Pats Players Depressed Over Mankins Loss
August 27th, 2014
Bucs general manager Jason Licht and director of player personnel Jon Robinson both logged years with the New England Patriots serving Bill Belicheat. That’s when Licht and Robinson got to know guard Logan Mankins up and close and personal.
In fact, likely no one who works at One Buc Palace knows Mankins the way those two do. So when Licht raved yesterday about what a solid citizen and teammate Mankins is, not only did Mankins sound like the anti-sleazy Richie Incognito, but it seems their take was dead on based on the depression in New England.
Just take a gander at some of the quotes cobbled together from Patriots players by Doug Kyed of NESN, it reads like they were leaving a wake after learning that Mankins had been dealt to the Bucs.
The Patriots’ players were clearly affected by the news that starting left guard Logan Mankins was traded to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round draft pick and tight end Tim Wright.
“We understand it’s a business, and we understand that we’re here to play football and win football games, but there’s still a human element there that exists,” special teams captain Matthew Slater said Tuesday in the Patriots locker room. “We have to deal with that human element as best we can. Obviously many of us are good friends with him and his family. We understand it’s a business for us all, and we have to continue to try to go out and produce and go out and play good football.”
“It is what it is. He’s always been a great teammate, great captain, great guy to learn from in the locker room,” a downcast Julian Edelman said of Mankins. “It’s the business part of the game. It’s hard sometimes, but it is what it is. I wish him the best — him and his family. They’ve been great to me in my career. I just wish him the best.”
“The atmosphere was a little down today about what happened today with Logan,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said about practice. “But at the same time, you’ve gotta go out there and do our jobs. It’s very sad. He’s been here for a long time. I got a lot of respect for him from playing against him in the past. He’s a class act, and that’s how the business goes, and I wish him the best. I wish that we wouldn’t even be talking about this at this point, but it is what it is. I wish him the best.”
Joe cannot put into words just how good of an addition Mankins is to the Bucs.
First, he filled a serious void. Second, he is one of the best players at his position. Three, just from the words of those who know him and worked with him, it sounds like he’s the type of player and teammate that will get guys to run through bricks walls.
All for a fourth round pick and a player who, in the years to come, was likely going to see his playing time reduced? Now that’s what Joe calls a trade.
August 27th, 2014 at 7:35 am
The complete opposite of the other guy.
August 27th, 2014 at 7:50 am
I’m warming up to the trade…..just bummed about wright. he went from hero to zero since this story broke-he was the one bright spot last year…but hey they replaced him in the draft and that makes him their best available player to trade and most appealing to other teams. best of luck to him; he should have apro bowl year in NE. Let’s stop the wright bashing though. he was a stud.
August 27th, 2014 at 7:51 am
funny words coming from Revis, who was in his position a year ago.
talking like he was teammates for years.
August 27th, 2014 at 7:54 am
And when the money the Pats saved by trading him is used on a big name WR and the Pats are in the SB hunt the team will forget about it. We upgraded the OG position, no argument there, but to coin a Joe phrase Mankins is on the wrong side of 30. I don’t begrudge the move as it was obvious that something had to be done, but let’s remember it was the same guys (L & L) who’s praises are being sung in Tampa that created this need by letting go of Zuttah for next to nothing
August 27th, 2014 at 7:54 am
Great trade… I still think we will sign RI too.
August 27th, 2014 at 7:56 am
Wow, Mankins and Incognito manning the guard positions? Awesome!!!
August 27th, 2014 at 7:57 am
I hope it won’t take Logan too long to warm up to his new team….if this is a shock to NE fans and his teamates, you know it came as a huge surprise to him. Hopefully, his family likes the beach & is eager to get out of the cold weather!!!
August 27th, 2014 at 8:09 am
Anything that brings pain, sadness and sorrow to the Patriots and their fans is okay with me….
August 27th, 2014 at 8:11 am
I love the trade, huge upgrade. I do not understand how Tim Wright is a stud, can’t block at all and has suspect hands. He’s more of an h-back which should fit in NE’s offense. He’s not a top 10 TE no way. If you compare him to what we had last year I see your point, not this year and not in this offense. Unless they were going to carry a 4th TE and he somehow fit into special teams I think he may not have even made the team.
@Toes
Not many free agent stud wr’s sign for less then $10million a year, let alone $6. If you are referring to the possibility of Fitgerald being a free agent, how old will he be? Not very often stud wr’s under 30 become free agents unless they have baggage. Probably money to be applied to Revis or McCourty. Effective guards can play into their late 30’s. I would think its a great deal if he can play at 90pct of his former self for another 3-4 years.
August 27th, 2014 at 8:12 am
Revis is a lie, he knows it’s more money that could potentially be his.
August 27th, 2014 at 8:13 am
Awesome addition to our O Line. Hopefully Logan will play another 2-3 years. Am thinking now that the Bucs will use a high draft pick next year to select his replacement so that he can train-him-up. Nothing like learning from a 6-time Pro Bowler.
August 27th, 2014 at 8:17 am
Great trade.
August 27th, 2014 at 8:19 am
It is a huge upgrade and it is going to help the Bucs a LOT, but don’t kid yourselves. We paid heavily in my opinion. The 4th rounder was fine, but I think Wright will flourish in the Pats system. And he is only 24. How many years can we get out of 32 yo Mankins? But, as I said, Mankins is a huge upgrade at our weakest position by far.
August 27th, 2014 at 8:20 am
I wonder how well he will adjust to the heat. I love this trade!!
August 27th, 2014 at 8:21 am
You need a fortress to protect a “cannon”…..Maybe he was brought in to bully Richie…..
August 27th, 2014 at 8:23 am
I still can’t believe the trade… Like Lovie said yesterday our Bucs just got better!!!!
Joe where do you rank this trade in Bucs history?
August 27th, 2014 at 8:28 am
The last time I checked Incognito has never committed a crime. To continually call him sleazy in a negative way just shows how immature you are -Joe-.
By the way, how does it feel to be in the minority on this opinion? I read alot of the posts of your readers and I think it was pretty obvious that your take was off the mark.
I will guess it feels the same as when you realized after 2 preseason games that your claim that Johnny M was the next Johnny U was way off the mark. Doh! I am so glad you dont work in our front office.
@BK – Joe never has any problem being in the minority on any opinion. –Joe
August 27th, 2014 at 8:39 am
Team Licht
August 27th, 2014 at 8:49 am
Robert9, don’t be upset about Wright. He was going to get cut by Saturday anyway. At least we orchestrated a deal rather than just releasing him.
August 27th, 2014 at 8:50 am
Here is the question…..Is Mankins really good because of his team’s winning records?
Or….is Richie really not good (according to Joe) because of his team’s non-winning records?
August 27th, 2014 at 8:58 am
When they’re in the playoffs again in January they won’t be all that depressed. New England has a very good history of trading guys before they seriously decline and they’ve used the Bucs as a farm squad these last few years (Talib, Blount, Revis and now Wright). Mankins is substantially better than what is here but that has more to do with what is here. His play last year was middling, but again that’s much better than what we have.
Giving Zuttah away and trusting in Nicks were terrible errors that had to be corrected so even if Wright does put up big numbers in New England (and he probably will), this trade had to happen. Mankins contract is also easily cutable so if he is indeed in decline this won’t hurt in the long term at all.
August 27th, 2014 at 9:05 am
Way to go BK, well said. Joe is one of them
who believes he’s never sinned.
August 27th, 2014 at 9:22 am
Toes….rumor is it that NE will need the money to keep Revis. So how does that frost your cake? We traded them Revis, now they trade us Mankins to help free up the money to keep Revis next year. Interesting twist.
August 27th, 2014 at 9:23 am
Nobody will know if this is a great trade until we see how Mankins plays. How many guards still play great after 32 years of age? Very few I’m guessing.
August 27th, 2014 at 10:02 am
Tough to argue with this trade….sure he’s north of 30…. But it’s not like he’s a rb or wr than relies on speed per se. I liken this to when Hardy Nickerson joined he Bucs in the 90’s….a true pro who everyone respects and can learn from. This is the right trade at the right time for this roster. And I won’t dive out the basement window when Tim Wright puts up decent #’s. He’s bound to do so.
August 27th, 2014 at 10:37 am
A factoid Pats fans (perhaps being butthurt) are tossing around: 9 of the 11 sacks Brady took in the last 9 games, including the playoffs, came through Mankins.
Mankins gave up 11 sacks last season.
Food for thought.
Seems he’s been in the doghouse since his 10-game holdout in 2010, where some nasty comments were made about Robert Kraft and supposed promises.
August 27th, 2014 at 10:41 am
I think you all are missing another aspect of this trade. Even if we only get 3 years of high quality play from him, he seems like an ideal example & resource for teaching up our young linemen, either the ones we have now, or the results of the next draft or 2…as Hardy did with Brooks. Just sayin the deal could pay off in more ways than the obvious.
Who care if Wright does extremely well in NE, he wasn’t gonna do it here, just too many bodies. Good for him, little harm to us, no big deal.
Botched situation ? Seems to have worked out just fine, to me. Sure bad things COULD have happened , THEY DIDN’T !!! Chill out.
August 27th, 2014 at 10:47 am
The thing everyone seems to overlook here is that Tim Wright is an undersized Tight End. Yes, he’s a servicable player. Far from an All-Pro at his position and his undersized body likely makes his shelf life shorter.
He’s a #2 TE on a good team. He was a star on our team last year because we sucked. He’ll do great in New England behind Gronk and I wish him all the best but he’s nowhere near the caliber of Mankins.
Mankins can still play. Was a Pro Bowler last year. He starts on every team in the NFL. So at the end of the day you take a #2 TE and a 4th Rounder for an All-Pro guard for the 3-4 years.
Sounds like a great trade to me… Oh yea, he’s a great leader too. Played with a torn ACL and shit… Tough guy… LOVE THE TRADE!!!
August 27th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
WELCOME TO TAMPA LOGAN!!!
Pulling off this stunning trade just boosted Licht’s moxy a notch. OUTSTANDING trade.
At this point, Mankins was the best possible all around option and non of us even had a clue it was possible! Superior player on and off the field to Ingognito, much better financially for us than Boone plus you know the 49ers would have demanded a 1st or 2nd round pick to boot!
Adding his top notch winning mentality, his outstanding work ethic, and his universally respected leadership to this O-line and team is a HUGE win for the Bucs!
Clearly it will take some time for Mr. Mankins to adjust to his new teammates and learn the new system but we’re instantly a better team with him.
August 27th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
I think lots of people wanna take a dump on Tim Wright now, so they can feel better about the trade. That’s ridiculous. Wright is a good player who was going to be a part of our offense. There’s no way he was getting cut. I still think it’s a good trade if Mankins stays healthy and performs as an above-average guard for 3 years or so.
August 27th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
yeah joe is a finger pointer and a name caller would like to see him say to his face