Wes

Welker

The Commanders fired Ben Steele from the tight end coaching role after a DWI arrest in June. Welker joined the team as an offensive assistant last offseason and will now transition to coaching the tight ends. Head coach Dan Quinn said Welker’s title is not official, but he will be in charge of Chig Okonkwo, Ben Sinnott, and the rest of the tight end room in training camp.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss was the first to report the move. The former Patriots wide receiver is reportedly joining the team as a personnel analyst but had worked as a receivers coach for the 49ers (2019-2021) and most recently with the Dolphins (2022-2024). Welker’s familiarity with GM Adam Peters and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury likely played a role in the move and gives Welker a chance to expand his resumé as a coach/front office member.

The Dolphins also parted ways with special teams coordinator Danny Crossman. Coming off an 8-9 season, Miami needed to make some changes. Mike McDaniel is now firmly on the hot seat heading into 2025. Welker has been coaching in the NFL since 2017 and has held the title of wide receivers coach for Miami and San Francisco. He should be able to land a similar gig elsewhere if he chooses to continue his coaching career.

Welker has two seasons as an offensive assistant with the Texans as well as three as 49ers WR coach. He’ll reconvene with Mike McDaniel in Miami, where he started off his playing career. We’ll see if he gets traded for a second-round pick this time around.

Tim Dwight or Eric Parker is expected to replace Welker.

We knew Welker was headed to San Francisco, but we did not know the position. It’s a promotion for Welker after he spent two years as an offensive assistant in Houston. Welker turns 38 in May. His 903 receptions are 22nd in NFL history, but for some reason it has been Julian Edelman generating Hall-of-Fame chatter instead.

Welker has been removed from the Texans’ website. He interviewed with the Niners and Packers this offseason. His role with the 49ers is not yet known.

Although he wasn’t able to tie any NFL records this afternoon, Welker’s 11 targets led the Patriots for the second consecutive game. All the way back from his torn ACL, Welker appears to still be in his prime at age 30.

Welker saw a whopping 20 targets, leading the team by 11. He toasted rookie Aaron Williams for four catches, 67 yards and a score on the first drive, and gave the Bills’ secondary fits the rest of the way. His final catch was the most clutch of the afternoon, just crossing the stripe to tie the game at 31 on a fourth-down play. The Pats defense gave the game away on the ensuing drive. With 31 catches for 457 yards and four TDs, Welker is an elite WR1 fantasy receiver heading into next week’s game at Oakland.

Breer reports the Jets will instead mix coverages, with the goal being to create “disruption.” Sitting at 40 catches and 616 yards through New England’s first four games, Welker could set NFL records for the most receptions and yards through five games if he’s able to haul in eight passes for 89 yards this afternoon. Don’t think Revis doesn’t know that.