Patriots All Pro wide receiver Wes Welker announced on Twitter that he has signed his franchise tender:

I signed my tender today. I love the game and I love my teammates! Hopefully doing the right thing gets the right results. #leapoffaith

Welker has been in negotiations with the team for a longer contract extension after being the Patriots most reliable receiver for the past five seasons. The tag he has signed is a one year deal for $9.5 million. While Welker is worth that much for the season, he is hoping that his good faith in the front office will pay him back with a longer contract.

Welker is 31 years old, which is old for a receiver. Receivers typically see a drop off in production between the ages of 33 and 34, so the Patriots are hesitant to extend him beyond that horizon. Hopefully the Patriots can extend Welker in a fair value deal that both sides are happy with.