It didn’t go that way, exactly. Injuries had plagued Amendola’s career with the Rams and immediately slowed him in New England. In the season opener, he suffered a painful groin injury that caused him to miss four games.

And now, according to The Boston Globe, he could be fighting for a roster spot.

According to the Globe, it would cost the Patriots $4.8 million against the salary cap to cut Amendola now, but if he is designated for a post-June 1 cut, that figure would be reduced to $1.2 million in 2014 and $3.6 million in 2015. According to Bleacher Report, Amendola’s name has indeed circulated in trade rumors.

New England may put more trust in Julian Edelman.

Amendola has never had a 1,000-yard receiving career, and that in large part is due to injuries, including a dislocated elbow, shoulder injuries and ankle injuries. Add to that last season’s severe groin pain. He caught 54 passes for 663 yards and two touchdowns this season.

Edelman ended his year with 105 receptions for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns.


49ERS, HARBAUGH ISSUES GROWING


Drama, it appears, is on the heels of winning of San Francisco.

The tension between coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke has already been exposed, but the distractions don’t start and stop with them. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the bad vibe has seeped into the locker room, too.

A source tells sfgate.com that “Harbaugh’s act has worn thin in the locker room, particularly among some key ‘face of the 49ers’ type players.” No players were named and winning is the balm that has made it all tolerable. But a disappointing on-field stretch could cause things to quickly unravel. Unless, in some odd way, it pushes everyone’s button the right way.

Said one source to the paper: “We seem to thrive on chaos and distraction.”

The biggest issue stems from Harbaugh’s contract. He’s more than proven he’s one of the top coaches in the NFL and he wants to be paid accordingly — now, not later.


MANNING TO HAVE NECK EXAMINED


Peyton Manning said during Super Bowl week that he hadn’t thought of retiring and the only thing that could force him to would be a failed annual exam on his neck.

That isn’t expected to happen when Manning is examined on Monday, ESPN.com reports. It’s part of his contract with the Denver Broncos, who signed Manning after he’d undergone neck surgery.

If there’s any increased risk of injury, Manning would surely re-examine his future in Denver. The only injury he dealt with this past season was with his ankle and that didn’t force him out of any games.

Manning has had four neck surgeries, but had the best statistical season of his career in 2013.

He is signed through 2016. 


REPORT: RAIDERS PREFER CARR OVER MANZIEL


Derek Carr was bested at the Senior Bowl by South teammate Jimmy Garoppolo, but by the time the NFL Combine ended, perceptions of the Fresno State product had changed considerably.

And this week, NFL.com scouting analyst Daniel Jeremiah reported that the Cleveland Browns are targeting Carr, the younger brother of former Texans’ quarterback David Carr. Further, in the latest Los Angeles Times mock draft, Carr was reportedly ahead of Johnny Manziel on the Oakland Raiders’ draft board.

The Raiders have the fifth overall pick; the Browns draft fourth and are thought to favor receiver Sammy Watkins. In Sporting News’ latest NFL Mock Draft, Carr is slated to go seventh overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with quarterbacks Blake Bortles (No. 1 Texans) and Teddy Bridgewater (No. 3 Jaguars) going ahead of him.

The Vikings, then, would be in position to take Manziel as the eighth pick.

Carr did not throw at the Combine, but he ran a 4.69 in the 40-yard dash, while Manziel ran 4.68. Carr also had a 34-5 inch vertical, and a 4.2 in the 20-yard shuffle. He’s already often touted for his strong arm; the Combine performance demonstrated that he has the needed athleticism to be effective in the NFL.

Carr passed for 5,082 yards and 50 touchdowns at Fresno State, which finished 11-2. His biggest problem, according to Optimum Scouting, is accuracy inconsistencies due to mechanical issues like dropping his back shoulder and fading away.

Contributor: Rana L. Cash