My guess is that the outcome here will likely turn on when—for purposes of the current CBA—the 2011 season begins. Are we in the 2011 NFL season as of today, February 11, 2011? If so, then I think the league wins. If not, then I think the NFLPA wins.

Me too. Not over it. Yets fans rejoice. Not over Giants or Colts 4th down game, either. AM over Ravens beat-down, though.

We’ll be back. Figure with tuck rule and so many bounces going our way in the early years, now so many going the other way the last few years… we go into next year clean slate.

Hopefully the put in a rookie salary cap and BB keeps his high picks.

Great in the regular season, but I don’t think any of them have earned a mega deal.

The Patriots hold most but not all the cards – he can hold out again if he wants to demand what he thinks he deserves – top 3 linemen money.

But what he deserves isn’t relevant – it’s what he or any other franchised player can get when the team holds nearly all the cards.

So Mankins has a choice – accept a more reasonable long term contract with gobs of guaranteed money now – though maybe not as much as he wants… or wait til the new CBA is established, letting this possibly drag into 2012 when he’ll be 30 and possibly looking at less money anyways in a new CBA

Compromising on a reasonable long-term contract with accepting guaranteed money now before a lockout strikes me as the better alternative

For all the flack Randy Moss caught the last year, at least he was candid, and said it HIMSELF-

“people don’t understand that this isn’t a game, it’s a business”

“I want to retire a patriot, but they really don’t pay”

I wonder how Mankins is going to react to that?
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As pissed as most players are at getting the FT….multiply that by about 492,703,599 for him.
He’s great @ his position but as a Pats fan I am sick of his ish and whining about Mr. Kraft and his snarkiness. His nasty disposition on the field is great until he commits his usual dumbass personal foul like he did against the Jets.
The OL is better with Mankins for sure but Koppen is easily the weakest link on the OL even beyond having to fill in @ LG.

I really thought they were just going to let him walk to another team. I am shocked they actually are interested in retaining the rights of the best guard in football.

Man this is BIG news!!!

Still not over them going 14-2 and then limpdicking it against the Jets.

He is one hell of a football player and I think every other team in the league would throw big $$$ his way. I understand the Pats reasoning for keeping him but why piss the guy off any more just give him a big contract so both sides are happy.

What owner, gm or coach wants to give a 5+ year mega million dollar contract to a player, when they would only perform at that level for perhaps half the duration of the deal.

Unfortunately there are no easy answers to the CBA and concessions will have to be made by both sides.

Something tells me you made a comment that not very many people liked? I could be wrong…

And as a Patriots fan, I can say I saw this coming for one reason or another. I think if Mankins is wanting Jahri Evans money then he should be sent packing. Yes, he brought an attitude and nastiness to the line once he came back but that fiery attitude has been missing as a whole from the entire offensive line. There are teams like the Cowboys and Redskins that will break the bank for a guy like Mankins but Belichick sure as hell won’t do it. Not for a guard, anyway. If he wants top dollar, he’ll be sent packing. Mark it down.