The franchise tag for wideouts was about 10.5 mil. For Welker, who had been franchised the year before, I believe the rule is 125% of the total? So you're looking at more than 13 million dollars.
Do I need to connect the dots for you or can you figure it out?
Now you're reduced to moving the goalposts.
You went from "THEY COULDN'T AFFORD HIM!!!" to.... well, yeah, they could've afforded it, but chose not too because it's too expensive.
A stance, mind you, that only supports my original point.
They had the cap room, but chose not to franchise him.
They let him walk.
It's not a matter if YOU or I think he's worth it.
It's a matter of what an intelligent front office decided.
The Patriots looked at Wes Welker - a guy who posts such pedestrian numbers as ONE HUNDRED AND FUCKING TWELVE receptions a year and said "Not worth it. Lets move on from the player."
Meanwhile... the dumbass Cowboys looked at Anthony Spencer - who averages like 6.7 sacks a year and decided MUST HAVE AT ALL COSTS!
Is Anthony Spencer worth the 11 mil a year he'll make as a Franchise Player?
No.
Yet we gave it to him.