Wes Welker and NFL Stars That Deserve Better

The NFL is a harsh, cut-throat business. 

Sometimes, even spectacular production doesn't get rewarded with a lavish, multi-year contract that we see many players receive across the league on an annual basis. 

These four superstars aren't exactly hurting for money, but based on what they've done in the past, as well as what they're capable of in the future, they deserve better. 

Wes Welker 

Welker will play under a one-year, $9.5 million deal as the Patriots' franchise player in 2012. Like just about every franchise player, he was looking for a multi-year contract before he signed the tender. 

Welker has been Tom Brady's favorite target since he joined the team in 2007. He's caught an outrageous 554 passes since then and has absolutely terrorized teams on first and third down. Welker set a career high with 1,569 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season, and he averaged a respectable 12.9 yards per grab. 

Although he's 31 years old and has a knee injury in his past, the Patriots probably should treat him with a little more respect and offer him a two- or three-year extension. 

There's no real sign of his production slowing, anyway. 

Matt Forte

Forte has been the life force of what otherwise has been a rather anemic Chicago Bears offense. Even behind relatively porous offensive lines, he's averaged 4.5 and 4.9 yards per carry over the last two seasons. He also had 1,487 yards from scrimmage in 2011 through 12 games, before going down with a season-ending injury. 

He's one of the most multi-faceted backs in football, but he has yet to be paid like one. 

Forte's witnessed guys like DeAngelo Williams, Marshawn Lynch and, most recently, LeSean McCoy get reasonable but definitely lucrative multi-year deals. Still, he's seen nothing besides a one-year, $7.7 million franchise tag from the Chicago Bears. 

The team added Michael Bush to their backfield and Brandon Marshall to their receiving corps this offseason, but Forte's still the heartbeat of the offense. 

I know the shelf life for running backs is short, but Forte deserves to be paid for his past accomplishments and for the creativity he adds to the Bears offense in the future. The last thing the team should be worried about is losing their featured runner during a time when they loaded up to make run at Super Bowl over the next few seasons. 

Drew Brees

I know, Brees is "whining" about having to play on a one-year, $14.4 million deal, but I understand where he's coming from. The last time he was hit with the franchise tag was in San Diego. He then suffered a devastating shoulder injury and had nothing. 

He wants a long-term deal, and really, what more does a quarterback need to do to deserve one? 

Brees has won a Super Bowl, he massacred Dan Marino's passing record last season and he has been an outstanding presence in the New Orleans community. 

His deal could potentially run upwards of $100 million, possibly making him the richest player in the NFL. The terms are probably extremely complex, with a handful of intricate clauses and incentives. 

Because of all that, patience is needed. 

However, Brees needs to be treated fairly by the organization he resurrected. 

Ray Rice 

Rice is, unequivocally, the most important player on the Ravens offense. He led the NFL with 2,068 yards in 2011, and he is a menace out of the backfield as a pass-catcher for quarterback Joe Flacco. He's also only 25 years old and doesn't have any major injury past. 

He was named the team's franchise player in March and, like Forte, would play on a $7.7 million deal in 2012 if he doesn't come to an agreement on a long-term deal. 

LeSean McCoy's six-year, $45 million contract seems ideal for Rice—a player of McCoy's caliber, who's just as vital to his respective team. 

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