The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... Welker has officially had the franchise tag placed on him, a league source told Boston Globe staffer Greg Bedard.

Diehards Line:Assuming Welker signs the tender, he willl be paid about $9.4 million guaranteed next season. According to Boston Herald staffer Ian Rapoport, signing the tender might also mean the veteran receiver is anticipating an agreement will be reached on a long-term deal at some point down the road. Conversely, waiting, or failing to sign would ratchet up the nastiness perhaps to the point of Welker withholding his services throughout the offseason, training camp and possibly beyond. The preference on both sides is to hammer out a multi-year extension. Welker wants the security, while the Pats would like a friendlier cap hit. That still remains the likely scenario. To this point, however, since the season ended, there haven’t been any offers on the table. Welker, who turns 31 in May, had signed a five-year, $18 million deal with the team in 2007. Since his arrivial, he’s made 554 catches for 6,105 yards with 31 touchdowns. He’s also been named to four Pro Bowls.