Restricted trio may be forced to hold out

[RayClay]

A fair contract is a range. Players don't have to only consider the highest possible contract, and most don't. could depend on city, cost of living, loyalty to team, getting on a winning team and many other factors.

Obviously the strange circumstances adversely affected Mankins, so the question is, did the Pats, independent of that, make a fair offer?

I think they did. In fact, it's more that I thought they would pay for a guard. Is it the highest possible offer he would get? I don't know, but if you're talking 8+ million with tons of guaranteed money, the Pats would have traded or let him go anyway.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The open question is how much Mankins might be worth now. We can specualte that he isn't worth much, or we can allow his agent to try to find a partner with a 2010 2nd to offer (ala Branch). I don't see what the patriots have to lose.

There's no way a team is gonna fool BB by offering a 2010 2nd for Mankins. He's too smart to fall for that. Al Davis might, but not Belichick.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I've got no problem with Mankins or anyone else holding out if that's what they deem in their best interest... I respect that as much as I'd like them to play.

But I find it insulting when Mankins or any other player suggests something is "owed" to them because they played better than their contract or because the current CBA keeps them as RFAs.

Fans are pretty smart and understand the dynamics here

 

[mgteich]

????

Are you saying that Belichick is so smart that he would prefer a 2012 end of the third comp pick?

There's no way a team is gonna fool BB by offering a 2010 2nd for Mankins. He's too smart to fall for that. Al Davis might, but not Belichick.

 

[alamo]

????

Are you saying that Belichick is so smart that he would prefer a 2012 end of the third comp pick?

I suspect he'd actually be asking for a 2011 pick, not a 2010 one as you specified.

 

[mgteich]

Yes a 2011 2nd.

I suspect he'd actually be asking for a 2011 pick, not a 2010 one as you specified.

 

[Synovia]

It seems that Mankins was an RFA only through a one-time CBA rule. He will be a UFA next year whether he plays or not. It is not clear why Mankins should risk injury by ever showing up this year. There is little reason to risk a $20M payday to get $1.6M in 2010 monies.

Well, other than the fact that hes going to get nowhere near as much money after sitting out a year. There's definitely going to be some trepidation about signing a player to a big deal who hasn't played football in a year.