Danny Amendola - Cap Scenarios - Updated on March 5th

[Miguel]

So essentially, cutting him this year results in greater cap relief in 2015 than cutting him next offseason would, even though it results in no real savings for this season?

Yes, cutting him on or before June 1 would lower his 2015 cap number from 5,575,000 to zero.

 

[Deus Irae]

So essentially, cutting him this year results in greater cap relief in 2015 than cutting him next offseason would, even though it results in no real savings for this season?

Sure, because the bonuses get accelerated and would hit the 2014 cap.

 

[Real World]

If that's accurate, then you cut him. Bite the bullet this year, save the cash for next season.

What an awful signing this has proven to be.

If we cut Amendola, the cap hit is $4.8M.

If we don't cut Amendola, the cap hit is $4.575M+$5.575M = $10.150 plus game bonuses. Let's say he plays half the games. That will add $500K over 2 years. The total 2 year cost is $11.150M. And we'd still owe the unamortized balance of $2.4M after 2015.

So, the cost of keeping Amendola for 2 years is $13.550M less $4.8M = $8.750M. This amounts to $4.375M a year. Many think he's worth it. Many do not.
======

The savings are clear. We would save nothing this year (actually lose a bit) and almost $6M in 2015. After all, if he were cut this week, there would be ZERO 2015 costs. We would also save the $2.4M bonus that would have hit the cap in 2016 and 2017.

 

[moosekill]

Amendola is only VALUE if he plays well and remains healthy. He wasn't VALUE last year, and he won't be VALUE this year if he repeats last year.

Of course, Vince, Mayo, Gronkowski, and Kelly weren't value last year either. If they are injured again this year they won't be value again either.

This does get to the over riding question. If Amendola is going to be injured next year you should definitely cut him. If he is going to be healthy and really suck you should cut him. If he plays great you should definitely keep him! And if he is somewhere in between who knows.

No one really knows where he is going to fall, personally, I think there is a much greater chance of Amendola having a great year than there is of Wilfork having a great year.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

If that's accurate, then you cut him. Bite the bullet this year, save the cash for next season.

What an awful signing this has proven to be.

I'm not an Amendola fan and I've been looking into the best ways to cut ties with that contract, but I think the smartest thing would be to give it one more year. If you cut him now, you're essentially throwing away $4.8M this year, you might as well use that money on him and hope he produces.

Barring him actually proving to be worth the contract this season, I would cut him next offseason, which I believe would still save around $2M of that $5.57M. You are losing $3.6M in dead space next year but it's better than losing $4.8M this year.

 

[Deus Irae]

...No one really knows where he is going to fall, personally, I think there is a much greater chance of Amendola having a great year than there is of Wilfork having a great year.

Amendola's never had a great year. Wilfork's had many. If you're going to gamble, gamble on Vince.

 

[moosekill]

Amendola's never had a great year. Wilfork's had many. If you're going to gamble, gamble on Vince.

Lol, I hope they both have great years for the Patriots.

 

[woolster22]

Amendola's never had a great year. Wilfork's had many. If you're going to gamble, gamble on Vince.

Not at his age, his weight, abd with his injury. I'd take amendola even with the drop off in production late.

 

[Mack Herron]

Amendola's never had a great year. Wilfork's had many. If you're going to gamble, gamble on Vince.

But it is not unreasonable to suggest that Amendola has a better chance of playing closer to his contract level next year than does Vince.

 

[moosekill]

If that's accurate, then you cut him. Bite the bullet this year, save the cash for next season.

What an awful signing this has proven to be.

I am sorry but this is dumb. Amendola was ok this year, actually quite similar to Wes. If we had signed Welker to this contract and he had put up the numbers he did in Denver would you have called it an awful signing? If we had signed Welker to the number a lot of people were calling for the the Pats to sign him for and he had put up those same numbers that would have been an awful signing.

 

[mgteich]

The $4.8M is gone. It is just a matter of when it hits the cap.

The question for 2014 is whether we should pay Amendola $3.750M or so of NEW money to play in 2014. This is in addition to the $1.2M part of the $4.8M. It is NOT a matter of saving money or getting something for the $4.8M.

Personally, I think that Amendola is worth $3.375M for 2014. However, I understand the position of those who would rather cut him if we were to sign Edelman. Then we would sign a downfield receiver instead of Amendola.

I'm not an Amendola fan and I've been looking into the best ways to cut ties with that contract, but I think the smartest thing would be to give it one more year. If you cut him now, you're essentially throwing away $4.8M this year, you might as well use that money on him and hope he produces.

Barring him actually proving to be worth the contract this season, I would cut him next offseason, which I believe would still save around $2M of that $5.57M. You are losing $3.6M in dead space next year but it's better than losing $4.8M this year.

 

[Brady6]

I am sorry but this is dumb. Amendola was ok this year, actually quite similar to Wes. If we had signed Welker to this contract and he had put up the numbers he did in Denver would you have called it an awful signing? If we had signed Welker to the number a lot of people were calling for the the Pats to sign him for and he had put up those same numbers that would have been an awful signing.

Amendola had 3 very productive games against the Bills, Steelers, and Dolphins, during those three games he compiled 24 receptions for 357 yards and 1 touchdown which is an average of 8 reception and 119 yards per game, if he did that or even 75% of that he would be worth every dollar. The problem is in the other 11 games he played (including the playoffs) he compiled 33 receptions for 353 yards and 1 touchdown which is an average of 3 receptions for 32 yards per game.

The groin injury has well documented and discussed at length, many feel it is the reason that he was so mediocre in 2013. I have a hard time understanding how he had those 3 very good games with the groin injury but in the other 11 games it was so problematic. What was the difference between the injury in those 3 games and the other 11 games?

As far as Amendola being “fine”, I disagree, he had less than 20 receiving yards in 5 games last season, Welker had less than 20 yards receiving in 4 games in his 6 years on the Patriots. The reality is in 78% of Amendola’s games played he averaged 3 receptions and 32 yards.

The biggest issue with Amendola is that he replaced Welker who despite being tagged in 2012 was paid an average of $4.6M APY during his tenure, and Edelman who made $765K last season outplayed him last season nearly doubling his production. Nobody is ever going to be fine with paying more money for half the player that we had before, and any fan who was happy with that move would be foolish.

You cannot compare Welker on the Broncos to Amendola on the Patriots, one player entered camp as the #3 option, and the other entered as the #1 option and despite that Welker outperformed Amendola. Welker had more touchdown receptions in 2013 than Amendola has in his 6 years in the NFL.

 

[Brady6]

The $4.8M is gone. It is just a matter of when it hits the cap.

The question for 2014 is whether we should pay Amendola $3.750M or so of NEW money to play in 2014. This is in addition to the $1.2M part of the $4.8M. It is NOT a matter of saving money or getting something for the $4.8M.

Personally, I think that Amendola is worth $3.375M for 2014. However, I understand the position of those who would rather cut him if we were to sign Edelman. Then we would sign a downfield receiver instead of Amendola.

That raises the question though would you rather have one of these receivers who could potentially be signed for $3.4M per season –

- James Jones
- Andre Roberts
- Emmanuel Sanders
- Brandon LaFell
- Sidney Rice

 

[mgteich]

Yes, that is the question.

Personally, I would prefer Edelman and Amendola to one of the two plus of the players below. Also note that if we don't have Edelman, we need to sign a punt returner.

I am fine with developing the receivers we had last year: Edelman, Amendola, Dobson, Boyce, and Thompkins. I would also bring in Collie for camp competition. Harrison and Moe could also compete for an end of the roster position.

That raises the question though would you rather have one of these receivers who could potentially be signed for $3.4M per season –

- James Jones
- Andre Roberts
- Emmanuel Sanders
- Brandon LaFell
- Sidney Rice

 

[Brady6]

Yes, that is the question.

Personally, I would prefer Edelman and Amendola to one of the two plus of the players below. Also note that if we don't have Edelman, we need to sign a punt returner.

I am fine with developing the receivers we had last year: Edelman, Amendola, Dobson, Boyce, and Thompkins. I would also bring in Collie for camp competition. Harrison and Moe could also compete for an end of the roster position.

I can jive with that as well. I would like to see them sign a veteran X-WR like Brandon LaFell to offer some insurance behind Dobson. Much is made about the health of Amendola but last season he, Dobson, Thompkins, and Boyce all played less than 12 games so health is concerning across the board.

I also do not think Thompkins makes the roster, I see him as 2013s Justin Francis, a player who worked hard and caught on quick so he earned reps early on but eventually his talent level will doom him.

I like Boyce a lot, I thought his progress was solid, he was lost in the first half of the season after missing much of training camp recovering from a foot injury, but as the season progressed, he started to catch on.

I am also high on Dobson, if he is healthy he could make a leap like Jeffrey made in Chicago last season.

 

[mgteich]

So, you would prefer Amendola AND Edelman AND LeFell?

I can jive with that as well. I would like to see them sign a veteran X-WR like Brandon LaFell to offer some insurance behind Dobson. Much is made about the health of Amendola but last season he, Dobson, Thompkins, and Boyce all played less than 12 games so health is concerning across the board.

I also do not think Thompkins makes the roster, I see him as 2013s Justin Francis, a player who worked hard and caught on quick so he earned reps early on but eventually his talent level will doom him.

I like Boyce a lot, I thought his progress was solid, he was lost in the first half of the season after missing much of training camp recovering from a foot injury, but as the season progressed, he started to catch on.

I am also high on Dobson, if he is healthy he could make a leap like Jeffrey made in Chicago last season.

 

[Brady6]

So, you would prefer Amendola AND Edelman AND LeFell?

I said I could jive with it, but no, I would not do it I just would not lose any sleep if that were how it unfolded. If we resign Edelman, I would cut Amendola personally. I feel that retaining in that case is Amendola is collecting talent and not building a team. Edelman was the backup but he was also a big special team’s contributor over the years, in 2013, he did not play as much on special teams because he was an important offensive starter and that forced us to carry an additional special team’s only player on the roster. That roster spot took away from depth in areas like defensive end, where we could have used a larger rotation especially on game day. If we retain Edelman he will be the starter and Amendola will be the backup, Edelman will not play special teams (other than punt returns) because of his value and Amendola will not play them because he does not play them (or at least he has not in many years). Backup players need to contribute on special teams; we cannot continue to carry 12 special teams’ only players because we have one trick ponies all over our roster.

I would resign Edelman, and then sign Brandon LaFell or Sidney Rice to give us an outside receiver with some experience, the backup slot receiver would be TJ Moe or another player who could contribute on special teams as well. I would not pay to have two players on my roster that combined for 159 receptions but just 30 of them occurred on balls that traveled 11+ yards in the air. That is like paying big money for two RBs that cannot contribute in the passing game and neglecting the third down RB position.

 

[Brady6]

So, you would prefer Amendola AND Edelman AND LeFell?

Also I think it is important to commit to a direction and a player, having Edelman and Amendola on the same team is a QB controversy only at the slot WR position waiting to happen. That messes with players heads from what I have seen and I do not think we would get the best out of Edelman or Amendola if we placed them in that situation. Competition is great but it cannot be controversial competition and that is what it would be.

For that reason and the other ones I mention for me it is one or the other, and since Edelman has proven he can do it and Amendola is yet to prove that, I would take Edelman all day every day and twice-on Sunday’s.

 

[mcmurtry86]

I can jive with that as well. I would like to see them sign a veteran X-WR like Brandon LaFell to offer some insurance behind Dobson. Much is made about the health of Amendola but last season he, Dobson, Thompkins, and Boyce all played less than 12 games so health is concerning across the board.

1. Amendola, Dobson and Thompkins did not all play "less than 12 games"

2. Brandon LaFell is a 27 year old receiver coming off a 49 catch year who continues to get better every year. He's not signing as insurance to play behind someone. He's going to get a starting gig somewhere.

 

[mcmurtry86]

Also I think it is important to commit to a direction and a player, having Edelman and Amendola on the same team is a QB controversy only at the slot WR position waiting to happen. That messes with players heads from what I have seen and I do not think we would get the best out of Edelman or Amendola if we placed them in that situation. Competition is great but it cannot be controversial competition and that is what it would be.

For that reason and the other ones I mention for me it is one or the other, and since Edelman has proven he can do it and Amendola is yet to prove that, I would take Edelman all day every day and twice-on Sunday’s.

Well Edelman played most of last season on the outside so I don't see how it would be a slot WR controversy next year. For all the talk of how Edelman is "Wes Welker 2.0," he didn't line up in the slot all that much last year.

And FWIW, Amendola has plenty of experience lining up outside too so....not sure what the issue is here. Just because they aesthetically resemble Welker in some ways doesn't make them solely (or primarily) slot guys.