Sad news, New England Patriots fans. Longtime favorite and two-time Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola is expected to sign with the Miami Dolphins, according to NFL Network host Dan Hellie. Peter Schrager reported that Amendola will sign a two-year deal worth $12 million with $8.25 million in guarantees once the new league year begins.
Danny Amendola is staying in the AFC East… expected to sign with Miami Dolphins per source.
— Dan Hellie (@DanHellie) March 13, 2018
Danny Amendola/Dolphins terms, per source:
2 years, $12M (incentives in there), $8.25 guaranteed. @nflnetwork @NFLonFOX @gmfb
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 13, 2018
Report: Miami Dolphins Will Sign Danny Amendola to Two-Year Deal
The 32-year-old veteran should be moving on to warmer pastures when free agency officially begins on Wednesday. Amendola originally signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He moved around quite a bit before joining the Patriots in 2013.
Since then, Amendola has become not just a fan-favorite, but one of Tom Brady‘s favorite targets. He took over many of Julian Edelman‘s duties last season after Edelman went down with a preseason ACL tear. He was dubbed “Danny ‘Playoff’ Amendola” by Rob Gronkowski during the playoffs last year and delivered his best postseason performance yet in 2017, reeling in 348 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
With this move and the earlier signing of ex-Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson, the Dolphins seem set at the receiver position after trading Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns. Losing Amendola does not bode well for the Patriots offense or special teams. The loss of Amendola will leave New England without one of their top punt returners. That duty will likely fall to Cyrus Jones who will be returning from a torn ACL.
However, if there’s one thing Patriots fans can take solace in it’s the team’s deep talent at the receiver position. New England’s receiving corps now includes Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt, Brandin Cooks, Phillip Dorsett, and Edelman.
Amendola has repeatedly restructured his contract in the past to stay with New England and play with Brady, but the decision to part ways was likely brought on by limited cap space and the decision to pick up Kenny Britt‘s second-year option.
