New England Patriots: Should They Re-Sign Wes Welker After 2011 NFL Season?

Wes Welker is deserving of a contract extension. Anyone who has watched him this season, or any of his four seasons with the New England Patriots, knows that for a fact.

His production, both pre- and post-knee surgery, has been constant. Of course, there's his laundry list of accomplishments in that span, which includes:

• Four out of the past five seasons over 100 receptions and 1,000 yards
• Most receptions of any receiver since 2007
• Fourth-most receiving yards since 2007
• 13 games with 10 or more receptions in five seasons, the only player to accomplish that feat
• Three Pro Bowl selections and a first-team All Pro selection

But those accomplishments are just superficial remarks on his greatness since joining the Patriots.

Few receivers are as willing to do the dirty work in the middle of the field as he is. Even fewer receivers are as effective at it as he is. Knowing that linebackers lay in wait is enough to scare the shoes off of most receivers, but Welker has dropped just six passes on 89 targets between the numbers. 70 of his 104 total receptions and 976 of his 1,384 yards have come between the numbers.

It's no coincidence that he has continued to produce big numbers even as the Patriots have geared the offense toward tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Not even the great Randy Moss can claim that.

And Welker's done it all without a peep. At this point, Welker has said all the right things about his contract situation. He has been the anti-Moss in that regard.

That being said, he's the anti-Moss on the field. Welker has caught a few deep passes this season, but the brunt of his work is on short and intermediate routes. He has caught just four passes that traveled more than 20 yards through the air this season.

And although he has caught a career-high nine touchdown passes this season, he isn't a big play threat or red-zone threat as much as a chain mover. At 5'9", he's not exactly a matchup nightmare in the red zone. He has caught 31 touchdown passes in his Patriots career, or roughly six per season.

The most important thing Welker brings to the offense isn't a skill set or a quantifiable number—though his attributes in both categories are beyond proper written recognition. The most important thing is his relationship with Tom Brady.

Yes, his numbers have been helped somewhat by having one of the best quarterbacks in the game throwing him the ball, but shouldn't the opposite also be held true? Brady has struggled with other receivers who were considered to be suitable fits, but the line of receivers that have failed to develop a connection with Brady continues to grow.

Brady has commented on the quick relationship he built with Jabar Gaffney, and how he was "bummed out" when Gaffney left the team. The loss of Welker, then, would likely send Brady into depression. It's hard to imagine any duo having the type of chemistry that Brady has with Welker. The fact that the two see the defense through the same set of eyes has led to much of what we've seen from the two.

The Patriots could franchise tag Welker, and that may be the route they take. Even if they do, it may not necessarily mean that they won't lock him up long term. The last two recipients of the franchise tag were each given long-term contract extensions shortly thereafter, and Welker should be in the same boat.

Even if his skills were diminishing at 30-years-old (which, by the way, they're not), Brady's window is closing. Why should the team take a chance on him developing chemistry with another new receiver? We've seen the ugly aftermath in situations such as Brady's end-zone interception against the Redskins on a pass intended for Tiquan Underwood.

And even if his skills begin to diminish, does that mean his importance to the offense will also diminish? At 36-years-old, Donald Driver's role has only begun to diminish over the past couple of seasons, and that's as the Packers have developed receiving talent to take his spot.

As mentioned previously, the Patriots have yet to do so.

The Patriots have a tough task on their hands to properly assess Welker's value to the team. Is he worth a shade less than what Larry Fitzgerald makes (eight years at $120 million, according to ESPN) for his chemistry with Brady and for the importance of his role in the offense? Or is his value diminished by the lack of big plays?

Slapping him with the franchise tag for the 2012 season will bring the Patriots no closer to finding that answer than they are as we speak. It's clear how important Welker is to the offense, and it seems just as clear how irreplaceable Welker is.

While he may not be worth Fitzgerald money, he is more than deserving of a long-term extension. And if the Patriots want to capitalize on the last years with Brady, keeping him around should be a priority.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter.