Pro Bowl offensive guard Logan Mankins has had his one-year, restricted free agent tender offer reduced by the Patriots from $3.268 million to $1.54 million. Mankins appears serious about holding out of all of training camp, and perhaps deep into the season.
Teammate Vince Wilfork doesn’t want that to happen.
Wilfork, New England’s first-team nose tackle, goes against Mankins, a first-team left guard, every day on the practice field. He offers special insight about Mankins’ strengths and weaknesses, and Wilfork doesn’t believe Mankins has many of the latter.
“I think he is the best offensive [guard] out there,” Wilfork told the Boston Herald on Thursday. "...I see the guy every year in camp and in practice we see each other. He’s every bit of what you look for in an offensive lineman. He’s got the toughness, he’s got the strength, he’s got the quickness, you name it, he’s a complete football player, and to have one of them on the offensive line, it’s very rare.
”...For what it’s worth, I don’t want him to go anywhere. I think we’d lose someone very, very special. Somebody that’s dedicated.”
Last month, the Boston Herald reported that Mankins turned down a five-year contract offer from the Patriots that would’ve made him one of the five highest-paid guards in the league. The alleged proposal is thought to have been made during the period of time since New England signed Wilfork to a five-year, $40 million contract in March.
Wilfork’s deal made him the second richest defensive tackle in the game.
Behind this guy.