FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)
Danny Amendola heard the comparisons when he joined the New
England Patriots.
He was taking over at slot receiver for the player with the most
catches in the NFL over any six-season span. Could he even come
close to matching Wes Welker's production?
''I don't really think about it too much,'' Amendola says.
''I've been watching Wes for 10, 12 years. It's old news.''
Amendola will be watching Welker again Sunday night when the
Denver Broncos' leading receiver faces his former team for the
first time since both changed sides as free agents.
Welker has 61 catches and nine touchdown receptions and is
listed as probable after suffering a concussion in last Sunday
night's 27-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Amendola has just 29 receptions with one touchdown and missed
four games with a groin injury and a concussion. But he's played in
the last three games with 13 catches for 182 yards and a
touchdown.
''I feel really good right now,'' Amendola said. ''I'm really
amped up.''
The comparison with Welker is hardly surprising.
''You should have heard it when I was in college,'' Amendola
said.
It goes back to his days at Texas Tech, where he was a freshman
the season after Welker's last year there. Both were outstanding
receivers in college. Both returned punts. Both were under 6 feet
tall.
So where was Amendola asked more questions about Welker, in
college or the pros?
''About equal,'' he said.
Welker holds the record for most career receptions at Texas
Tech. Amendola has the mark for most by a senior.
But neither was drafted.
Welker signed as a rookie free agent with the San Diego Chargers
in April 2004 and lasted just one game before being waived and
picked up by the Miami Dolphins. Amendola spent his rookie season
in 2008 on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, then joined the
Philadelphia Eagles practice squad for the postseason.
Both have come a long way since.
Welker caught 672 passes with the Patriots, with more than 110
in five of his six seasons. With the St. Louis Rams, Amendola had
85 receptions in 2010 and 63 in 2012 when he missed five games with
injuries. He caught five passes in the 2011 opener, then missed the
rest of the season with an elbow injury.
Amendola got off to a promising start with the Patriots when he
caught 10 passes in the season-opening 23-21 win over the Buffalo
Bills. Playing with a groin injury, he had three receptions on the
drive that led to Stephen Gostkowski's winning 35-yard field goal
with 5 seconds left.
Amendola missed the next three games, but Julian Edelman, who
had backed up Welker, stepped in with 27 catches in that span.
''They've done a great job this year, both of those guys,''
quarterback Tom Brady said. ''Danny was injured ... but Julian
really filled in, was a huge presence on our team. His leadership
ability in the locker room, his work ethic, his practice habits
were all great things from a veteran player.
''He's done a great job. Danny's done a great job. We're getting
contributions from everybody at this point.''
They'll need it Sunday night against the NFL's best offense with
quarterback Peyton Manning and four dangerous pass catchers.
''Wes is a great player,'' Amendola said. ''I've been watching
Wes since I was in high school. He's done a lot of things for the
slot position and it's exciting to watch his career progress.''
But he brushes off the comparisons. He's focusing on his own
progress in the Patriots' new-look passing attack with Edelman and
rookies Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins.
''They definitely have weapons with Amendola in the slot,''
Broncos cornerback Chris Harris said. ''They're kind of using him
like Welker.''
And there's another similarity between the receivers: Brady.
Amendola learned quickly how good his new quarterback is during
organized team activities in May.
''He darted me in the chest with one ball,'' Amendola said. ''I
was like, `Wow, this guy can really wing it.'''
Welker found that out six years earlier when he was the new guy
in the slot.
''Wes and I have been friends for a long time,'' Amendola said.
''We all love to play football and we share that commonality.''
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