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Long term big bussiness planing right before our eyes and no one see's it. Last year the Pats expected Mankins to play out the RFA tender for 3 mill., and it was reduced to 1.5 mill. for not reporting on time. Then he only earned 9/16's($843,750.00) of it showing up late season. The schedual being what it was allowed for Connoly to fill in admiarly and have Mankins come in fresh for the end run into post season. I believe this had to cut into Mankins leverage, check the board posts from last year and see all the Mankins posts not missing him so much with Connoly preforming well. This year Manking is taged for $10 mill. and would be crazy not to work for more this year than he has earned in his career. Also 50% of our OL problems have been addressed by the drafting of Soldier and Cannon, further reduceing Mankins leverage. Next year if taged Mankins will earn just under 13 million, and the Pats will need just a OG and OC to have compleately rebuilt the OL in three years. If a Quality OG is drafted next year Mankins leverage will have been eliminated. What will it have cost the team to keep Mankins threw the 2012 season, $843,750 + 10 mill. + 12.5 Mill. =23,343,750 Mill. /3 =$7,781,250 per year.
The Pats original offer to Mankins was in the range of 7-8 Mill. for 4-5 year contract range. If it is determined after the draft Mankins is not needed the Pats will have payed an average of under $5.5 mill for two years while they rebuilt the OL, and the Pats will not have to have been locked into a high priced contract long term. So, who's statigy was successful, who won the contract battle? Mankins had the power to determine his future with last years offer. I believe this years offer will not be as profitable because he has lost leverage. Mankins still has the ability to pick his future but the window may close and a final decision to his future may be determined in the first two rounds of next years draft. I do like Mankins on the OL but he is not irreplaceable. 2012's OL could look like Soldier LT,Cannon LG, Draft pick/Wendle C,Draft pick/connolly RG, Vollmer RT.