The New England Patriots are expected to be interested in one of the St. Louis Rams' free agent wide receivers. They were supposed to sign Brandon Lloyd to round out their receivers, but Danny Amendola has been getting far more talk in association with the Pats. A media personality from Boston sports radio 98.5 spotted Amendola at the team's headquarters on Wednesday night.
Nevermind: Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe says that the report is incorrect.
Amendola's name was mentioned as a potential target for the Patriots in a recent by Tom Curran of CSNNE. The thinking there says that Amendola could be seen as a replacement for Wes Welker, who is currently playing under the franchise tag and will be a free agent in 2013. New England could give Amendola an offer sheet - he is a restricted free agent - giving the Rams the chance to match it or take a second-round pick as compensation.
It would be a great move for the Patriots. They get the poor man's Welker who is younger and cheaper for the low, low price of a second-round pick. That would match their path for getting Welker, and providing one more similarity in the career path of Amendola and Welker.
For the Rams, a second-round pick would be nice, but losing Amendola would leave them awfully short handed at wide receiver, especially after striking out in free agency. They could use three picks to trade up, but then they would be pinning all their hopes on a young group of receivers.