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Rams Practice Report: Integrating Welker Into the Offense
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Practice-Report-1110-Integrating-Welker-Into-the-Offense/ed3737f0-cb66-4e79-a9b7-bdd095d064a8
Fresh off signing as a free agent on Monday, Wes Welker participated in his first practice with St. Louis on Tuesday afternoon. The veteran wideout said after the session he was glad to receive another opportunity to continue his career.
“I just love playing -- I love playing ball,” Welker said. “I feel like I can still play at a really high level. I went into this offseason not knowing what I was going to do, started training, and really saw that I still had it. That made me really want to play and made me want to get out there -- go out there, and contribute, and help out. And that’s what I hope to do.”
After catching passes from Tom Brady with the Patriots, Welker spent the last two years with Peyton Manning and the Broncos. But the 34-year-old receiver didn’t find the right fit for another team before the season started. Plus, his family had expanded, as his wife had twins a few months ago.
“It’s tough, obviously,” Welker said of being away from his family. “I get pictures from my wife and get pictures a lot -- trying to stay connected as much as possible. It’s a couple months and she knows my aspirations to play, and she knows I love playing ball. She’s very supportive of me.”
With the mutual interest from Welker and St. Louis, the wide receiver brought up a few reasons as to why the Rams are a good fit for him -- including quarterback Nick Foles.
“Obviously they have a great team, they have a great running back, and great defense,” Welker said. “Nick is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league, for sure. I was excited about the opportunity to get with the Rams.”
Now the wideout’s brought his vast experience to a club that can use it. He immediately becomes the oldest player on the roster -- by a few years at that.
“That’s the first time that’s happened,” Welker said. “I’m used to having Peyton (Manning) or someone else in the locker room that makes me feel young.
“But I feel like I’m young at heart,” Welker continued. “That’s the way I like to play, and practice, and the attitude I like to bring to the game. I’ve probably wised up a little bit through the years. I know how to have fun and enjoy myself on the field.”
Like many, running back Todd Gurley watched the wideout make plenty of plays growing up. And coincidentally, Gurley said he’d been talking about Welker with fellow RBs Benny Cunningham and Chase Reynolds last week.
“Next thing you know, Chase sent the text and said, ‘Hey Benny, Wes Welker is here.’ I thought he was lying,” Gurley said. “I didn’t realize he’d been in the league that long. It’s crazy, but he has had some success around the league and we’re happy to add him.”
One of the most important skills Welker brings to the Rams is his past success on third down. Over the course of his career, 79 percent of the passes Welker’s caught in the situation have resulted in first downs. The Rams’ struggles on third down this season are well documented, and head coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday he’s expecting Welker’s presence to help.
“You know what, I’ll anticipate if he does play and he converts the first down, they’ll probably start chanting ‘Welker’ rather than ‘Gurley,’” Fisher joked. “That’s what he’s done -- he moves chains. He just moves the chains. It’s just a matter of he and Nick getting on the same page here in a short period of time. We’ll just see what happens.”
That said, it’s unfair to assume Welker will alleviate all of the third-down issues. And Welker even tempered some of those expectations after practice.
“I don’t see myself as being the solution to all that,” Welker said. “I’m just here trying to learn the offense and do anything I can to help out.”
In order to possibly do so this week, Welker said he’s been spending extra time with the coaches and Foles to get up to speed. One of the factors that may aid in that endeavor is the offense implementing packages for him. Fisher said that’s the easiest way for a player entering a team midseason to get on the field.
“You don’t come in say, ‘Hey, unless you learn the whole offense, you’re not going to play,’” Fisher said. “We package things for most everybody. So, we’ll have a package for him and we’ll just see how comfortable he is. But, I mean, he got some good work out here today.”
Fisher also said that just having Welker’s presence on the field can open more things up on the offense for players like Tavon Austin.
“If [Welker’s] able to play, which we’re hopeful that he is, now you have ‘11’ running around there,” Fisher said. “We all know if [Austin] gets the ball in his hands, he can go the distance. Now, you have another guy that you’ve got to contend with that’s going to get you the first down.”
And so as Welker continues to acclimate himself to his new environment, he’s taking a wait-and-see approach for what he should be able to bring to the Rams.
“In the past, I’ve just been trying to be a tough, smart football player out there on the field,” Welker said. “I’ll see if I can still keep on doing that. It’s early to see, so we’ll just see how it plays out.”
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Practice-Report-1110-Integrating-Welker-Into-the-Offense/ed3737f0-cb66-4e79-a9b7-bdd095d064a8
Fresh off signing as a free agent on Monday, Wes Welker participated in his first practice with St. Louis on Tuesday afternoon. The veteran wideout said after the session he was glad to receive another opportunity to continue his career.
“I just love playing -- I love playing ball,” Welker said. “I feel like I can still play at a really high level. I went into this offseason not knowing what I was going to do, started training, and really saw that I still had it. That made me really want to play and made me want to get out there -- go out there, and contribute, and help out. And that’s what I hope to do.”
After catching passes from Tom Brady with the Patriots, Welker spent the last two years with Peyton Manning and the Broncos. But the 34-year-old receiver didn’t find the right fit for another team before the season started. Plus, his family had expanded, as his wife had twins a few months ago.
“It’s tough, obviously,” Welker said of being away from his family. “I get pictures from my wife and get pictures a lot -- trying to stay connected as much as possible. It’s a couple months and she knows my aspirations to play, and she knows I love playing ball. She’s very supportive of me.”
With the mutual interest from Welker and St. Louis, the wide receiver brought up a few reasons as to why the Rams are a good fit for him -- including quarterback Nick Foles.
“Obviously they have a great team, they have a great running back, and great defense,” Welker said. “Nick is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league, for sure. I was excited about the opportunity to get with the Rams.”
Now the wideout’s brought his vast experience to a club that can use it. He immediately becomes the oldest player on the roster -- by a few years at that.
“That’s the first time that’s happened,” Welker said. “I’m used to having Peyton (Manning) or someone else in the locker room that makes me feel young.
“But I feel like I’m young at heart,” Welker continued. “That’s the way I like to play, and practice, and the attitude I like to bring to the game. I’ve probably wised up a little bit through the years. I know how to have fun and enjoy myself on the field.”
Like many, running back Todd Gurley watched the wideout make plenty of plays growing up. And coincidentally, Gurley said he’d been talking about Welker with fellow RBs Benny Cunningham and Chase Reynolds last week.
“Next thing you know, Chase sent the text and said, ‘Hey Benny, Wes Welker is here.’ I thought he was lying,” Gurley said. “I didn’t realize he’d been in the league that long. It’s crazy, but he has had some success around the league and we’re happy to add him.”
One of the most important skills Welker brings to the Rams is his past success on third down. Over the course of his career, 79 percent of the passes Welker’s caught in the situation have resulted in first downs. The Rams’ struggles on third down this season are well documented, and head coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday he’s expecting Welker’s presence to help.
“You know what, I’ll anticipate if he does play and he converts the first down, they’ll probably start chanting ‘Welker’ rather than ‘Gurley,’” Fisher joked. “That’s what he’s done -- he moves chains. He just moves the chains. It’s just a matter of he and Nick getting on the same page here in a short period of time. We’ll just see what happens.”
That said, it’s unfair to assume Welker will alleviate all of the third-down issues. And Welker even tempered some of those expectations after practice.
“I don’t see myself as being the solution to all that,” Welker said. “I’m just here trying to learn the offense and do anything I can to help out.”
In order to possibly do so this week, Welker said he’s been spending extra time with the coaches and Foles to get up to speed. One of the factors that may aid in that endeavor is the offense implementing packages for him. Fisher said that’s the easiest way for a player entering a team midseason to get on the field.
“You don’t come in say, ‘Hey, unless you learn the whole offense, you’re not going to play,’” Fisher said. “We package things for most everybody. So, we’ll have a package for him and we’ll just see how comfortable he is. But, I mean, he got some good work out here today.”
Fisher also said that just having Welker’s presence on the field can open more things up on the offense for players like Tavon Austin.
“If [Welker’s] able to play, which we’re hopeful that he is, now you have ‘11’ running around there,” Fisher said. “We all know if [Austin] gets the ball in his hands, he can go the distance. Now, you have another guy that you’ve got to contend with that’s going to get you the first down.”
And so as Welker continues to acclimate himself to his new environment, he’s taking a wait-and-see approach for what he should be able to bring to the Rams.
“In the past, I’ve just been trying to be a tough, smart football player out there on the field,” Welker said. “I’ll see if I can still keep on doing that. It’s early to see, so we’ll just see how it plays out.”
