Well, I don't consider myself on the "Cut Danny train" nor do I think Hogan is necessary better.
I am, however, on the Belichick Value Train: Danny's contributions are not worth a $5M salary and $6M cap hit. That's just basic team management economics, and recognizing that fundamental economic reality doesn't make someone dislike DA or "want" to cut him -- instead it makes you recognize that the value you get doesn't work for you from an economic standpoint. In fact, I think Danny has been incredibly clutch for us and has value, and I hope he stays -- with a significantly restructured deal.
Who said he would be unemployed? Not me. I only said the market isn't going up over time as free agency and the draft approach and pass, which is precisely what BB does time and time again. He helps create a financial environment for the player in which they have a reduced chance of meeting the price that the Patriots are offering in the free market. But, in any event, there is NO way that ANY team is paying DA $5M a year, given his history and production. He would be lucky to get a $10M / 3 yr deal. His market price is about $3M year - is there any legitimate dispute to that? If there isn't, then he is not priced properly right now.
Wrong. I am acting precisely like a Patriots fan: smart money management, buying low, selling high, finding value, long-term strategic team building vs. emotional, short-term "the window is closing!" thinking. Clinging to fan favorites at any cost is what other teams' fans do.
Then thank goodness you aren't running this team's personnel decisions.
Though this thread has taken a bit of a turn since I last replied...
I don't disagree with your characterization of what the Patriots do. At all. What I do disagree with - in this isolated case - is that these are rules that are applied uniformly and without context. The 'context' in the case of Amendola that I believe favor him staying with the team either on his current deal:
1) spiking prices in the free agent market that put the primary 'replacements' out of reasonable reach
2) an enormous increase in the cap which makes his deal less expensive that it seems on its face
3) the Patriots high regard for 'value' to be determined on ST as well as just raw money stats like catches and TDs.
I'll note that none of those things are "clinging to a fan favorite", and I would add the intrinsic value of his time served with BB/TB and his proven clutch value (your words) but I was trying to stick to the more tangible aspects.
Now, I could absolutely be wrong. A small part of me is expecting to learn he got cut as soon as I click post. The addition of Bennett does change the equation a bit, as would the addition of another WR who is clearly better than Amendola (Gordon, Megatron lol kidding but per article this morning), because it works to, in all likelihood, push him off the field more if we allow that Gronk/Bennett/Edelman/Hogan/RB is the likely preferred '12' personnel package.
I'm not advocating that they extend Amendola at the same money or give him a raise, which makes your "short term the-window-is-closing!", comment curious. They're not on the hook for a ton of money years out from now, so it's a bit false to build your position here as being about long-term cap health. They can save an even bigger chunk of money next year (with half the dead money count), so it will be revisited then - when, I might add, they'll know a lot more about what Hogan and Martin are.
1) They have the cap room - a) for his $6.8m hit, b) to still sign other FA and/or to extend JC, MB, or DH and take some of the hit this year
2) He's still better than the available FA at his position/price.
3) He would still see plenty of playing time on ST and offense on the team as presently constituted.
When any one of those things changes then I'd expect to see movement on the DA front. It's not the impassioned plea of an Amendola fan-boy, just the other side of the coin in attempting to determine what his value is to the team, and why even if they might be 'overpaying' him this year it doesn't necessarily follow that the team has all the leverage, or that he must be restructured or cut.
Edited to add:
Amedola is a LOSER who SUCKS and he's sooooooo WHITE
