Lions Sign Danny Amendola

Danny Amendola will reportedly sign with the Detroit Lions. Despite a reported mutual interest of a reunion between Amendola and the New England Patriots, the wide receiver will join Detroit on a one-year deal.

Former Dolphins’ WR Danny Amendola plans to sign with Detroit, per source. Amendola is in Detroit now, taking a physical and as long as there are no complications, he will be a Lion, reunited with GM Bob Quinn and HC Matt Patricia. #Lions

— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 11, 2019

The Miami Dolphins released Amendola on Friday, allowing him to sign with Detroit before the new NFL year begins on Wednesday. The Dolphins saved $6 million in salary for 2019 by cutting the 33-year-old. 

Danny Amendola will join the Detroit Lions after spending just one season with the Miami Dolphins. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Amendola totaled 59 receptions for 575 yards and one touchdown for the Dolphins last season. Amendola spent the previous five seasons with New England, where he registered 230 catches for 2,383 yards and 12 touchdowns. He won Super Bowls with the Patriots in 2014 and 2016.

Amendola’s one-year deal includes a $4.5 million guaranteed salary and could be worth up to $6.75 million with incentives. He will be reunited with Matt Patricia—the Lions head coach and former defensive coordinator of the Patriots—and general manager Bob Quinn, who was the director of pro scouting in New England in 2013 when the Patriots first signed Amendola.

Detroit’s wide receiving group will be led by Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, while Amendola will serve as the slot receiver.

Lions Acquire Damon Harrison

The New York Giants continued their firesale on Wednesday, trading defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison to the Detroit Lions for a future fifth-round pick, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapport. The deal comes a day after the Giants traded cornerback Eli Apple to the New Orleans Saints.

An All-Pro in 2016, Harrison gives the Lions’ rush defense—which ranks 30th in the NFL, allowing 139.3 yards per game—much needed-assistance. Gashed for a league-high 5.3 yards-per-carry this season, the Lions needed an upgrade at the position to address their weakness up the middle.

Harrison, a seven-year undrafted veteran who spent the first four seasons of his career with the New York Jets, is one of the best interior run-stoppers in the league. Pro Football Focus currently ranks Harrison as the fourth-best defender against the rush for 2018. He has 31 tackles and one forced fumble this season.

The Giants traded Damon Harrison to the Lions. (Mike Stobe/NewsDay)

The Lions have won three of their past four games since their 0-2 start and the addition of Harrison makes them a real threat to win a wide-open NFC North, which the Minnesota Vikings (4-2-1) currently lead.

The 29-year-old Harrison is in the third year of a five-year, $46.25 million contract he signed in 2016. For the 1-6 Giants, the move opens up $8 million in salary cap for next season. General manager Dave Gettleman has his eyes on the future for a team that has underachieved for the second straight year. The Giants are tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the worst record in the NFL, a season after finishing with the league’s second-worst record.