Appearing on NFL Network Thursday, NFL insider Michael Lombardi confirmed that the Patriots will place the franchise tag on Wes Welker if a long-term deal can’t be reached. “They’ve been trying all season to get a deal done,” said Lombardi, “but it hasn’t come to fruition yet. … They’re not going to lose Wes Welker. He’s going to be a part of their team.” The Pats would prefer to sign their leading receiver to a 2-3 year deal. The wide receiver franchise tag will drop from $11.5 million to roughly $9.4 million this year.