No player in the National Football League has redefined the position "slot receiver" like Wes Welker has.

Still just 33 years old, Welker has caught over 110 receptions in five of the last seven seasons. Unfortunately, Welker is his own worst enemy because of the style he plays. Welker does more than 90 percent of his damage within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage--meaning he gets hit by linebackers, runs routes through the middle and he gets hit a lot.

Against the Houston Texans, in a recent preseason game, Welker took a hit by D.J Swearinger. The hit resulted in a concussion for Welker, making it the third time he's suffered a concussion in the last 10 months. The hit wasn't considered "dirty" at all, it's just the way Welker plays the position. Running through the middle at full speed with your head down obviously puts you at a higher risk than running outside routes.

It's very unlikely Welker will play the final preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, this Thursday.

What is likely, however, is Welker will open the season against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 7. The NFL does not currently have a mandate on concussions. That is, there's no rule for missing games because of symptoms of a concussion. Team physicians simply meet with the player to see if he can pass a test for concussion. To no one's surprise, the player's almost always pass the test. Maybe it's time to put a mandatory rule in place for concussions.

Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but when a player has endured his third concussion in less than a year, extra precautions have to be taken.

Another important factor to consider here is lawsuits. We've seen dozens of instances where players have retired, only to sue the league later for "head-related injuries." Would it surprise anybody if Welker sued the NFL in the recent future because of memory loss or head injuries? Probably not. Commissioner Roger Goodell has to not only watch only for player safety, but the integrity of his league as well.

Having players return from multiple concussions the very next week could result in lawsuits, rule changes and a negative backlash from fans.

One has to wonder where the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) stands on this. The NFLPA has battled with Goodell constantly and settled with retired players who have sued the league. Instead of allowing players to play with major head injuries, maybe the NFLPA should have stricter guidelines on the return period. Time and time again, we saw players like Jim McMahon play with injuries, only to retire and sue for millions of dollars.

The owners have to watch their backs, as well, especially considering they're the employers and they're the ones who have the money. It would be wise for NFL owners to include a "no lawsuit clause" in every player contract. That way they would be protected later on down the road. How can the Broncos, Goodell and the NFLPA allow Welker to play after everything we've seen in recent years from former players?

Outside of lawsuits and money, Welker needs to worry about himself. The Denver Broncos have a quarterback who threw for a record 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns last season. It's safe to say Peyton Manning could survive one week without 5-foot-9 Welker in the slot. Retirement may be a bit of a stretch, but if Welker wants a long career, he may want to sit out a game or two.

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