Nearly a month after the 2015 free agent period officially got underway, veteran wideout Wes Welker has finally been linked to a potential suitor, and it’s a team he has played for in the past. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Welker is paying a visit to Miami today to meet with the Dolphins.
It appeared through the first few weeks of free agency that Welker’s age (34 next month) and injury history might be scaring off potentially interested teams, and there was some uncertainty about whether or not he’d continue his playing career. However, the Dolphins are one club in need of a veteran receiver. Miami parted ways with Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, and Brandon Gibson this offseason, and has hosted Michael Crabtree and Greg Jennings for visits recently, as the team considers potential complements for Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills.
According to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Jennings – who visited the Dolphins yesterday – left the club’s facility without a contract, though an agreement between the two sides remains “very much a possibility.” Of course, the Fins may not return to negotiations with Jennings until they talk to Welker and get a sense of the former Bronco’s asking price.
Welker, an 11-year veteran, spent some time with the Dolphins near the start of his career, before the team sent him to New England in a 2007 trade. Since that deal, Welker has racked up 794 receptions in eight seasons for the Patriots and Broncos, and earned five Pro Bowl nods. 2014 was by far his worst season during that stretch, however, as injuries limited him to 14 games, in which he totaled 49 catches and just 464 receiving yards.
Per Salguero, the Texans showed “mild interest” in Welker prior to the start of free agency, but the Dolphins are believed to be the first team to host him for a visit.