REPORT: Danny Amendola and the Patriots have agreed to restructure contract

[IcyPatriot]

Lucien and Nate Washington are pretty good competition for the last spot. Slater's roster spot is on the line with this development and the imperative to keep a 3rd quarterback.

Really?

You want a mulligan on that Slater opinion?
Patriots have one of the best special teams in the league ... Slater is the captain of the special teams.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I figured he'd do it. I never understood why some fans didn't like this guy. He's made bigger catches than Welker EVER did in the postseason and he's as tough as anyone on the team.

Great teammate, good player, holds lots of value.

Good on him, but he's not going to find it any better than he's got here and he knows that.

His 54 grabs and 4 TDs on a torn groin in 2013 showed me a lot.

Why the need to put DA over WW?

 

[Rusty Griswold]

Why the need to put DA over WW?

No need.

It's just that Welker gets this incredible pass for being mediocre or bad when it mattered in the postseason, and Amendola was great in the postseason when it mattered, and for some odd reason was scapegoated for it. It's mindboggling. The only thing Welker had over Amendola was a bit more production based on Brady's options and preferences pre-Gronk.

Amendola caught about 20% less passes because Edelman and Gronk were Brady's #1 and #2 options.

Keep in mind, Welker, in 2011, wanted Andre Johnson money per Reiss, which was around 10-12 mil per year.

No offense to Welker, but I'll take the money for Edelman and Amendola all day everyday, and twice on Sundays.

 

[patchick]

Patriots have one of the best special teams in the league ... Slater is the captain of the special teams.

...and if they didn't keep Slater, they'd just need to keep another gunner & special teams captain. That role isn't going to go away.

 

[mgteich]

...and if they didn't keep Slater, they'd just need to keep another gunner & special teams captain. That role isn't going to go away.

I agree that Slater is going nowhere.

However, it is certainly possible for our 5th CB or 5th S or 6th S or 5th LB to be our top gunners.

This year we have Slater, Bolden, Ebner and King.

I don't any of these going anywhere.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

staying is better than this route:

Still upsets me how that all went down.. Welker could have become a legendary, mythical creature here in New England if he just took that very fair offer they had on the table..

We were lucky to have him, wish he didn't leave... still want to kidney punch him for that dropped pass in SB, but id still buy him a beer if I saw him

 

[aeg]

If Dobson didn't have his bags packed already, I think it would safe to do so now.

+1

 

[Rusty Griswold]

Still upsets me how that all went down.. Welker could have become a legendary, mythical creature here in New England if he just took that very fair offer they had on the table..

We were lucky to have him, wish he didn't leave... still want to kidney punch him for that dropped pass in SB, but id still buy him a beer if I saw him

Agreed. His agent misled him and was selfish, and he paid for it. It happened to Branch, but at least Branch got rings out of it.

Great regular season player. Great weapon. Arguably the best slot WR ever.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Really good news. Brady keeps his core WRs intact and we just threw more talent into the mix with our draft picks and FA pickups - Washington, Hogan, and Bennett. Plus we're going to get Dion Lewis back. This could be a really EPIC year on offense!!

 

[goheels22002]

I disagree with the part in bold. Slater's spot is not on the line in any way, shape, or form. He's a team captain and arguably one of the top 3 special teams players in the league.

People more likely to lose their job than Slater? Cannon. Freeny. Jackson. Develin. Bostic. Fleming. Waddle. etc. etc.

You have no argument from me about Slater's ability and value as a special teamer. It's strictly a numbers game.

It's a tough situation. Carrying six WRs including Slater is very hard to do with the added QB and the quality TEs this team has assembled. I doubt you go into the season with one fewer OL given this group's injury history and Vollmer's age.

Defense is stacked, too.

 

[long distance]

Agreed. His agent misled him and was selfish, and he paid for it. It happened to Branch, but at least Branch got rings out of it.

Great regular season player. Great weapon. Arguably the best slot WR ever.

We have something similar to WW here in EU and its called swiss bank. (Not the most moral institutions but highly effective).
A pity he was not as clever as he was skilful.

 

[long distance]

You have no argument from me about Slater's ability and value as a special teamer. It's strictly a numbers game.

It's a tough situation. Carrying six WRs including Slater is very hard to do with the added QB and the quality TEs this team has assembled. I doubt you go into the season with one fewer OL given this group's injury history and Vollmer's age.

Defense is stacked, too.

Let me post this here as well since it is directly related. I firmly believe Slater's place is as safe as Brady's (barring injury). Looking at Miguels list of PS eligibilities there are more manoeuvres possible ...

good to know that we can have two players with up to 2 accrued seasons joining PS
andrews/jackson/fleming, white/gaffney, grissom/flowers,
even brandon king if grugier-hill or/and elandon roberts beat him for roster spot

i think this year especially the final 53 (or 55 if Brady suspended and Lewis on PUP)
will be made with a lot of tactical manoeuvres

f.e. WR situation - ideally together with JE, DA, CH you would like to keep at least Martin, Washington, Mitchell and Lucien. Lets say Lucien can clear waivers (if he doesn't surprise and clearly beat all of X-competition). Carrying 6 WRs with projected 2TE offense in itself is excessive. But if you want to start with Martin and Washington (considering Mitchell's injury status and inexperience) and stash Mitchell safely, you could go with 6WR and put somebody you would otherwise keep on the back of 53 to the practice squad because he would be safer to clear waivers (f.e. one of grissom/flowers or one of the OL)

Or maybe Mitchell can start on PUP as well (in case Washington and Brady connect)?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Really?

You want a mulligan on that Slater opinion?
Patriots have one of the best special teams in the league ... Slater is the captain of the special teams.

They were less than their standard of excellence last year. I expect it to improve this year.

 

[RobertWeathers]

No need.

It's just that Welker gets this incredible pass for being mediocre or bad when it mattered in the postseason, and Amendola was great in the postseason when it mattered, and for some odd reason was scapegoated for it. It's mindboggling. The only thing Welker had over Amendola was a bit more production based on Brady's options and preferences pre-Gronk.

Amendola caught about 20% less passes because Edelman and Gronk were Brady's #1 and #2 options.

Keep in mind, Welker, in 2011, wanted Andre Johnson money per Reiss, which was around 10-12 mil per year.

No offense to Welker, but I'll take the money for Edelman and Amendola all day everyday, and twice on Sundays.

If you took DA over WW your team would not be as good

You may not recall the 07 playoffs and the Gronk-less 2012 playoffs. He saved that team's ass and kept them competitive.

We are all still upset with him over the drop but to say DA is better is irresponsible.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Really?

You want a mulligan on that Slater opinion?
Patriots have one of the best special teams in the league ... Slater is the captain of the special teams.

This. I agree Pat's ST are up there. Last year for what ever reason our STs were vulnerable. Without making excuses or being a Homer but I'm going to chalk it up to just a weird second half with injuries, having players play in roles that they never did before and plays that determined outcome of scores. So I'm calling last year's STs ( Murphy's Law) a fluke. With our ST Players hopefully in their usual positions this year, Pats should be be right up there again.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This. I agree Pat's ST are up there. Last year for what ever reason our STs were vulnerable. Without making excuses or being a Homer but I'm going to chalk it up to just a weird second half with injuries, having players play in roles that they never did before and plays that determined outcome of scores. So I'm calling last year's STs ( Murphy's Law) a fluke. With our ST Players hopefully in their usual positions this year, Pats should be be right up there again.

Injuries absolutely had something to do with it.

I don't buy SOB retiring as the reason for the slight dip in play.

 

[Froob]

Still upsets me how that all went down.. Welker could have become a legendary, mythical creature here in New England if he just took that very fair offer they had on the table..

We were lucky to have him, wish he didn't leave... still want to kidney punch him for that dropped pass in SB, but id still buy him a beer if I saw him

I've forgiven him, he's a Pats Hall of Fame in my book. Who knows if things work out the same if we have him in 2014.

 

[goheels22002]

Really?

You want a mulligan on that Slater opinion?
Patriots have one of the best special teams in the league ... Slater is the captain of the special teams.

No. When the roster picker is up, Slater will be among the WRs. That's just where he falls on the depth chart. You keep Edelman, Amendola, Hogan and Mitchell (Belichick has never cut a 4th round draft pick).

Then you have to pick one or two of Washington, Martin, Dobson, Lucien, Carter and Slater.

Maybe they go with Slater plus one of those five receivers. Maybe not.

Washington is a proven X receiver who, at 30, will be tested mightily by this group of younger guys. If he's on the same page with Brady and Garoppolo in camp and pre-season, though, he beceomes immensely valuable during the first four weeks. Dobson is probably toast. Even if he's great in the pre-season, he's such an injury risk. Keshawn Martin is terrific, in my opinion. He's a veteran receiver and a good return man to take some of the risk of injury off of Edelman and/or Amendola. Lucien is a Swiss Army knife player who might fill in for Lewis if Lewis is on PUP. Carter's a long shot.

Last, Slater's cap hit is $1.77M and he's 30.

Somebody posted about the practice squad for this team. There will be genuine talent waiting in the wings. Lucien may go the PS after Lewis returns from the PUP list.

If the receiving corps is Martin, Washington, Edelman, Amendola, Hogan and Mitchell, you've got five veterans. They will have three guys who are 6'1" X receivers (Washington, Hogan and Mitchell is an upgrade over LaFell - if they get the offense.) There are three kick returners to spread the work and risk around.

Combine this group with Bennett and Gronkowski, and Garoppolo will have the upper hand in matchups with the first four opponents. Brady will pick apart defenses with this crew of receivers - the best since Moss-Welker in 2007.

 

[Brady6]

BB keeps 6 usually not really counting Slater.

It will come down to Washington (the Gibson of this year) and Martin.

Martin's advantage is he can return kicks which should save someone like a Cyrus Jones from having to do it.

I think we will keep 6 WRs + Slater this year given how depleted we became last season at the position.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think we will keep 6 WRs + Slater this year given how depleted we became last season at the position.

And in 2013. 2014 was an aberration at that position, health wise.