By Tom E. Curran
CSNNE.com Patriots InsiderFollow @tomecurranFOXBORO - Sense of humor? Dry. Delivery? Deadpan. Approach? Straight-shootin'.Logan Mankins met with media for the first time during Patriots camp on Thursday. It was the first chance for the team's franchised All-Pro to work out with the team (he had to wait for the CBA to be ratified and the 2011 league year to begin). Asked why he went ahead and signed the tender offer that pays him 10.1 million after going militant in 2010 when he was cuffed with an RFA tender that would have paid him around 3.5 million, Mankins answered, "Well, I figured I'm getting paid a lot of money this year, I might as well play the whole year."Incontrast to last summer, Mankins is open to playing a few more years in New England it seems. While indicating he won't talk business too often ("This year, I'm putting everything behind me and I'm gonna try to have a good year..."), Mankins answered this way when asked if he might sign long-term. "There's always a chance. I talked to the coaches and ownership we're all on the same page and we'll see what happens." Asked if he'd continue to negotiate a long-term deal into the season, Mankins replied, "I don't negotiate. I just play. I let my agent deal with that and whoever upstairs wants to do it." If the Patriots were to tag Mankins again after the season, they'd have to pay him 120 percent of this year's take. So, if they want him around, it would behoove them to get that done soon. The deadline for negotiating long-term deals with franchised players is September 20. "We'll see what happens," Mankins offered. "I understand more it's a business now than ever so we'll see what happens."
Tom E. Curran can be reached at tcurran@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Tom on Twitter at http:twitter.comtomecurran.