Wes Welker showed up at practice 15 minutes before it started every day as a Miami Dolphins player, just to warm up for warmups.
Now he inherits a Miami Dolphins receiving corps that had trouble showing up for practice at all.
Welker was called too short by scouts, too slow by coaches and ‘’Vince Papale,” by teammates — after such an unlikely Philadelphia Eagle that a Mark Wahlberg film was made about him.
Now Welker inherits a Dolphins receiving corps that looked right out of NFL Central Casting, until kickoff.
Welker is back with the Dolphins as receivers coach after a stellar career and six years as an NFL assistant and said he’s excited to come from San Francisco with new coach Mike McDaniel.
“This is where I started my career,’' he said. “This is where I went from being basically a free agent to becoming a good player in the league.”
For this new regime to work, the same front office needs to be better at finding what’s as clear as Welker’s penetrating blue eyes.
It needs to find more Wes Welkers.
More receivers who, like Jaylen Waddle, don’t just practice every day and produce every game. More who compete every practice and actually play every game. More who are physically durable enough, mentally tough enough and bottom-line productive enough to help fuel a good offense.
The Dolphins probably can’t rid themselves of every receiver beyond Waddle and and energetic Mack Hollins due to replacement and contractual reality. But they can try.
They already are trying in some form, as Preston Williams is going out the door after three years when all the talk of his talent rarely got beyond his health or production.
Will Fuller won’t be back after signed for $10 million last offseason despite missing a third of his career to injury. He played two games for the Dolphins.
Lesson learned? Do you believe a player when he keeps telling you who he is? We’ll see. The Dolphins receivers consisted of injured careers who got injured again last year.
DeVante Parker didn’t practice much again last season after missing training camp and preseason. He’s played a full season just once in his six years. He missed six games last year.
Welker missed eight games in 10 seasons until his final, retirement year in 2015. He played banged up, stitched up and amped up in a manner that defined who he was.
He had such focus former college coach Mike Leach at Texas Tech once said Welker, “taught me that ‘focus’ and ‘concentration’ was a talent. Everyone has it at different levels. His is off the charts.’’
Now Welker is a coach, and he’s learned what every good player does on the road to becoming a good coach.
“I’m not coaching myself,’’ he says.
But that’s what he Dolphins need. Not in the measurables of size and speed, but the immeasurables of toughness and competitiveness.
Welker wasn’t offered a college scholarship until Texas Tech called when another player reneged. He was then called, “The Natural” by Texas Tech coaches (Upon meeting his parents a coach asked, ‘Are you The Natural’s parents?’ and his mother, confused, answered, “Yes, we’re his natural parents.”)
Welker wasn’t invited to the NFL combine much less drafted. His agent suggested Canada. As a Dolphins rookie in 2004, he became the second player in NFL history to return kickoffs and punts and kick a field goal and extra point in the same game.
That was against New England, which snatched him up as a restricted free agent in 2007. Winning teams always have players like Welker and losing teams always wonder why they never do.
Now he’s back as coach. He’s learned playing for Bill Belichick and coaching San Francisco receiver Deebo Samuel.
“I always knew Bill was about matchups,’’ he said. ‘So when you’re on third down and you get a first down, then you go fast and put Deebo in the backfield and you’re in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three receivers) and then next thing you’re in 21 personnel (two running backs).
“He’s pretty much one of the best running backs as well. It’s tough on defenses and match up.”
There’s no Samuel on the Dolphins roster. But the lesson is clear: You do what your personnel allows. That’s the challenge for the front office after too many years of so much failing.
Don’t make dumb decisions like they did in getting rid of Welker.
Go find more Welkers.
