Patriots fans have a much better chance of seeing two-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins in New England next season. New England brass put a tender offer on Mankins, a restricted free agent, for $3.3 million dollars making it difficult for any other NFL team to sign him. Any suitors would have to give up a lot for the six year pro. Mankins has a lot of years left in him and has been arguably the Patriots best lineman the past few years. The Fresno State product was drafted in the first round by New England in 2005. Mankins has started in 16 games every season he’s been a pro and any team would be glad to have him. Cosidering all the punishment NFL lineman take in the trenches week in and week out it’s amazing how durable and consistent Mankins has been in New England. The Patriots should be doing everything they can to keep this guy in Foxborough.

The New England Patriots have dipped into former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis’s newly unemployed Notre Dame staff and hired Corwin Brown to coach the defensive backs. Bill Belichik coached Michigan product Corwin from 1993-1996 when the Pats head coach was the defensive back coach in New England. Corwin went on to play for the New York Jets and Detroit Lions in what was a eight year NFL career. Corwin was Weis’ defensive coordinator on the dismal Fightin’ Irish team that went 6-6 in 2009, but has NFL coaching experience as he was the secondary coach for the New York Jets from 2004-2006. The Patriots are getting an experienced coach who’s played the position in the NFL. The Pats could be much worse off. The Patriots gave up the fifth fewest points during the regular season in 2009, but were unhappy with their early playoff exit where the Baltimore Ravens put up 33 points in Gillette Stadium. Josh Boyer coached the defensive backs in 2009 and it has yet to be decided if he will have role with the Patriots next season.