MIAMI — Don’t be surprised if Tom Brady reunites with an old flame in free agency this offseason.
Brady has stayed close with former New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola, who also will be a free agent this offseason. Brady could try to bring along Amendola to his next destination, and that could include both players returning to New England, a source with knowledge of the situation told NESN.com.
Amendola burned some bridges on his way out the door with the Patriots, but crazier returns have occurred in Foxboro. No one expected Jamie Collins to return to the Patriots last offseason. Wide receiver Deion Branch and quarterback Brian Hoyer also have had multiple tenures with the Patriots.
New England needed experienced receivers for Brady last season when its offense sputtered in the second half of the campaign.
If Brady leaves the Patriots, it would make even more sense to bring Amendola to his new destination. Brady and Amendola showed impressive chemistry together with the Patriots. Brady would be starting anew with receivers on a new team, and having a security blanket like Amendola would prove valuable.
Amendola is 34 years old but proved over the last two seasons that he’s still able to contribute in a major way. He caught 62 passes for 678 yards with a touchdown with the Detroit Lions this past season and caught 59 passes for 575 yards with a touchdown in 2018 with the Miami Dolphins. His last season in New England came in 2017 when he caught 61 passes for 659 yards with two scores and added 26 catches for 348 yards with two touchdowns that postseason.
The 11-year veteran caught 230 passes for 2,383 yards with 12 touchdowns in five seasons with the Patriots. Amendola, who was nicknamed “Danny Playoff” in 2017, caught 57 passes for 709 yards with six touchdowns in 13 playoff games.
