Danny Amendola evidently is making his presence felt before ever playing a game with the Miami Dolphins.
Amendola signed a two-year, $12 million contract with Miami earlier this offseason after spending the past five seasons with the New England Patriots. It remains to be seen how much of an impact Amendola will make between the lines with his new team, but Dolphins head coach Adam Gase is impressed by what he has seen from the veteran wide receiver thus far.
“It’s one of those values that I don’t think you can put a price on,” Gase said this week on “PFT Live,” per ProFootballTalk. “He’s been great in our locker room. I think the guys watch him work on the field and in the weight room and they understand why he’s played as long as he has, why he’s had success in big situations.”
Amendola had a knack for stepping up in clutch situations with the Patriots. The Dolphins are coming off a 6-10 season and have gone to the playoffs just once since 2009, but Amendola could play a major role in helping Miami improve moving forward, in large due to his intangibles.
“Any time you can get a guy who can not only produce for you but can be a great example for other guys in your locker room, he’s making other guys better,” Gase said. “He makes 24 other offensive guys better if they watch him work.”
Amendola, who caught 61 passes for 659 yards with two touchdowns last season, probably isn’t going to become a Pro Bowl receiver overnight, but signing the 32-year-old could turn out to be a savvy move by the Dolphins, especially since it took away one of Tom Brady’s most trusted targets.
