It was a question that would have seemed obvious just two years ago, but time, injury and attitude can change drastically in that span.
Will we ever see former Patriots, Broncos and Rams great Wes Welker play again?
"That's kind of the million dollar question right now in trying to figuring that out," Welker said Wednesday on NFL Total Access. "I think I'm weighing my options and really trying to figure out where to go with life next. But there are some days I wake up and I'm like 'OK, I'm done.' And other days I wake up and I'm like, 'Oh, maybe one more year.' But I'm trying not to rush into any decision but at the same time, prepare myself for not playing."
Welker, who just turned 35 and has dealt with head injuries throughout his 12-year career, admitted that concussions have been a major factor in his decision.
"They definitely factor in," he told NFL Network's Lindsay Rhodes. "Especially when you start having kids and having your family and everything. A lot of those things come into play and you start thinking about the future down the road."
Welker had a forgettable eight-game stretch with the Rams last season after several workouts across the NFL. Welker caught 13 of 22 targets for 102 yards as a third-down option for the struggling St. Louis offense.
On one hand, it's disappointing to hear him wrestle with his future. Inside the Patriots' Erhardt-Perkins system, Welker helped redefine the modern NFL no-huddle and sent teams scrambling into the draft to hunt down a Welker-type wide receiver. There might have been more failed attempts at developing another Wes Welker by other teams than any other prototypical role player over the last decade. In reality, only the Patriots succeeded in finding a second (Julian Edelman). At his peak, Welker was seeing more than 160 targets per season and catching between 112 and 122 passes.
Welker, though, is smart enough to know what's best for him. It might be hard to imagine teams calling for him after 32 clubs had the chance to lock him down last season, but it would be enjoyable to see him tearing up the seam again.
