Reuters

The loss of Wes Welker created a need at receiver for the Patriots, and they didn’t take long to fill it.

The Patriots have reached an agreement on a five-year, $31 million deal with receiver Danny Amendola, with $10 million guaranteed, a source tells PFT.

Amendola was widely thought to be a target for the Patriots, whose offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, had previously coached him in St. Louis. Amendola’s familiarity with McDaniels could make him a quick study in New England’s passing game.

Still, there are questions about Amendola’s durability — he has played in only 12 games in the last two seasons — and Amendola has never had the kind of production that Welker had. Amendola’s career best season was 85 catches for 689 yards in 2010; Welker has had five different seasons with more than 110 catches and more than 1,100 receiving yards.

But Welker is done in New England. And Tom Brady will have the next six months to develop a rapport with Amendola before the season starts.