Report: Danny Amendola’s Market ‘Heating Up’ With Free Agency Looming
Free agency approaches for Danny Amendola, and it sounds like the Patriots receiver will have no shortage of interest – outside of New England.
Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweeted on Thursday that the market is “heating up” for Amendola, and that he could get offers with an average annual value in the range of $3-5 million. Howe added that the Patriots “will have to make a competitive offer” in order to retain Amendola’s services.
Amendola earned about $1.7 million cash in 2017. He’s restructured his contract with the Patriots in the past three offseasons. (Miguel Benzan has a nice breakdown of those paycuts in the Boston Sports Journal.) It appears that, after Amendola had the best postseason of his career, the Pats will get no such discount this season.
Amendola on the Open Market
Danny Amendola catches a touchdown pass during the AFC Championship Game. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
The Patriots have had to conserve the historically injury-prone Amendola during the regular season so they can have him fresh for the playoffs. If they do end up making him an offer in the $3-5 million range annually, it would certainly be an overpay commensurate to what he’d give them in the first 16 games of the season. But considering what he’s given them in January and February, perhaps Bill Belichick would be willing to pay a premium price for that.
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There’s also the fact that the Patriots have committed to Tom Brady as their quarterback for the foreseeable future. It would go against that plan to let one of his most trusted receivers walk out the door. But according to recent comments by Amendola himself at a Q&A at Bryant University, he sounds ready to test the market.
Still, Amendola also said he doesn’t want to leave the Patriots. Ultimately, you can’t blame him for maximizing his value while he still can. That max value may not come from Foxboro.
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at [email protected].
Sources:
— Amendola salary information via Spotrac
— Amendola restructuing information via Boston Sports Journal
