Danny Amendola recently agreed to take a pay cut with the New England Patriots for a third straight year, but that does not make him a lock to make the 53-man roster.
With the Patriots having signed veteran wide receiver Andrew Hawkins last week, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com speculates the battle for the final receiver spot in training camp will come down to Hawkins and Amendola. New England typically carries six wide receivers, and newly-acquired Brandon Cooks is considered a lock to make the team along with Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell and special teams captain Matthew Slater.
Amendola caught just 23 passes during the regular season last year, but he has built up a level of trust with Tom Brady that Hawkins will have to work hard to match. Amendola caught 10 passes in the postseason last year and was a key player in New England’s offense during its two recent Super Bowl runs.
Hawkins, who at 31 is the same age as Amendola, was not much more productive with the Cleveland Browns last season, catching 33 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns. It’s safe to assume Amendola has the upper hand early on.
