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What’s next for Logan Mankins and the Patriots? 10.20.10 at 12:54 am ET
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Logan Mankins wasn't dealt by Tuesday's trade deadline, so what does that mean for the future of the Pro Bowl guard? (AP)

With the 2010 trading deadline now come and gone, it appears that, barring the unlikely decision to release him, the Patriots and Logan Mankins are now stuck with each other, at least for the rest of this season.

As a restricted free agent, Mankins is in limbo because technically, he’s an unsigned player, which made him difficult to trade. But according to several reports, New England’ s asking price — a first- or a second-round pick for the Pro Bowl guard, who is seeking a deal worth roughly $8 million annually — was simply too rich for any team that might have been interested.

So what does this mean for both sides? The next date to mark on the calendar is Nov. 16 (27 days from Wednesday), the deadline for Mankins to sign his tender and report by in order to accrue the time he’ll presumably need to reach unrestricted free agency next year. If he doesn’t, he’ s likely taking a big chance — with no current labor agreement in place, Mankins faces a world of uncertainty.

Depending on what happens with a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, there are several long-term possibilities for Mankins (including the chance that, if he does sign, the Patriots using a possible franchise tag to keep him in place for 2011 as well). But for now, let’ s focus on the short term, specifically, the rest of the 2010 season.

Mankins is a world-class offensive lineman, someone who, in his five previous seasons in New England, developed a rock-solid reputation as a genuine Pro Bowler. But even if he does report in time to get the time needed to count toward free agency, as well as the New England offensive line has played for the first five weeks of the season, there’ s no indication that he would be able to crack the starting lineup. It seems remarkable to say this, but Mankins would have a fight on his hands, as Dan Connolly has done a more than serviceable job at left guard in Mankins’ absence. In what can best be described as a tribute to Connolly and offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, the line has yielded eight sacks through the first five games of the season — tied for fifth-lowest in the league.

Some of that is tied to a belief — one the Patriots adhere to — that a successful offensive line is tied to chemistry and continuity, and with the same five players (Left tackle Matt Light, Connolly at left guard, center Dan Koppen, right guard Stephen Neal and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer) having taken almost 100 percent of the snaps as a unit this year, that level of familiarity that’ s been built up over the course of the 2010 is clearly a strength for the current group.

For what it’s worth, Patriots coach Bill Belichick has noted on multiple occasions this season that Connolly’s contributions have also included standout work on special teams. In the wake of the win over the Bills earlier in the season, Belichick noted that Connolly was the only player on the field during a key four-play sequence at the end of the first half — a 32-yard kick return, back-to-back pass plays of 29 and 13 yards, and a 43-yard field goal in a span of 19 seconds.

“Kickoff return, he’s right at the point of attack on the wedge, and then the two pass plays [at left guard], and then a field goal where they overloaded the rush and came right over his side. [He was] the only guy really that was on the field for all four of those plays was kind of right at the point of attack on all four of them,” Belichick said. “That was a big series in the game.”

If there is an injury between now and Nov. 16 — particularly along the interior of the offensive line — that would be a different story. While the Patriots do have some depth (and some versatility there), the backup offensive line nearly got backup quarterback Brian Hoyer killed at several stages of the preseason, including the preseason finale against the Giants where Hoyer was left bloodied and bruised after a few nasty hits.

But as things currently stand, even if Mankins does return by mid-November, whether it’ s because Connolly stands in his way or he hasn’t had sufficient time to get into game shape, it’s hard to imagine he’ll have much of an impact in the fortunes of the 2010 Patriots.

Read More: Bill Belichick, Brian Hoyer, Dan Connolly, Dan Koppen Print  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Mike

    The Pats would look like fools to stick the “franchise tag” on Mankins next year. He could just sit out again until the 6th game—AND, they’d better stay away from any dark alleys with him in it. I think they blew it by not trading him. Without “tagging” him, he’ll walk after this year and they’ll get nothing—-and I don’t believe that with a few guards in the league making what he wants, that no other team wanted to pay him what he wants. I don’t think the Pats are handling this one right—at all.

  • royalrooter

    Who cares. Do we even miss this guy? Whatever advice this guy got has not worked. He will never, ever get back the 7mil he turned down this year. We can get another player for this money and Connolly has proved its not an individual game but a team game. Hopefully the Pats will get another 1 or 2 picks for this guy and be done with him. He’s shown to be easily replaceable. So long Logan and don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

  • http://PatsBlog RON

    Mankins is an idiot……….Brady showed how its done…….get a fair contract but show up for training camp and never leave the team…….he eam is first……….7 million was fair for Mankins…..but once he doesn;t show up the Patriots pulled the offer I believe……..smart on Patriots……….
    TEAM FIRST……..are you listening Moss and Mankins……..we dnt need your crap…..Learn from Brady……..during his contract negotiations Brady continued to work his butt off in camp and put team first……

    I hope idiot Mankins ends up in Detroit or Oakland andmakes only 1 mil a year………IDIOT

  • Jp

    Its a long season, right now the line is holding up but it would be nice to have Connely to step in if someone gets hurt at some point. Then we wouldnt miss a beat. But if they are planning to franchise him they should have made a trade…Mankins for Steve Smith, we need another reciever also. Shouldve made a trade for a defensive player also, they would still have plenty of draft picks…

  • http://weei Rich Holiday

    What a greedy ass! Players like him make me sick…

  • Jim Madden

    It does seem rather dumb to ‘turn down’ $7 million because you want a Long-Term Contract that offers $8 million annually. Take the $7 million for 2010, then Take tha tagging [next year] – at least a 20% bump in salary [$8.4 million] for 2011 and see what happens. You get traded or whatever and then get another contract from someone else.. ? who knows.. but at least you’d have that $15.4 million!

  • Bob

    The Patriots like players who are intelligent. Mankins has shown to be anything BUT intelligent. He turns down one of the top five contracts to a guard in NFL history. The O-Line dominates without him. He’s making no money. He’s not getting in football shape, as he hasn’t played football since Lincoln was President. He either has a screw loose, or is getting some awful advice. Bizarre. I could not care less if he ever returns to the team.

  • Rick McCartney

    Mankins played it all wrong. His advisors did not help him. As I understand it, he is under contract ( as have been others). He should have mentioned once and only once (publicly) that he wanted a new contract with guaranteed money etc. Like Wolfork did. He had some personal discussions with his emplyer ( Kraft) and obviously they were able to come to terms.I don’t question his football ability but I’m sick and tired of all these Sports FatCats that when they play great and people kiss their behinds that they get full of themselves. Again he was under contract and perhaps by today’s playing standards he deserved new money or new security. Sometimes one needs to be patient and good things will follow.As a fan I would LOVE to see him playing for us but I’m affraid that the relationship is broken . Good luck Logan, I hope you have a plan moving forward.

  • Elvis

    Hey Cowboy, take your ten gallon hat,pickup truck and farmin’ ass out of town and go punch cows back where you came from. Don’t need ya! Plus, you’re boring as hell on the radio anyway.

  • bob5bob

    So we get him for the last 8 game this year for about 100K a game. No NFL next year and he gets zip.

    But he is glad he isn’t getting 13M for the 2 years?

    What is his agent’s cut?

  • rob

    His way of doing things reminds me a lot of Nomar’s situation with the sox. Nomar turned down 4 yrs and 60 million, i believe, and he never came close to getting those dollars, especially after he started getting hurt. Mankins let his ego get in the way for a mil/yr-as Rick and Jim mention- and he will lose that for sure over the long run. He took a HUGE risk and acted like a child.

  • Bags

    Mike– the Pats handled this like they do all their ‘problem’ players, if nothing else they have been very consistent on that front, which should make it easier for the players to understand what they need to do in order to receive an offer – Deion is very happy to be back, Asante has proven to be good, but certainly not worth the money he was asking for, and Connoly’s play has proven that Mankins is replaceable — he originally wanted a long term, high pay contract, he was offered one, and rejected it because he thought he deserved to be THE highest paid guard in all the NFL– poor advice by agent and hypocrisy by Mankins, he claims to be a man of his word, but he is the one that held out even after being offered a mega contract that would have set him and his family up for generations to come– clearly he is not team oriented, perhaps he would like to join Moss or Seymour? He publicly called Kraft a liar, and it should not have been too difficult to publicly say, he was sorry– would have taken a 10 minute press conference, and they could have moved on– if he were truly a principled person as he claims, he would have seen that that was the right thing to do

  • BB tells it?

    Bad situation all around. A lot of money left on the table. Other teams did not think what he was asking was worth the money. That must have given him a wake up call.

    If he is what he states then he should not show up.

  • Mike T

    I don’t get it, 7 million / bad economy / not taking a beating like a running back. something is not right upstairs with this young man.

  • Fritz

    He turned down a lot of money, yes, but for Mankins it seems to be a matter of honor. He thought he had an understanding with ownership that he’d be getting a certain contract, and he felt betrayed when he didn’t get it. (I’m not saying he *was* betrayed, just that he clearly sees it that way.) So he’s standing up for what he believes in — isn’t that what everyone is supposed to do? Don’t we honor that in other contexts? Doesn’t the amount of money he’s turning down make his position even *more* principled?

    I wouldn’t have turned that money down myself, and I think his statement about Kraft’s word being no good was a huge mistake. Kraft has a big ego (as do many of us) and he himself said that as a businessman he can’t have his honesty questioned and let it go. That in itself will probably prevent any future deal, and maybe rightfully so.

    And it’s too bad, because he’s been a great player. He fumbled this one, but that doesn’t make him a terrible guy. You could actually make the opposite case — man who turned down $7m/year on principle. I’d love to have him back for more than just six games. But it ain’t gonna happen.

  • http://isportsweb.com SteveB

    I would have loved to see them keep Mankins, he’s one of the best Guards in the game. He got some definite bad advice from his agent on this one.

    Couple of things to keep in mind, when has Stephen Neal gone thru a season without missing games due to injury? And he’s gone, retired after this season anyway. Mankins never even missed a practice in 5 years. Mankins and Connolly would be a nice combo next season….. who gets plugged in if Connolly or Neal gets hurt this year? Ojinaka? they cut him a month ago…..

    Think long term and not just this week

  • Pat

    With all the sex & drug scandals, isn’t it refreshing to see a NFL who actually has morals? Who would you want for your children’s role model?

  • Jimbo

    Too bad for both the Patriots and Mankins. He has gotten bad advice from his people and the Pats blew it by not getting a deal done earlier than this year. They could have signed him a year ago for much less than what he was asking for this year! They put off signing him and his price went up!!
    The Patriots will end up with nothing and Mankins will end up with far less than 7mill per year and he will lose 10 game checks for this year!!
    Too bad they both lose!!

  • Terry in Cali

    To everybody in NE Logan is a damn good guy and not some greedy SOB. I think this is an agent issue as much as disagreement with Bob Kraft which we all know can be stubborn himself. I think Logan needs to do an A-Rod (the only smart thing a Yankee has ever done!!!)and tell his agent to back off and sit down and slug it out with the boss. I believe he truly loves’s it back there. If they can’t agree make it a win win and send him to SF.

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