Catch of the day
Dolphins add receivers Amendola, Wilson.
The Miami Dolphins agreed to contract terms with former New England wide receiver Danny Amendola and former Kansas City receiver Albert Wilson on Tuesday, according league sources. Both moves start the process of replacing Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry, who is expected to officially be traded to Cleveland today.
According to a league source, Miami also agreed to terms to re-sign defensive back Walt Aikens, a core special teams player. But the Dolphins sustained a big loss on special teams as kicker Cody Parkey, who tied a franchise record for field-goal accuracy in 2017 (91.3 percent), intends to sign with Chicago.
Signings can’t become official until 4 p.m. Wednesday, the start of the new league year. Teams were allowed to begin negotiating deals with potential free agents starting Monto day, kicking off what many jokingly refer to as a two-day ‘legal tampering period’ because teams can talk to players officially under contract with
other teams.
According to a source, Amendola got a two-year deal that has the potential to be worth $12 million if playing-time incentives are reached. He’ll receive $8.25 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons.
Wilson reportedly signed a three-year deal that could potentially pay him $24 million. But most of the money is back loaded.
In total, the two new receivers’ salaries won’t add up to the $15.9 million salary Landry was slated to earn before being traded to the Browns.
The Dolphins are working to keep cost down at that position because Miami will likely opt into the fifth-year option of DeVante Parker’s contract in May, which is a commitment to paying the 2015 first-round pick $8.5 million in 2019.
It’s unclear where else the Dolphins might turn for help during free agency but one of their likely targets, Philadelphia tight end Trey Burton, appears unavailable after reportedly agreeing to terms with Chicago on a four-year, $32 million deal.
Amendola, a 32-year-old, nine-year veteran, spent the past five seasons with the Patriots totaling 230 receptions for 2,383 yards (10.4 yards per reception) and 12 touchdowns. He’s regarded as a tough player with good hands who specializes in short and intermediate routes.
Amendola puts some punch in Miami’s receiving corps and provides somewhat of a safety blanket for quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Amendola earned the nickname “Playoff Danny” for his postseason exploits that total six touchdowns in 13 games with the Patriots, including a fourthquarter touchdown and the game-tying two-point conversion against Atlanta in Super Bowl LI, a dramatic 34-28 come-from-behind New England victory.
But he’s also had three concussions, including one early last season.
Amendola joins Wilson and fellow wide receivers Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker as the projected frontline receivers with Jakeem Grant and Leonte Carroo among a group of others vying for a spot on the roster.
Interestingly, Dolphins nickel cornerback Bobby McCain was ejected from the Dolphins’ 35-17 loss at New England for throwing punches at Amendola while the receiver was on the ground.
Wilson, who played quarterback at Port St. Lucie High School and wide receiver at Georgia State, had career bests in receptions (42), yards (554) and touchdowns (three) last season.
For his four-year career, the 5-9, 200-pound Wilson, who was undrafted in 2014, has 124 receptions for 1,544 yards and seven touchdowns.
Between Amendola and Wilson it appears the Dolphins have found answers to replace Landry, who was the NFL’s most productive receiver through the first four years of a career with 400 receptions, including a league-leading 112 receptions last season.
Landry was targeted 160 times last season while Wilson, playing alongside wide receiver Tyreek Hill, tight end Travis Kelce and running back Kareem Hunt, was targeted 63 times, and Amendola was targeted 86 times.
Parkey, an unrestricted free agent who attended Jupiter High School, was only in Miami for one season. Parkey, a four-year veteran previously played for Cleveland (2016) and Philadelphia (2014-15), earning a Pro Bowl berth with the Eagles in 2014.
Parkey leaves a notable void from the standpoint he made three game-winning field goals last season. He beat the Los Angeles Chargers, 19-17, with a 54-yarder with 1:05 remaining, tied and beat Atlanta, 20-17, with a game-tying 49-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and game-winning 36-yard field goal in overtime, and beat the New York Jets with a 39-yard field goal with 39 seconds left.
Parkey, it should be noted, is the only NFL kicker to successfully convert four onside kicks in a season since 1997, when such records were first kept.
Aikens was switched to cornerback last year from safety, where he spent most of his career. He’s been a valuable special teams player during his four years with Miami.
In 2016, Aikens had a two-point conversion against Arizona when he returned a blocked extra point for a score, a first in franchise history. Aikens also blocked a punt, scooped it up and returned it for a touchdown against the Jets, the first time since 2012 a Dolphins player accomplished that feat.
Around the NFL the freeagent market began sizzling Monday night and continued into Tuesday with some notable deals being reported.
As for the Dolphins, in addition to losing Landry via trade, and losing linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who they released, they’re also expected to cut defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
There’s no word yet on the fate of tight end Julius Thomas, who is due $6.5 million in 2018, or right tackle Ja’Wuan James, who is signed for $9.3 million. The Dolphins are looking to trade James or restructure his contract.
James, interestingly, posted on social media Tuesday, telling left tackle Laremy Tunsil they have some “unfinished business to take care of” but it’s unclear what that means.
Miami will be allowed to complete its trade of defensive end Robert Quinn with the Los Angeles Rams when the league year starts Wednesday. The Dolphins acquired Quinn from the Los Angeles Rams for a fourth-round pick in 2018 and a swap of sixth-round picks in 2018.