Time to flip Mankins for an OLB...

[Deus Irae]

What are you proposing that the FO do?

About what? Like you, I consider OLB and Mankins to be completely separate issues.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Branch was already under contract, and the players could point to that as a valid reason for the Patriots to stay firm in their position. In the case of Mankins, you're talking about a quite guy who's considered by many to be, perhaps, the most principled player on the team. For a guy like that to get the shaft over the RFA situation, you're looking at a potential problem with the other players moving forward. Why would you expect the players in the locker room to show anything approaching loyalty to the Patriots after the such a move?

That depends. If he actually turned down an offer of $35M/5 years, as has been suggested here, then I don't think it'll make a difference to the other players.

If such an offer never existed, that would be a different story.

 

[JSn]

Mankins claims that the Patriots broke their promise to him, but he has yet to say what promise the Patriots broke. Mankins demands to be traded. Mankins is letting his teammates down by requesting a trade when the Patriots offered him a great deal for a LG. He is not a QB and wont get paid like one. If he wants to be traded then fine. I know the Cowboys are looking to bolster their O-Line so why dont we try to trade Mankins for Ware??

If Mankins could be traded for Ware, that deal would be done by now. lol

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

DeMarcus Ware might not fit the Patriots defense.

Cowboys play 3-4 and so do the Patriots. How would you know that?? I mean you and the rest of the Jets fan thought that Gholston would be a sack master :singing:

 

[BradyManny]

Branch was already under contract, and the players could point to that as a valid reason for the Patriots to stay firm in their position. In the case of Mankins, you're talking about a quite guy who's considered by many to be, perhaps, the most principled player on the team. For a guy like that to get the shaft over the RFA situation, you're looking at a potential problem with the other players moving forward. Why would you expect the players in the locker room to show anything approaching loyalty to the Patriots after the such a move?

Mankins' "principles" were a nice PR creation by his agent to hide his desire for more money.

He's not worthy of being the highest paid guard in the league. He cost us a SB and a 19-0 season with his chokejob performance (see Unoriginal's thread, he was the worst of them that night), and quite frankly, I don't think he's been as good as his reputation says he is.

His perceived value >>>> his actual value. He realizes this. His agent realizes this. They are neatly packaging this knowledge in this phrase "principles", but basically they are trying to milk Mankins being one of the few guards with a household name for what it's worth.

I think the Pats offer to him of 6 mill a year was, if anything, more than he deserves, and I really hope we don't spend any more than that on him.

 

[Rex Ryan's Gut]

Cowboys play 3-4 and so do the Patriots. How would you know that?? I mean you and the rest of the Jets fan thought that Gholston would be a sack master :singing:

I was being facetious.

 

[Deus Irae]

Mankins claims that the Patriots broke their promise to him, but he has yet to say what promise the Patriots broke. Mankins demands to be traded. Mankins is letting his teammates down by requesting a trade when the Patriots offered him a great deal for a LG. He is not a QB and wont get paid like one. If he wants to be traded then fine. I know the Cowboys are looking to bolster their O-Line so why dont we try to trade Mankins for Ware??

Mankins is a free agent who feels that he was screwed over by the Patriots, and is not under contract, so he's not missing anything that he's supposed to be participating in. He's not letting his teammates down by not caving in that situation.

 

[Deus Irae]

Mankins' "principles" were a nice PR creation by his agent to hide his desire for more money.

He's not worthy of being the highest paid guard in the league. He cost us a SB and a 19-0 season with his chokejob performance (see Unoriginal's thread, he was the worst of them that night), and quite frankly, I don't think he's been as good as his reputation says he is.

His perceived value >>>> his actual value. He realizes this. His agent realizes this. They are neatly packaging this knowledge in this phrase "principles", but basically they are trying to milk Mankins being one of the few guards with a household name for what it's worth.

Several Patriots players (current and ex) have talked openly about just how principled Mankins is.

 

[BradyManny]

Several Patriots players (current and ex) have talked openly about just how principled Mankins is.

They're suckers, too, then. I'm not inside the locker room, but from the outside looking in, Mankins claim that his stance is on "principles" looks ridicolously insincere. What is his "principle"? That he believes he's the absolute bestest guard and the league and must be paid that way? Give me a break, there's about 1500 other players in the league that would love to get away with pulling that stunt.

 

[Deus Irae]

They're suckers, too, then. I'm not inside the locker room, but from the outside looking in, Mankins claim that his stance is on "principles" looks ridicolously insincere.

The guys who know him are suckers, but you, who don't know what you're talking about in this situation, since you admit you're on the outside, aren't the sucker?

This is the sort of post that should have you re-assessing whether you might just be too much of a homer.

 

[DarrylS]

How about Mankins for Dansby??

If there is some type of trade, would think that a draft choice would be in order.. not too many teams are going to give up a good quality OLB pass rusher.

 

[RayClay]

If Mankins could be traded for Ware, that deal would be done by now. lol

You never know until you try. I'm not giving up just because Elisha Cuthbert hasn't called me back yet. Probably doing a movie.

 

[mgteich]

What make you think that the FO doesn't try to make such trades. As we found out last year, the FO is constantly in contact with other teams with regard to player trades, even for draft picks two years in the future.

You never know until you try. I'm not giving up just because Elisha Cuthbert hasn't called me back yet. Probably doing a movie.

 

[Real World]

Mankins is overrated, and guards are replacable. If he doesn't like the money being offered, let him rot.

 

[BradyManny]

The guys who know him are suckers, but you, who don't know what you're talking about in this situation, since you admit you're on the outside, aren't the sucker?

This is the sort of post that should have you re-assessing whether you might just be too much of a homer.

The people that know him obviously can't come out and call him a fraud. They'd also be more likely to buy his BS excuse for holding out, since they are close to him.

So, in this case, I'm pretty sure the outside looking in is a much more objective viewpoint.

At the end of the day, how is Mankins stance any more/less motivated by $$ than Vincent Jackson, for instance? It's not. The only difference is Mankins agent has played this thing beautifully from a PR standpoint. The whole "principles" crap is stuff Don Draper couldn't dream up.

As for being a homer, I don't see where that even comes up in this issue. Mankins is a player for the New England Patriots. If I were a homer, I would side with him. I have said since long, long before this "principles" charade began that I thought Mankins was increasingly overvalued - in terms of public perception. I have never wanted to pay him as a top guard.

I don't make blanket statements about ownership - I take it on a case by case basis. I think they are being too conservative with Brady and should lock him up soon. I think they played the Wilfork thing quite well and hit the right number. I think they've already extended themselves to Mankins as much is reasonable, but the once humble rancher is trying to get every last penny and is holding out. Normally, we hate on players for that. But since Mankins threw the word "principle" out there, suddenly, he's a better guy than Vincent Jackson.

Go figure.

 

[mgteich]

Yup! Who cares if we could have a 2010 2nd round draft choice for him! We don't need compensation. We'll show the ingrate!

Mankins is overrated, and guards are replacable. If he doesn't like the money being offered, let him rot.

 

[Deus Irae]

The people that know him obviously can't come out and call him a fraud. They'd also be more likely to buy his BS excuse for holding out, since they are close to him.

So, in this case, I'm pretty sure the outside looking in is a much more objective viewpoint.

That's an absolutely nonsensical position. You have ZERO, repeat ZERO, knowledge of what's actually taken place outside of brief public statements which were clearly incomplete. Furthermore, why couldn't a teammate or an ex-teammate call Mankins out? It certainly wouldn't be the first time it happened with the Patriots.

At the end of the day, how is Mankins stance any more/less motivated by $$ than Vincent Jackson, for instance? It's not. The only difference is Mankins agent has played this thing beautifully from a PR standpoint. The whole "principles" crap is stuff Don Draper couldn't dream up.

Neither you nor I have any idea how Mankins' stance is more/less motivated by money than Jackson. The difference between us is that you're pretending such an obvious truth is not the case, while I'm willing to admit to that obvious truth.

 

[JSn]

Yup! Who cares if we could have a 2010 2nd round draft choice for him! We don't need compensation. We'll show the ingrate!

Now THAT would be a move driven by principles. And light seasoning of ******ation.

 

[RayClay]

What make you think that the FO doesn't try to make such trades. As we found out last year, the FO is constantly in contact with other teams with regard to player trades, even for draft picks two years in the future.

You assume I'm kidding about Elisha. I'm not letting a little restraining order stop me.

Seriously, how could you offer an unsigned guard for the top pass rusher around? There is a question of maintaining credibility, I imagine. I'm guessing we couldn't get more than the compensation pick for a guard demanding at least 8 million who isn't signed.

They aren't trading and paying for a huge name. A less expensive, much less heralded name player stinking is what put us in this mess.

They drafted the guy they want to carry on and training camp has barely begun. Crable was a ? and Burgess insurance for a year. This hasn't changed our projected starters, it's maybe a shifting of backups and a good, not great vet. Look for cuts, teams are not giving up on proven, productive rushers.

 

[RayClay]

When your principles can be appeased by a certain dollar amount, it's not about principles, period.