Boy, when you listen to Bill Belichick talk about Logan Mankins, you almost wonder why he traded him for a spare tight end and a fourth-round pick today.
The statement from the loyal-to-none-but-the-organization coach reads like a Hall of Fame presentation speech rather than a boot out the door for a guy getting older and more expensive.
“Logan Mankins is everything we would ever want in a football player,” Belichick said, except apparently not.
“It is hard to imagine a better player at his position, a tougher competitor or a person to represent our program,” Belichick said, except I guess he could.
“He is one of the all-time great Patriots and the best guard I ever coached,” Belichick continued, though he apparently figured he could do just fine without him.
“Logan brought a quiet but unmistakable presence and leadership that will be impossible to duplicate,” Belichick added, which assumes leadership from someone other than himself is something he values.
“Unfortunately, this is the time of year when difficult decisions have to be made,” Belichick said in conclusion. “And this is one of the most difficult we will ever make — but like every other decision it was made for what we feel is in the best interests of the team.”
We can only imagine the paean he’ll sing when he pawns off Tom Brady, because you just know that’s inevitable.