Tag, You're It

All-Pro lineman Logan Mankins became the first player in the NFL to receive the franchise tag on Monday. Now, it's up to the Patriots to either lock him up long term or trade him away. 

And so the saga of Logan Mankins continues.

Making their first major transaction of the offseason, the New England Patriots officially placed the franchise tag on the 28-year-old Mankins, a move widely regarded as imminent once the Super Bowl ended. As a result, Mankins will indeed return to Foxboro next season, but this time as one of the highest paid players at his position. He will receive a one-year deal somewhere in the neighborhood of $10.1 million (franchise tags are calculated by finding the average salary of the five highest players at the position). Not bad for a guy who held out all of training camp and the first half of the 2010 regular season.

Leading up to Monday's tag of Mankins, the lineman's story has been full of twists and turns in recent years. After the 2009 season, Mankins' rookie contract ended and he became a restricted free agent, making his salary for 2010 a more than adequate $3.26 million. However, since Mankins was seeking a long-term deal, he was infuriated with the offer and felt disrespected. He lashed out at the team and owner Robert Kraft (a major no-no in Patriots land) and decided to hold out until his demands for a long-term deal or a trade out of Foxboro were met.

However, by not signing his $3.26 million tender prior to the June 15, 2010 deadline, Mankins saw his salary slashed from $3.26 million to $1.54 million. Reluctantly, Mankins signed his tender on November 2, 2010 and reported to the team just prior to the Week 9 matchup with the Cleveland Browns, solely due to the fact that by doing so, Mankins was able to accrue a sixth full season under his belt and therefore earn unrestricted free agent status in 2011.

Now comes the franchise tag.

The most mind boggling aspect of the whole Mankins ordeal is the fact that the Patriots refuse to pay one of their best players, even though they held the third-lowest payroll in the NFL last season. Since being chosen in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft, the former Fresno State standout has been a cornerstone of the Pats offensive line. He embodies everything you look for in a lineman: big (6'4'', 310 lbs), tough, reliable and nasty. He's also a three time Pro Bowler and two time All Pro. He even made the Pro Bowl this past season (as a starter, nonetheless) even though he played in just nine games, symbolizing just how great he is and how well received he is around the league.

"Logan Mankins is one of the best players on the team," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in an interview during the Super Bowl in Dallas. "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."

If the last two Patriots to be tagged are any indication of how the Mankins saga plays out, it could be anyone's guess as to how long the heavyweight guard sticks around Foxboro. Prior to last season, the Pats placed the tag on nose tackle Vince Wilfork, but quickly came to terms on a five-year, $40 million deal just weeks later. Before Wilfork, it was Matt Cassel. As you remember, Cassel stepped in admirably for the injured Brady in 2008, then was slapped with the tag after the season. However, Cassel was then traded to Kansas City along with fan favorite Mike Vrabel in exchange for the 34th overall pick in the 2009 draft, who ended up being Patrick Chung.

While the uncertainly of the CBA has placed a black cloud over the NFL and a work stoppage remains very possible, Patriots fans must wait and see whether Belichick and Co. trade away Mankins or decide to sign him to a long term deal.

I say pay the guy. Lock him up for the long term and then, instead of spending one of their first round picks on an offensive lineman, the Patriots can use it to upgrade a position of serious need: like defensive line, outside linebacker, wide receiver or running back.

It's not like the Patriots don't have the money. It's just that, for some reason, they don't want to spend it.