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I don't get why people want to cut Amendola yet keep Edelman around for the same relative contract. Amendola came up big in a few games and played the whole season with a torn groin, missing a few games as well as with a concussion.
Yes the knock on Amendola is his durability, but Edelman is just as fragile. Since when has he ever been reliable and consistently healthy outside of this year? So many fans love to overlook that.
If the choice ever comes down to Amendola vs. Edelman, I keep Amendola. He's a better player than Edelman and will actually cost money to release. Edelman is a product of the Patriots' system. Any slot WR in this offense will produce. Edelman isn't half the receiver he is if he were to go elsewhere. Who knows if he'll even be able to stay healthy (I know same can be questioned of Amendola).
If the Patriots go into next season with Amendola, Boyce, Dobson, Slater, and maybe Thompkins (depending on any veteran WR additions such as Emmanuel Sanders or even another rookie WR), as long as they can reinforce the Offensive Line and get any sort of production out of their Tight Ends they will be ok.
Why? Because some people can only see the last game, or at most the last season. Hence the "trade Gronk", "we can't depend on Gronk" and "Gronk can't stay healthy" talk.
Prior to this season Edelman had never played a full 16 game season, or put up more than 371 yards receiving. He had a great year, granted. But we now we are supposed to pay him a big long term contract under the assumption that he will be able to replicate it for the next 4-5 years? Amendola played injured, and he does have an injury history; but the Pats knew that history when they gave him his contract prior to this season.
One of the leading "we have to re-sign Edelman" champions on this board had this to say only last May when Edelman re-injured his foot and missed OTAs:
Good thing we are not depending on him, Slot WR's are a dime dozen.
Now that tune has changed to:
Edelman has earned the $$$ DA is currently getting nuff said!
I think the truth is somewhere in-between. Edelman isn't a "dime a dozen" player, but he's not irreplaceable, and there is a limit to how much we can spend on slot receivers, who are limited in their red zone capability and ability to stretch the field. And it's not at all clear that Edelman is going to be better than Danny Amendola over the next 4 years.