Welker: I'm 'completely happy' with situation

PEABODY -- After saying that things had “gotten worse” in his contract talks with the Patriots, Wes Welker appeared to change his tune Saturday morning, saying that was a “probably a bad choice of words,” and adding that he’s “completely happy” with his situation.

“That was probably a bad choice of words, saying they had gotten worse,” the wide receiver said during a break at his football camp Saturday morning at Bishop Fenwick High. “They’ve stayed the same. I’m franchised for the year, and I’m completely happy with that. I’m completely OK with it. I look forward to contributing to the team in 2012.

“I’m excited to be back. I’m excited to be a Patriot. I’m excited to be out there on the field coming up with OTA’s and minicamps with my teammates. I’m looking forward to the 2012 season and us going out there and getting better.”

“I’m not frustrated whatsoever. I’m ... I know the words that came out made it seem that way, but I’m not frustrated at all. I’m making five times more than what I did last year. There’s no frustration there.”

When Welker signed his tender on Tuesday -- a one-year deal worth roughly $9.5 million -- he Tweeted: “I signed my tender today. I love the game and I love my teammates! Hopefully doing the right thing gets the right results. #leapoffaith” Asked about what the hashtag meant Saturday, he shrugged.

“I’m going out there and wanting to help the team win,” he said. “I don’t know ... it’s probably not the wisest choice of words. But sometimes you react on emotion once and a while, and it gets the best of you. I’m just excited to be on the team and excited to go out there and help the team win in 2012.”

Asked if he was “disappointed” that the two sides hadn’t been able to reach an accord on a long-term deal, Welker said he was “totally content” with his current situation, and added that he was “looking forward to moving forward and getting ready for the 2012 season.”

“It is what it is. I just enjoy playing ball and I enjoy being out there and enjoy playing the game. That’s never going to change,” said the 31-year-old Welker, who said he plans on being present for the start of OTA’s on Monday. “You can get caught up in it and react silly sometimes, but you know what? We’re getting paid to play a game we love, and there’s no need to get into everything else about it.

“It’s all relative. My outlook on it is to just go out there and play the game that I love to play and play as hard as I can and let everything else take care of itself. That needs to be my outlook on things, and I’m playing on a great team, and in some way, I’m trying to contribute to that team.”

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