4) Wes Welker's impact. There's been debate this week in New England over whether or not the Patriots were correct in letting Welker, as trusted a target as Tom Brady's had in 14 NFL seasons, bolt for Denver. Those who agree with the decision often say Welker's replaceable, with a skill set that is not unique. So I figured I'd go to Devin McCourty -- a Patriots captain who played with Welker for three years and now is preparing to cover him -- and field his thoughts on the matter. "When you say a lot of guys are like him, there are a lot of guys that get compared to him," the New England safety answered. "When people see a slot receiver, it's, 'Is he the Wes Welker type?' He's the standard. To me, what makes him unique is his toughness. While I was here, I don't think he missed a game. Always at practice. Always ready to go. Not afraid to get in there and block. He does everything for your team." Here's the thing: Receivers generally go to the slot because they lack the length and catch radius to play outside. And then, because they're smaller -- playing in the land of giants, between the numbers -- they more often than not wind up hurt a lot. Welker's the outlier, and durability has become part of his skill set. In 10 years as a pro, Welker has missed three -- three -- games because of injury. In New England, averaging over 100 catches (and hits) per season, Welker played in 93 of 96 games. Somewhere along the line, he deserves credit for that. You can see his peers already give it to him. Welker, of course, suffered a concussion against Kansas City last Sunday. But he returned to practice Thursday and is probable to play Sunday night against his former teammates.