From ESPN.com

PEABODY, Mass. -- Two days after telling the Boston Herald that his contract negotiations had "gotten worse," New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker backtracked on his comments.

"That was probably a bad choice of words, saying they've gotten worse," Welker said Saturday. "They've pretty much -- they've stayed the same. I'm franchised for the year and I'm completely happy with that."

"I say the same because it's a franchise tender. It was a bad choice of words because it's still one year, nine and a half (million). It's the same. It's the same contract."

This comes one day after a team source told the Boston Globe that the wideout's recent public comments regarding his contract situation have not been well-received by the Patriots.

Welker told the Herald that the decision to sign the one-year, $9.5 million guaranteed deal Tuesday was not a result of progress in negotiations.

"There have been talks, but nothing that's brightened anything at all," Welker told the Herald. "It's actually gotten worse."

But Saturday, speaking to reporters at his Old Spice football clinic in Massachusetts, Welker said that he is "fully content with everything" and looking forward to playing for the Patriots this season.

"I'm not frustrated whatsoever," Welker said. "I know the words that came out maybe seemed that way. But I'm not frustrated at all. I'm making five times more than I did last year. There's no frustration here."

On Twitter, Welker used the term "#leapoffaith" to describe his decision to sign the franchise tender. On Saturday, he backpedaled from that comment as well.

"Probably not the wisest choice of words," Welker said. "But sometimes you react on emotion every once in a while, and it gets the best of you."

Welker, who jokingly referred to reporters as "troublemakers" before taking questions Saturday, said that he will report to the team's organized team activities, which begin Monday at Gillette Stadium.

"I just enjoy playing ball, enjoy being out there, enjoy playing the game. That's never going to change," Welker said. "I think you can get caught up in it and react silly sometimes. But you know what? We're getting to play a game that we love and there's no need to get into everything else about it."

"I think that's something I need to put in perspective more, and not so much the business side of it," Welker continued. "Just enjoy playing and enjoy going out there with my teammates and playing the game that I love. That's the key thing I can do and the rest of it will take care of itself."

As for whether there have been contract talks recently, Welker deferred comment, adding that he "has people" to handle discussions with the Patriots.

"I'll keep that between (my agent) and the Patriots and whatever they do," Welker said. "For me, (I) just stay out of it as much as I can and just focus on what I can do to help the team win."