Kraft on Pats' approach with Mankins

[USCPatriot]

ESPN Link

DALLAS – Patriots owner Robert Kraft was asked today at the Super Bowl if the team plans to assign the franchise tag to offensive lineman Logan Mankins.

“Logan Mankins is one of the best players on the team,” Kraft answered. “I think there has been a little misunderstanding about some things that have been written. I just personally want to say, I hope he’s with us for a long-term and we’re going to try to do whatever we have to do to make sure that happens.”

Kraft did not answer a follow-up question on whether the sides are currently negotiating.

Kraft was later asked about what he meant when he said a “misunderstanding about some things that have been written” when it comes to Mankins and the Patriots.

He explained that he felt the misunderstanding was with “the media writing about it.”

“Just speaking for myself, Logan is a great player and I hope he’s with us long-term,” he said.

Didn't know which Mankins thread to post this in, and it also seemed like urgent news so I figured I'd just post it.

Anyway, this seems like good news, Kraft actually giving Mankins a nice compliment. Hopefully Mankins takes the hint and stops trying to use the media as leverage, unless the media is making alot of this stuff up.

Discuss.

 

[JackBauer]

Well, I hope Kraft is serious!

 

[Deus Irae]

So Kraft using the media as leverage should be a call for Mankins to stop using the media as leverage?

 

[JackBauer]

So Kraft using the media as leverage should be a call for Mankins to stop using the media as leverage?

If you had to look into your crystal ball and predict the outcome, do you see the Patriots signing Mankins long term?

 

[Deus Irae]

If you had to look into your crystal ball and predict the outcome, do you see the Patriots signing Mankins long term?

That's a really tough call, because we know so little about any recent contacts. Everyone who's not a Patsfans.com expert says that Mankins is a strongly principled man, and he feels that he was wronged. That would indicate a firm stance on any potential contract, and we know how the Patriots handle most players who take that approach.

If I had to put money down on this right now, I'd guess that the team will franchise Mankins this year, draft a guard high (probably round 2), look at free agents once they all become available, and cut loose from Mankins after the upcoming season, whenever it's played.

 

[Sicilian]

I don't think Kraft said much here. As for the line about the media, I don't think he was saying Mankins was using the media as leverage, so much as hinting that the media itself was slanting things.

 

[italian pat patriot]

I sincerely hope that both parties can make an agreement: Logan Mankins is our best offensive line man; let's see what happens but a point of agreement would be important

 

[DarrylS]

If you had to look into your crystal ball and predict the outcome, do you see the Patriots signing Mankins long term?

I do, as much as he is principled and proud.. he is a really great player, and our OLine is quite a bit better when he is playing.

BTW Kraft will be on EEI at 5:00 PM...

 

[BlueThunder]

Why not try to get a draft pick for Logan, or a player, and try to work a trade ?

 

[Dirtywater]

In today's football market it shouldn't surprise me if we retain him, but I'll be shocked if we do outside of the franchise tag. I almost feel he is making a point and will leave no matter what.

Great player, I'll admit I don't understand how the cap works since the Jets seem to (I know they don't) keep most of their players as well as other teams. Oh well, whatever happens happens.

 

[Triumph]

Translation:

Kraft - Were using the Franchise tag.

Mankins - FU Im outa here.

 

[Shelterdog]

Why not try to get a draft pick for Logan, or a player, and try to work a trade ?

Can't until there's a new CBA.

 

[serifyn]

Translation:

Kraft - Were using the Franchise tag.

Mankins - FU Im outa here.

KRAFT - LOL NOPE

Mankins- $&@($&#%@&@!

this is another one of those tell me what i want to hear comment by kraft, he knows that patriots fans value mankins so he can please them by saying how important mankins is and how he will try so very hard to being him back, words arent dollar signs however, im sure if they valued mankins enough they could have extended him while he was still on his original contract and he would have had the security he needed then to not want a new contract now.

if kraft is telling the truth and they really are doing all they can to bring mankins back it can only mean 2 things.

1. Mankins needs to know his value on the market before he signs anything.

2. Mankins is still pissed about losing all of that money in 2010 and how the team basically manipulated and lied to him and now wants nothing to do with the patriots other than them driving up the price.

Mankins would have signed a deal during the season if kraft is telling the truth and neither or these 2 things were true, obviously if either of the 2 are true it significantly hurts the patriots chances of resigning him, i doubt the patriots would outbid for mankins against crazy free agencyteams like the bears, redskins and cowboys.

 

[vyrago]

I sincerely hope that both parties can make an agreement: Logan Mankins is our best offensive line man; let's see what happens but a point of agreement would be important

Yes he is I guess, but in all three recent post-season losses, Brady was running for his life and our "best offensive lineman" was playing.

 

[The Boston Patriot]

If you had to look into your crystal ball and predict the outcome, do you see the Patriots signing Mankins long term?

No, not really.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

This is the same thing Kraft said about Mankins and the situation with him last summer, fall and into early winter when he reported... Maybe this is at the heart of the misunderstandings, what Kraft says to the media Logan takes as gospel when in fact it's just Kraft spinning for the media. There is a reason Bill always preached the one voice mantra, the one constant he took from his years with Tuna.

At the end of the day the whatever we can, whatever it takes or tell 'em what they want to hear approach usually ends up causing more problems than it solves. Kind of like the 2006 compromise CBA negotiated at the last moment to avert a work stoppage. Brokered by the Krafts... Bad solutions aren't generally better than none...for the long term.

That Bob will be at the table with Goodell and Smith tomorrow is actually a somewhat scary scenario IMHO... Consilliation isn't always in anyones best interest. Goodell is on record claiming that the League doesn't want a bandaid solution this time around. They don't want a deal where one side feels it won and the other after reflection feels it got screwed. In that case the answer is to do whatever it takes to get to the point where an agreement is finally achieved that both sides can live with amicably for the long haul, so you don't find yourself in the same predicament every 4 years going forward.

I think that is what I admire most about Bill. He has the courage of his core football and football business convictions whether they appear to be the most expeditious in the moment or not.

 

[Shelterdog]

KRAFT - LOL NOPE

Mankins- $&@($&#%@&@!

To be fair, in a normal season if a player is really, really dead set against playing under the tag they can get themselves traded; a team has to keep enough cap space free to pay the player the franchise amount, so a player can just hold out and screw up a team's salary cap situation.

Players coming out of relatively small first contracts aren't generally quite as anti-cap as they pretend to be though-one year of $5-10 million guaranteed is a life changing amount of money so playing one year at a very high salary isn't that bad a deal.

Unless the Pats really, really, really want Mankins back (and I assume they really want him back, but not three reallys want him back; only franchise Qbs get three reallys) the CBA situation is just going to put everything on hold until there's a new CBA.

 

[flycessna]

Well, I hope Kraft is serious!

Of course he is! It doesnt mean he's going to pay him as the number one OL in the league..

It's been beaten to death but I still say the guy is worth a long term deal. His personality, his play, and the position gives me some comfort that he will be playing at a high level for quite some time..

And Maybe a long term deal is what is needed to get it done and not have it cost the pats too much cap room..

 

[signbabybrady]

Not much meat to the interview. What is suposed to say? He is good but he is not worth what he thinks but we will try to force him to sign what we think he is worth and if that doesnt work we might consider the tag.


The best part of that article was the shot Kraft took at the media for twisting things and making things out to be bigger than they are.

 

[part-timer]

Unfortunately I don't see the Pats paying in excess of 8 mill per year till Mankins is 35 yr. old. But I do see him back under the franchise tag for at least the 11 season, even if they have to promise not to franchise him in 12. I have no ill will about the situation because I realize that all player have one alegience and that is to cash because this is a bussiness and they want to maximise there income potential just like you or me. But I am concerned that if they break the bank on an OG how it will impact the ability of the team to maintain proper deapth management.