FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have placed the franchise tag on receiver Wes Welker.
Welker has been selected to the Pro Bowl for four consecutive seasons. Last year, he led the NFL with 122 receptions and was second in the league with 1,569 yards receiving.
But he also failed to come down with a critical pass from Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, which the Patriots lost to the New York Giants 21-17. Whether it was a drop or a bad pass has been debated in New England ever since.
The Patriots designated Vince Wilfork as their franchise player in 2010 and Logan Mankins last year. Both players had the tag lifted when they agreed to contract extensions.
The Patriots said in an unattributed statement that the goal is to use the franchise tag to work out a deal.
