Patriots vs Giants: Wes Welker & Upcoming 2012 NFL Free Agents Who Need Big Game

Wes Welker is one of several upcoming free agents on the New England Patriots and New York Giants who could really make themselves a lot of money with a great performance in Super Bowl XLVI.

One thing teams look at when determining how much money to offer a free agent is how well he performs under pressure, and there's no bigger stage to perform under pressure on than the Super Bowl.

Having a great performance on football's grandest stage can make teams overpay to sign you in the offseason.

Let's look at three players who need a big-time Super Bowl performance to make a ton of money in the offseason as a free agent.

Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants

Mario Manningham is a very good wide receiver, but his large number of dropped passers is a concern to future free-agent suitors.

He is a good deep threat thanks to his tremendous speed, and could be a real playmaking threat on a team where he'd be a No. 1 or 2 option.

Manningham is clutch, however, which is something few players in the NFL can boast about during free agency. This postseason, Manningham has caught many important passes in pressure situations, including the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers.

With a great performance in Super Bowl XLVI, Manningham could greatly increase the number of teams that will show interest in him this offseason.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, New England Patriots

BenJarvus Green-Ellis is the Patriots' starting running back and has played well this season despite the offense's pass-first emphasis each game.

Green-Ellis is only 26, but with younger and less expensive options at running back such as Danny Woodhead and Stevan Ridley, the Patriots might not bring "Law Firm" back unless he has a tremendous performance in the Super Bowl that changes their minds.

New England would be smart to establish the run early against the Giants, but either way, Green-Ellis will certainly get his chances to shine in the Super Bowl.

Wes Welker, WR, New England Patriots

Wes Welker? Why would he need a big game, he's one of the best wide receivers in the NFL? Well, that's true, but is he a player that the Patriots should pay $10 million or more per season long-term? That's a lot for a receiver and before Welker came to New England he was average at best.

Regardless, he is still someone of massive importance to the success of the offense and he makes Tom Brady's job at quarterback much less stressful.

The Patriots don't overpay for players though, and have shown the willingness to cut stars like Lawyer Milloy and Brandon Meriweather when their production didn't match their salary demands. The team's ownership is very conscious of the salary cap and does not give out contracts that could diminish their flexibility under the cap.

With a great Super Bowl, Welker could make himself a player that the team chooses to keep around for the rest of his career.

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