Silva pointed out on Thursday that Rams restricted free agent Danny Amendola has been spotted in the Boston area. Our pal Tom Curran of CSNNE.com elaborated on the topic, sharing details of his efforts to pry details from Amendola’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, which seems to be even harder that squeezing blood from the Blarney Stone. (And that’s the closest I’ll come to acknowledging that tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day.)
The Patriots have a well-earned reputation for reading the riot act to agents who represent players in whom the Pats are interested. “If word of this gets out,” the warning usually goes, “we’re pulling the plug.”
As Curran explains it, this one is even more delicate than usual because Amendola possibly would replace Wes Welker, who currently wears the franchise tag. If Welker catches wind of the possibility that the Pats will try to pry Amendola away from the Rams, Welker could sign the franchise tender, which would give him a fully-guaranteed one-year salary in the range of $9.4 million.
Then again, maybe that’s what the Patriots are hoping to do. Once Welker signs the tender, he could be traded.
Maybe to the Rams. For the rights to Danny Amendola, and perhaps the second-round pick the Rams squeezed out of the Redskins last week.
It would be a win-win deal. The Rams need a savvy, experienced slot receiver, who would provide a reliable safety valve for developing quarterback Sam Bradford. In New England, Tom Brady is the savvy and experienced one; adding Amendola allows them to go younger and cheaper at the position.
Regardless of what the Patriots are up to, it looks like they’re up to something.
Some of you would say they always are.