and cap Nick Diaz. I think we're gonna see more and more quarterbacks who are mobile and can throw accurately it's not just the ability to run they're gonna look for guys who can run. And you can -- too early and as more and more of them infiltrate the NFL the guys who can't run down. Like the one that you have this it's going to be more glaring -- Mike how do you think Michael Lombardi will do in Cleveland and since he's set -- Belichick when we suddenly see. A budget deals going on here between the browns and patriots was so weird situation Mike Lombardi is very polarizing. Their people who love them they're people who don't like him and it's. As Jim Nance CBS's been explaining he's been on a one -- campaigning Cleveland took a prop up Mike Lombardi this idea that there -- backs -- out there there are. There are people who don't like Lombardi who are in the business and they're not afraid to say so it's hard to really tell why. And I -- the browns. I don't know how broad should its he's gonna do is head coach. But when you're able to lure nor Norv Turner and ray Horton their to a top coordinators in the gamer and -- -- north turn to such a good offensive coordinator keeps getting hired for job we can't do -- -- Dead it's going to be interesting to see what happens at the browsing now that they've completely -- at the front office in the coaching staff except for complex special teams coordinator. What will they do with the roster how much are they willing to tear the roster down in the hopes of building it back up into something that can be successful he has. I think were on the -- -- Mardi. You'll you'll never see the jets make a deal with the -- because every time we talked to him he picture -- the jets doesn't like the jets just don't like him. He'd -- Belichick Belichick loves him there I mean they may not be major deal possibly trade is definitely not to go to Cleveland yes absolutely it's up. And they trade down and they get Cleveland's third and fifth rounder in the and the browns get patriots first round and up and nobody says it's. Everybody's happy -- we do work for both teams in the pages get their first rounder next year. Yeah. -- -- three is from great buddies plan for the long Albany try to get good coordinators. Although ray Horton picked epic problem. Yeah yeah. But Brady's under senator humble and proud that I gonna run it but get ready for a bunch of patriots -- deals will get to buffalo calls extra bills and --