Offensive Line and Mankins

[randomk1]

here are a couple questions I'd have --- would light sign with us to play guard or back up a rookie?
I understand he'd be doing it if he was under contract, but even if he'd rather stay with the pats don't you think he'd take a bigger money deal to start at tackle somewhere else?
considering the patriots roster situation I just don't see them offering him a lot to stay, even if both sides want a deal.

also, I think whoever said mankins could sign a one year deal is crazy, unless they're talking about the tag.
if you look at the evans money he's looking for, then consider that the cap could possibly shrink 10% since the patriots' previous offer, you have to wonder what mankins will end up being able to get from the pats if they offer him a longer term deal, or even what he could get from other teams.

this is just the year in year out nfl process of roster churn.

If Light doesn't accept it then it's time to part ways imo...he's had a long and successful career in NE and this place is probably his last shot at another championship so that might figure into his decision.

Mankins needs to stop *****ing and work out a deal or play with the franchise tag. He'll be gone next year then and he'll probably regret it like most players do.

 

[MaineMan]

here are a couple questions I'd have --- would light sign with us to play guard or back up a rookie?
I understand he'd be doing it if he was under contract, but even if he'd rather stay with the pats don't you think he'd take a bigger money deal to start at tackle somewhere else?
considering the patriots roster situation I just don't see them offering him a lot to stay, even if both sides want a deal.

also, I think whoever said mankins could sign a one year deal is crazy, unless they're talking about the tag.
if you look at the evans money he's looking for, then consider that the cap could possibly shrink 10% since the patriots' previous offer, you have to wonder what mankins will end up being able to get from the pats if they offer him a longer term deal, or even what he could get from other teams.

this is just the year in year out nfl process of roster churn.

10%? First I've heard that number, I think.

That would knock the 2009 cap (the last one) down from $128M to around $115M. BEFORE the draft, the Pats had about $105M committed cap expenses for 2011 the last I checked and they were dead in the middle of the pack. A cap of $115M would mean that more half the teams in the league are in deep doo-doo even before they sign their draft picks and the Skins and Cowboys are going to have to rework a bunch of contracts and/or let a significant number of veterans go.

 

[eom]

I don't folow the whole labor dispute bs, so I'm just taking miguel's word on it, and it's just an offer --- nothing's been decided, so it's all conversation right now.

According to my figures the Patriots' 2011 cap figure is for $111,870,338 with 65 signed or tendered players. As of now there is no cap limit for the 2011 season. The last offer from the owners to the NFLPA set the 2011 cap as $114 million.

Miguel's UNOFFICIAL 2011 Patriots Salary Cap Information Page

I don't know how the owners propose to deal with teams significantly over cap, if it ended up at 114, but I suppose they could just hard cap it.
it'd be tough on the fa market, and some players would be cut, but I doubt there are many teams that couldn't get under that if they wanted to.

although, that's all pretty far down the road, but even if 2011 is played and uncapped, what about 2012?
mankins has to sign his deal at some point.

edit: as for the pats, they could free up some space pretty quickly, if push came to shove --- I don't think it would be all that hard to fit these chump change rookies in there.

 

[MaineMan]

I don't folow the whole labor dispute bs, so I'm just taking miguel's word on it, and it's just an offer --- nothing's been decided, so it's all conversation right now.

According to my figures the Patriots' 2011 cap figure is for $111,870,338 with 65 signed or tendered players. As of now there is no cap limit for the 2011 season. The last offer from the owners to the NFLPA set the 2011 cap as $114 million.

Miguel's UNOFFICIAL 2011 Patriots Salary Cap Information Page

I don't know how the owners propose to deal with teams significantly over cap, if it ended up at 114, but I suppose they could just hard cap it.
it'd be tough on the fa market, and some players would be cut, but I doubt there are many teams that couldn't get under that if they wanted to.

although, that's all pretty far down the road, but even if 2011 is played and uncapped, what about 2012?
mankins has to sign his deal at some point.

edit: as for the pats, they could free up some space pretty quickly, if push came to shove --- I don't think it would be all that hard to fit these chump change rookies in there.

Now that I think about it, the $105M estimate I have might have been from February, before the tenders, so Miguel's $112M seems realistic if it's more recent.

WRT the $114M proposal, I know that the whole point of this exercise for the owners has been to cut expenses, but it still seems odd that what appears to be a majority of them would vote themselves into cap hell.

 

[The Scrizz]

I never said there weren't racial overtones, just that it's a reach to automatically assume racism if someone questions the intelligance of a black person.

Actually it would be more technically called 'prejudice', and it is exactly that if the comment was based on Cannon being black.

I was legitimately asking if there was a reason behind the comment because on NFL Network they actually talked about his intelligence and agility for a guy that big, the two things a Pats O-Lineman is supposed to have. I believe he was one of the Dancing Bears of the day.

 

[cstjohn17]

Just my opinion but signing Mankins is still a priority. He has never missed a game, is an all pro, demonstrates the toughness required and is respcted by all teammates. He becomes the rock of the group. Next year when Koppen leaves he helps steady the interior of the line.

2011 - Solder, Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, Vollmer
2012 Solder, Mankins, Plater X, Connolly / Canon, Vollmer

I am not counting on Kaczur for much, bad issues are scary.

I don't feel great about a rookie protecting Brady's blindside but overall this could be on of the best young O Lines in the league.

 

[crowell33]

Just my opinion but signing Mankins is still a priority. He has never missed a game, is an all pro, demonstrates the toughness required and is respcted by all teammates. He becomes the rock of the group. Next year when Koppen leaves he helps steady the interior of the line.

2011 - Solder, Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, Vollmer
2012 Solder, Mankins, Plater X, Connolly / Canon, Vollmer

I am not counting on Kaczur for much, bad issues are scary.

I don't feel great about a rookie protecting Brady's blindside but overall this could be on of the best young O Lines in the league.

I love Plater X. He's a natural knee bender, has long arms, gets into his sets quickly, moves and blocks quickly on the second level, and mirrors and slides well against the pass rush.

 

[randomk1]

I love Plater X. He's a natural knee bender, has long arms, gets into his sets quickly, moves and blocks quickly on the second level, and mirrors and slides well against the pass rush.

He's a Pouncey type talent and reportedly a very high character guy. 4.0 GPA,volunteer work in the community,hard worker. If he is there we gotta take him. He's the kind of guy you just plug into your lineup for the next decade.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Just my opinion but signing Mankins is still a priority. He has never missed a game, is an all pro, demonstrates the toughness required and is respcted by all teammates. He becomes the rock of the group. Next year when Koppen leaves he helps steady the interior of the line.

2011 - Solder, Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, Vollmer
2012 Solder, Mankins, Plater X, Connolly / Canon, Vollmer

I am not counting on Kaczur for much, bad issues are scary.

I don't feel great about a rookie protecting Brady's blindside but overall this could be on of the best young O Lines in the league.

Mankins has the franchise tag on him. It's really up to him to put his name on the dotted line but there are no negotiations here. He either 'deigns' to accept 10M to play out the year or he can sit and miss out on 10M more dollars. He already cost himself a significant amount of money by sitting out 6 games last season. I don't think he's going to do it again no matter how 'pissed' he might feel at the Pats. The NFL is a business. And those are some really BIG paychecks to miss out on.

 

[randomk1]

Mankins has the franchise tag on him. It's really up to him to put his name on the dotted line but there are no negotiations here. He either 'deigns' to accept 10M to play out the year or he can sit and miss out on 10M more dollars. He already cost himself a significant amount of money by sitting out 6 games last season. I don't think he's going to do it again no matter how 'pissed' he might feel at the Pats. The NFL is a business. And those are some really BIG paychecks to miss out on.

Mankins needs to have a talk with Branch imo. Sometimes the grass is not greener on the otherside and he's going to be a rich man no matter what happens.

Sometimes i ******* hate how top players can ***** over money which shouldn't seem all that much to them. They get paid for a life time to play a ******* game.

 

[SirApropos]

Mankins needs to have a talk with Branch imo. Sometimes the grass is not greener on the otherside and he's going to be a rich man no matter what happens.

Sometimes i ******* hate how top players can ***** over money which shouldn't seem all that much to them. They get paid for a life time to play a ******* game.

Granted Mankins is due a payday though. He has been playing off his original rookie contract and then the RFA tender from last year and has only earned a little over $7.2M for the last six years which is super cheap for what he has given us.

Is he worth $8.1M a year like Jahri Evans got paid? No, but the Pats are freeing up a lot of $$ on the OL with Neal's retirement, the impending cut of Kazcur and Matt Light going to FA. I think if they can work something out at around $7.5M a year a deal can be reached.