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Readiness factor: The Patriots' organization might have the NFL's most established infrastructure. Players dutifully follow Bill Belichick's scripted, proven routines. Leadership from players such as Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Logan Mankins, Matt Light (if he returns) and Vince Wilfork will help the Patriots galvanize more speedily than most clubs.

Biggest challenge: The Patriots need to manufacture a pass rush. It will be interesting to see whether Belichick pursues assistance through free agency or sticks with the youngsters on his roster. The Patriots tied for 14th in sacks last season with 36. Starting outside linebackers Tully Banta-Cain, Rob Ninkovich and Jermaine Cunningham combined for just 10 sacks and 26 quarterback hits.

Backfield in motion: The Patriots had an entertaining tandem with BenJarvus Green-Ellis pounding out the carries (1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns) and Danny Woodhead electrifying fans as a combo runner-receiver (926 yards from scrimmage and six TDs) last season. But the rest of the backfield depth chart could be erased (see below), and the DanJarvus Green-Woodhead attack probably won't handle as much responsibility. The Patriots drafted running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley back-to-back in the second round.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Mankins' contract has expired, but the Patriots placed the franchise tag on him. Light, running backs Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor and safety Brandon McGowan are up in the air.

The try-hard guy, long revered by NFL fans for overcoming physical limitations with all-out effort, has not been universally loved.

Established veterans with a feel for how to practice during long, demanding regular seasons can become resentful when the try-hard guy's misplaced fury produces unwanted collisions.

So, for the sake of clarity, the try-hard guy is excused from this conversation about pass-rushers so relentless, they wear down opponents over the course of a game.

We're talking about players with enough talent to command significant playing time, many as high draft choices or big-ticket free agents. We're talking about the San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith, one of two NFC West players to receive votes in ESPN.com's Power Rankings for defensive players. Patrick Willis was the other.

"Justin Smith is a relentless player who wears down opponents by coming after them each and every play," BigBrad184 wrote in response to this item Wednesday morning. "I don't have any stats to back this up, but it seems like he often gets many of his sacks in the fourth quarter because of the fatigue he causes to offensive lineman."

Interesting thought.

"Maybe breaking out Smith's sacks by quarter over the past few years is a project for Sando," BigBrad184 concluded.

Done deal. John Fisher of ESPN Stats & Information responded to my request for the statistical evidence BigBrad184 was seeking. Smith does rank among the NFL leaders for fourth-quarter sacks in recent seasons, but two other NFC West players, including one of Smith's teammates, rank higher on the list.

More on the results in a bit. First, a look at the methodology.

Fisher provided a file with quarter-by-quarter sack totals for every player since 2001. I filtered the information to consider:

• The last three seasons. There was no sense comparing totals for eight-year veterans against players entering the league more recently. At the same time, three seasons was long enough to pile up adequate numbers.
• Players with at least 10 sacks. This reduced qualifying players from 668 to 99, a more manageable number featuring more "name" players.
• Late-game production. I then divided the remaining 99 players' fourth-quarter and overtime sack totals by their total sacks, producing percentages that might tell us which players tend to wear down opponents.

The 49ers' Smith collected 8.5 of his 21.5 sacks in fourth quarters or overtimes since 2008. That worked out to 39.5 percent, which ranked 22nd among the 99 qualifying players.

Philadelphia's Darren Howard, who did not play in 2010, led the way with 75.8 percent of his sacks (11.5 of 16.5) after the third quarter. He was on the Eagles' roster for two of the three seasons in question and never played even half the defensive snaps in either year. But he was highly effective as a situational player, at least when measured by sack totals. Only Jared Allen (15) and Joey Porter (14) had more total sacks after the first three quarters.

There was no way to tell whether players with higher late-game sack percentages had more or better late-game opportunities for reasons unrelated to being relentless. Players operating within superior schemes or alongside better teammates certainly benefited. Overall, players collected more sacks in second and fourth quarters, no surprise given that teams attempted 6,130 additional passes during those quarters over the past three seasons, a likely reflection of two-minute situations.

The San Francisco 49ers' Parys Haralson (52.9 percent) and the St. Louis Rams' Chris Long (48.6 percent) ranked highest in fourth-quarter sack percentage among current NFC West players with at least 10 sacks over the past three seasons. Haralson was seventh in the league. Long was ninth. Former 49er Tully Banta-Cain was 10th (48.4 percent), while Arizona's Joey Porter (44.4 percent), St. Louis' Fred Robbins (44.4 percent), ex-Seahawk Lawrence Jackson (44.0 percent) and current Seahawk Chris Clemons (41.0 percent) ranked among the top 20.

Were these guys merely slow starters? Were they strong finishers? Did they wear down opponents over the course of games? The numbers do not answer those questions definitively, but they provide a starting point for discussion.

I was also interested in seeing which players collected a disproportionate number of sacks earlier in games. They were, at best, tone setters. At worst, they failed to finish or failed to adequately wear down opponents. The previous disclaimers applied to them as well.

As the chart below shows, three of the 10 qualifying players with the lowest percentages of late-game sacks have NFC West roots.

Arizona's Calais Campbell has 5.5 of his 13 sacks in first quarters, but only one in fourth quarters or overtimes. The 49ers' Manny Lawson collected 11 of his 12 sacks in the first three quarters. Darryl Tapp, traded from Seattle to Philadelphia in the deal for Clemons, has 4.5 sacks in each of the first two quarters, but only two in second halves (one after the third quarter).

A few other observations with an eye toward the NFC West:

• Porter (six) and Campbell (5.5) rank among the top seven in most first-quarter sacks. The 49ers' Smith is right behind with five.
• Arizona's Darnell Dockett has nine of his 16 sacks in second quarters. Eight players have more second-quarter sacks over the past three seasons, but all are edge-rusher types. Dockett plays end in a 3-4 scheme.
• Pittsburgh's James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley are a third-quarter nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. Harrison leads the NFL with 15.5 sacks in third quarters. Woodley is second with 12. Former Cardinal Calvin Pace ranks in the top 10 with 7.5.
• Porter and Allen are tied for the most fourth-quarter sacks in the NFL over the past three seasons. Each has 14 (Allen also had one in overtime). DeMarcus Ware and Robert Mathis are next with 13.5, followed by Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers with 12.5.

Back to the original question: Is the 49ers' Smith a relentless player who wears down opponents, producing fourth-quarter payoffs?

He might be, but he produces well enough across all quarters to transcend the try-hard label and probably even the relentless label as well. He's a beast.

A lot of money will go bye-bye if the NFL work stoppage eliminates offseason workouts.

That's a legitimate possibility if owners and players can't hammer out a deal well before training camps normally would begin.

ESPN's Adam Schefter has compiled a list of the NFL's richest workout bonuses and the attendance percentages required to earn them.

New York Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson has the biggest incentive in the league at $750,000. He must attend 85 percent of the workouts to collect.

Other big AFC East bonuses:

• Miami Dolphins inside linebacker Karlos Dansby: $500,000
• Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Shawne Merriman: $500,000
• New York Jets defensive end Bryan Thomas: $500,000
• New York Jets defensive end Mike DeVito: $350,000
• New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady: $250,000
• New York Jets outside linebacker Calvin Pace: $250,000
• New York Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott: $250,000
• New England Patriots defensive end Ty Warren: $250,000
• New England Patriots outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain: $200,000
• Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall: $200,000
• New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson: $200,000
• New England Patriots inside linebacker Jerod Mayo: $180,000

Brady, however, is covered if there aren't any 2011 offseason workouts. His 2012 bonus will inflate to $500,000 in that case.

Sports labor squabbles often are described as billionaires arguing with millionaires over money.

While that's a catchy rhyme that sums up fan frustration, the phrase is not entirely true.

Inspired by a blog entry from the minister of all things AFC South, Paul Kuharsky, I looked at NFL Players Association files to count up the number of AFC East players scheduled for $1 million base salaries in 2011.

Granted, up-front bonuses and incentives can make base salaries misleading. But base salaries are the only figures that create a common ground, player for player.

You'll see a vast majority of NFL players make much less than $1 million a year. Although many will make seven figures before they walk away from the game, careers are short and treacherous. They'll never see that kind of cash again for the rest of their lives.

That's why they're fighting for every dollar now.

Of the 226 players under contract in the AFC East, only 62 of them (27.4 percent) will make base salaries of $1 million or more.

The NFLPA hasn't acknowledged any franchise tags that have been signed. Those players are marked with an asterisk and not factored into the totals.

Buffalo Bills

• Receiver Lee Evans, $3.275 million
• Cornerback Terrence McGee, $3.2 million
• Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, $3.195 million
• Defensive end Spencer Johnson, $3 million
• Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, $2.75 million
• Defensive end Dwan Edwards, $2.6 million
• Center Geoff Hangartner, $2.55 million
• Outside linebacker Chris Kelsay, $2 million
• Running back Fred Jackson, $1.75 million
• Defensive lineman Kyle Williams, $1.75 million
• Kicker Rian Lindell, $1.45 million
• Punter Brian Moorman, $1.425 million
• Cornerback Reggie Corner, $1.2 million
• Receiver Steve Johnson, $1.2 million
• Safety Bryan Scott, $1.15 million
• Linebacker Andra Davis, $1.1 million
• Receiver Roscoe Parrish, $1.025 million
• Safety George Wilson, $1.025 million
• Cornerback Leodis McKelvin, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 19

Players under contract: 54

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 35.2

Miami Dolphins

• Nose tackle Paul Soliai, $12.47 million*
• Tackle Jake Long, $11.2 million
• Receiver Brandon Marshall, $6.5 million
• Tackle Vernon Carey, $4.15 million
• Safety Yeremiah Bell, $3.7 million
• Defensive end Randy Starks, $3.625 million
• Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, $2.7 million
• Inside linebacker Channing Crowder, $2.5 million
• Tight end Anthony Fasano, $1.9 million
• Cornerback Benny Sapp, $1.9 million
• Inside linebacker Tim Dobbins, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Will Allen, $1.5 million
• Safety Tyrone Culver, $1.25 million
• Fullback Lousaka Polite, $1.25 million
• Receiver Davone Bess, $1.013 million
• Kicker Dan Carpenter, $1.005 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 15

Players under contract: 55

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.3

New England Patriots

• Quarterback Tom Brady, $5.75 million
• Cornerback Leigh Bodden, $3.9 million
• Tackle Nick Kaczur, $3.4 million
• Defensive end Ty Warren, $3.1 million
• Center Dan Koppen, $2.9 million
• Safety James Sanders, $2.8 million
• Tight end Alge Crumpler, $2.4 million
• Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, $2.3 million
• Receiver Deion Branch, $2.2 million
• Receiver Wes Welker, $2.15 million
• Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, $1.2 million
• Offensive lineman Dan Connolly, $1.025 million
• Inside linebacker Gary Guyton, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 60

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 23.3

New York Jets

• Quarterback Mark Sanchez, $14.75 million
• Inside linebacker David Harris, $10.1 million*
• Cornerback Darrelle Revis, $6 million
• Tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, $5.615 million
• Inside linebacker Bart Scott, $4.9 million
• Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, $3.855 million
• Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, $3.2 million
• Guard Brandon Moore, $2.75 million
• Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, $2.425 million
• Center Nick Mangold, $2.26 million
• Defensive end Mike DeVito, $2.125 million
• Safety Jim Leonhard, $1.95 million
• Receiver Jerricho Cotchery, $1.8 million
• Defensive tackle Sione Pouha, $1.28 million
• Quarterback Mark Brunell, $1.25 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 57

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 24.6

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Rapid reaction from the New England Patriots' 31-27 win against the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium:

What it means: It came down to the last play, with Tully Banta-Cain sacking quarterback Matt Flynn, as Flynn struggled to get the final play off on fourth-and-1. It looked like a case of poor clock management, and an inexperienced quarterback unsure of what he wanted to do. The Patriots improve to 12-2 in a game they just survived.

They’ll be talking about Connolly’s kickoff return: When was the last time you saw an offensive lineman return a kickoff 71 yards? Never, of course, because it happened for the first time when Patriots right guard Dan Connolly rumbled 71 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Aaron Hernandez. Since the statistic was first recorded in 1994, it marked the longest kickoff return by an offensive lineman. Connolly, a five-year veteran who filled in admirably for left guard Logan Mankins for the season’s first seven games and now is starting at right guard in place of injured Stephen Neal, played the ensuing offensive series before leaving the game with a concussion.

Up and down night for Patriots defense: Through three quarters, it didn’t look pretty for the Patriots' defense. The Packers held a time of possession edge of 31:26 to 13:34 at that point, and the defense looked tired, unable to come up with the critical stop on third down. The Packers were 9-for-13 on third down through three quarters. The tired defense came up with the big stops in the fourth quarter, just when it appeared it was on its last legs.

Penalties hurt the Patriots: New England entered the game ranked fourth in the NFL for fewest accepted penalties in the NFL. They had a tough night in that area with Ed Hochuli’s crew. A potential game-ending interception was nullified by an illegal hands to the face penalty on Tully Banta-Cain, which reflected the Patriots’ struggles in this area.

Should Packers have gone for it on fourth-and-1? Early in the fourth quarter, the Packers led 24-21 and had the ball on the Patriots’ 1-yard line. This came after the Packers couldn’t punch it in on first and goal from the 2. Coach Mike McCarthy elected to kick the field goal on fourth down, a decision that will probably be second-guessed in Green Bay.

Packers brought their best effort: One week after a disappointing loss to the Lions in which they lost starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a concussion, the Packers rebounded in a big way. They played an inspired game, opening with a successful onside kick. Third-year quarterback Flynn, who made his first career start, showed poise until the final play, especially after throwing a third-quarter interception that was returned 36 yards for a touchdown by cornerback Kyle Arrington.

What’s next: The Patriots visit the Buffalo Bills next Sunday. With the New York Jets winning a big road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the team’s lead in the AFC East remains two games.

It's no mystery why we love underdogs.

Respected football minds who get paid to assemble NFL teams dismissed them out of hand, scratched them from their draft lists, cut them in training camp.

Yet these players survive. They're too driven to give up. Not all of them become stars, but that's not necessary to become a precious asset on a team.

"As a coach, you love those stories," said former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards. "They don't let you down."

Said Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey: "You have to have them. There's no way to play the game without them."

Overachievers have dominated the AFC East this year. Late-round draft picks, players who weren't drafted at all and castoffs from other teams have starred for every team, including the MVP favorite (Tom Brady), two leading rushers (BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Fred Jackson), three leading receivers (Wes Welker, Steve Johnson, Davone Bess) and three sack leaders (Cameron Wake, Mike Wright and Kyle Williams).

These thriving underdogs are a substantial reason why the AFC East has been so compelling this year.

"It's football," said Jim Jensen, the ultimate survivor with the Miami Dolphins. They drafted the Boston University quarterback in the 11th round in 1980, and he stuck around until 1992 as a receiver/wedge buster/long snapper/third-down fullback/holder/tell me where to go, Coach, and I'll hit them.

"I like to watch guys that are working hard and working for the team," Jensen said. "They're working for a goal. They're not selfish. Wes Welker is a great example. He just loves to win. He's unselfish. Davone Bess is another one who's an inspiration to watch."

There's a reason the conquering underdog is such a common theme in Hollywood.

"These guys have something to prove," said film producer Mark Ciardi. "There's enough of these stories where these guys just survive and climb over players teams have a lot of money invested in. It's just a different thing when you've got to prove people wrong. They know they've got to check way more boxes than other people to succeed."

Ciardi pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers despite being a 15th-round draft choice in 1983.

"I got no money to sign," Ciardi said. "I was the last guy on the pitching squad of 17 guys in rookie ball. I had no chance."

Four years later, Ciardi made it to the majors. He started three games and pitched another in relief. He defied the odds, which is why he finds stories about unlikely heroes so appealing.

Among his true-story films: "Invincible" (about Philadelphia Eagles walk-on Vince Papale), "Miracle" (about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team), "The Rookie" (about 35-year-old rookie pitcher Jim Morris) and "Secretariat."

All of those motion pictures portrayed an undeniable will to win, a theme that has carried Ciardi throughout his career. He sees it in such players as Brady and Patriots running back Danny Woodhead.

"What I realized was you've got to work extra hard," Ciardi said. "Nothing will be given to you, but you have an opportunity. The only way you're going to succeed is to snatch it and force them to keep you. If they don't have money invested in you, chances are you're not going to get the same kind of shot."

But having overachievers on the roster means more than a compelling storyline and increased jersey sales.

They often become team leaders and examples for other players to emulate. Underdogs help manage the salary cap because they're cheaper (at least in the beginning). They make draft mistakes much more bearable. They help a front office sell the team to future free agents.

"They're so coachable," former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick said. "Once they get into it, they realize how tenuous it is to stay in the NFL. Nothing came easy for them. You love having guys like that on your team."

Inquiring about a coach's favorite player is like asking a parent to name his favorite child. But it's easy to guess what type they admire most: the relentless survivors.

"You know what they have done to get to where they are," Gailey said. "As a competitor, you appreciate that. Everybody doesn't end up with a bunch of God-given talent. Guys have to go fight for what they want in life. When those guys get it, it's very satisfying to see it for those guys to make it."

Two players New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan identified as critical to his establishing his defense last year were inside linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard. Neither was drafted. Leonhard had been waived by the Bills, re-signed and then cast adrift in free agency because the Bills viewed him as no more than roster filler. When Leonhard suffered a season-ending shin injury last week, Jets fans got nervous because he was integral to the secondary and special teams.

The NFL-leading New England Patriots are loaded with examples of perseverance. Brady has been such a superstar in the league for so long, it's sometimes strange to think of him as an underdog. But as the 199th pick in the 2000 draft, Brady might be the game's greatest overachiever.

Wake, the Miami Dolphins outside linebacker, leads the league with 12 sacks. He wasn't drafted and went five years between his last down at Penn State and his first in the NFL. Pro Bowl safety Yeremiah Bell was a sixth-round pick who got waived as a rookie and placed on the practice squad.

Buffalo's offense features late-round picks or undrafted players at the three marquee spots. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was a seventh-round draft choice and a career backup. Running back Fred Jackson didn't start a game for his high school team and came up through Division III and the arena leagues before emerging in NFL Europa. Top receiver Stevie Johnson was a seventh-round draft choice.

As inspirational as these players are, they also make slackers look that much worse. Those healthy first-, second- and third-round players who can't get on the field unfortunately aren't wired to battle that way.

"A lot of these guys think it's a right that they have to play," Gailey said. Overachievers "realize it's a privilege to play this game.

"When you got a guy who knows how to fight and understands the fight, understands competition, understands working through adversity and he becomes a good player on your team, then that helps set a tone."

Billick and Edwards emphasized the impact of undrafted players and late-round successes on a roster's overall well-being. Edwards, an undrafted player who started for the Philadelphia Eagles from the opening day of his rookie season, said unearthing overlooked gems are "like getting a free draft pick." Billick noted that they're instrumental to managing the salary cap.

"The residual effect is you don't have to spend those resources," Billick said, "whether they be draft choices or a procurement through free agency to go fill that spot.

"You pick Tom Brady up in the sixth round. Are you kidding me? What that does for your organization ... Even the difference between that and having to draft Matt Ryan third in the draft, the resources you have to spend is just a gift from above."

Heaven-sent is how Patriots fans must view a good chunk of their division-leading team. Dolfans can't be more thrilled with Wake or Bess. The Jets will depend on undrafted starters such as right guard Brandon Moore, defensive end Mike Devito and Scott down the home stretch while certainly missing Leonhard.

And about the only pleasure Bills fans have had this season is watching their unlikely stars because they're such gripping characters.

"An underlying factor to all these stories," Ciardi said, "is the will and the heart that makes them extraordinary on the field."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots held off a late Indianapolis Colts charge Sunday to win 31-28 in Gillette Stadium.

What it means: The Patriots kept up with the seemingly unbeatable New York Jets in the AFC East standings. Both are 8-2 and both will play four days later on Thanksgiving. The Jets still hold the tiebreaker because they won the first head-to-head meeting.

Brady versus Manning: Tom Brady won this battle, but not with any gaudy stats. Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes, but also had three interceptions, including one to James Sanders with 31 seconds to play and the Colts in field goal range.

Running backs the difference: The Colts played without injured linebackers Gary Brackett and Clint Session, helping the Patriots outrush them 168-71. BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 21 times for 96 yards and a touchdown. Danny Woodhead had seven carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. Through three quarters, the Patriots averaged 5.2 yards per carry, while the Colts averaged 1.3 yards.

Patriots discipline: Aside from Tully Banta-Cain's silly 15-yarder late in the fourth quarter to help the Colts score a touchdown, the Patriots didn't commit any penalties.

What's next: Quick turnaround for the Patriots. They will visit the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.

The Buffalo Bills have made some controversial personnel moves over the past two weeks.

They dumped quarterback Trent Edwards, their opening-day starter.

They traded Marshawn Lynch, their leading rusher, for a fourth-round draft pick.

They're perhaps the worst team in the league, but their top prospects can't get on the field.

They didn't feel rookie quarterback Levi Brown was worthy of their practice squad but re-signed him to the active roster.

One of the moves that really flummoxed Bills followers had nothing to do with the lineup. The Bills last week signed outside linebacker Chris Kelsay to a four-year contract extension worth about $24 million. In addition to the extension, he received an immediate $2 million bonus.

Kelsay has been a nice player for the Bills, but nothing phenomenal. He's a standup guy in the locker room. He has been a starter for seven seasons and has missed only two games since the Bills drafted him 48th overall in 2003. He has 22 sacks in 114 career games.

Readers have asked for my take on the contract, but I decided to hold off until I could gather enough information on how the deal was broken down.

With help from NFL Players Association documents and the Elias Sports Bureau, I can give you a look at Kelsay's deal with league-wide context and then ask: How would you choose to spend $5 million a year on a defensive player?

The way the math is done, Kelsay's per-year average works out to $5 million. The average consists of base salaries plus what the league calls "likely to be earned bonuses" divided by the length of the deal.

"Likely to be earned bonuses" are incentives that are easy to reach or that a player has a history of achieving. "Unlikely to be earned bonuses," such as winning the Super Bowl MVP or leading the league in kickoff return yardage (don't laugh; these types of things actually appear in some deals), are not factored into the annual average.

To determine whether Kelsay was worth the new contract, I did what a lot of agents would do when it's time to negotiate a contract for a specific client. They research for comparable players, using key criteria such as age, games played, statistics and team success.

I asked the Elias Sports Bureau to run a crosscheck of its data base to find all of the 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers who are 30 or 31 years old (Kelsay will turn 31 on Halloween) and have played at least 100 games.

The list is surprisingly small. The attached chart gives the complete rundown of 10 players who fit the description with their sack totals and average annual salary.


Of that group, Kelsay is the highest-paid 3-4 outside linebacker and fourth overall, behind superstar defensive ends Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney and three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. All three have at least twice as many sacks as Kelsay.

"The thing you don't want to do is take your core guys and your leaders out of your system," Bills general manager Buddy Nix said Thursday, the first time he commented on Kelsay's extension. "We decided, obviously, that we've got four, five or six guys like that. They maybe are not great players, but good players that set the tone for what you want everybody else to be.

"Chris Kelsay is a good player. He exemplifies what we want players to do and how we want them to be. So that's the reason he's here."

Strange as it might seem, Kelsay's average per year actually went down with his new deal. The NFLPA still had him categorized as a defensive end heading into 2010 because that's the position he played his entire career before the Bills switched to a 3-4 scheme.

His average salary was $5.75 million, making him the 15th highest-paid defensive end regardless of age or experience. He was listed ahead of Robert Mathis, Shaun Ellis, Trent Cole and Chris Long, who received a gaudy contract as the second overall draft pick in 2008.

With all that in mind, I ask again why the Bills needed to sign Kelsay to an extension, and why now? Who else would have paid Kelsay this much? Did the Bills feel like they would be in danger of losing him as a free agent?

I think those are good questions.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 3:

The best way for the Dolphins to put up points on the Jets won't be the run game or the long ball. When thinking about what the Dolphins' offense can do best, two images come to mind: Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams pounding the ball and Chad Henne using his big arm. The best formula might be the short passing game. Since Jets head coach Rex Ryan took over and installed his defense, the Jets have allowed only 27.1 percent completions on passes longer than 15 yards, but 60.3 percent on passes 14 yards or shorter, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Henne took advantage last year in beating the Jets twice, completing 75 percent of his passes of 14 yards or shorter. He averaged 7.1 yards per attempt, gained 17 first downs and threw for a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. On such throws against the Jets, Henne posted a 110.9 passer rating.

Nobody should be laughing about the Bills' chances to beat the Patriots. True enough, the Bills never have won in Gillette Stadium and have lost 13 straight to the Patriots regardless of venue. But let's not forget the Bills would've won in New England last year if not for a fluke play. Buffalo presents some tough matchups for New England. Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't Buffalo's franchise quarterback, but he's the right choice for this game. New England's secondary has been vulnerable, and, unlike Trent Edwards, Fitzpatrick will test those unproven cornerbacks. Buffalo's chief strength is its underrated pass defense. If the Bills can get some pressure on Tom Brady, especially with sergeant at arms Kevin Faulk out of the lineup, then they'll have a chance.

Sunday night could be a huge turnover game for Mark Sanchez. Young quarterbacks are erratic. Just when you think they have it figured out -- Sanchez had the best day of his career last week against New England -- they waver. Sanchez hasn't committed a turnover this season, but Miami has an opportunistic defense that must be passed against if New York wants to win. Miami extracted four turnovers out of Brett Favre last week. Granted, Favre has been prone to those kinds of games throughout his career, but Sanchez has shown that propensity as well. Sanchez will need to be on point.

Patriots outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain is looking at Sunday's game like it's Christmas. When you look at Banta-Cain's stat line for last year, you can't help but be impressed. He led the Patriots with 10 sacks. But take a look at his game-by-game production. Seven of his sacks came on three days, leaving him with three sacks in his other 13 games. Banta-Cain amassed five of his sacks against the Bills, two in the season opener and three more in the rematch. He's off to a decent start this year with 1.5 sacks through two games.

As happy as Brady is to know Aaron Schobel won't be chasing him Sunday, the Jets have to be even more stoked Ted Ginn isn't with the Dolphins anymore. The Jets went to the playoffs last year, while the Dolphins watched on television. But the Dolphins did sweep the season series with monumental contributions from Ginn, whose last memory in South Florida will be of dropped passes and torturing the Jets. In the first game, which featured five lead changes in the fourth quarter, Ginn beat broken coverage for a 53-yard touchdown strike from Henne. In the rematch, Ginn set an NFL record by returning two kickoffs of at least 100 yards for touchdowns in a game the Jets lost by five points.

ESPN's Wendi Nix reports from Gillette Stadium on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's car crash Thursday morning. The video also includes eyewitness accounts from the scene of the accident.

Some random thoughts from Thursday night, when the St. Louis Rams beat the New England Patriots 36-35 in Gillette Stadium ...

• You can say Sam Bradford had a sensational night in his first NFL start, or you can be worried the rookie quarterback of a team that went 1-15 last year had his way against Bill Belichick's defense. The Patriots were undisciplined and seemed a little lost.
• The Rams allowed 44 sacks last year, tied for seventh-most in the NFL. With four-fifths of the same offensive line and a rookie left tackle in front of Bradford, the Patriots' defense sacked him once and generally failed to create pressure.
• New England was credited with three passes defensed. One of them belonged to nose tackle Vince Wilfork.
• St. Louis' second-team offense, led by undrafted rookie quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, did this to New England's first-team defense to open the second half: 76 yards on 15 plays in 9:19. Lewis and Brandon Gibson connected for a 20-yard touchdown.
• First-round draft pick Devin McCourty started at left cornerback and had a rough night. He struggled on run support and was beaten deep by Donnie Avery for 32 yards on the Rams' first drive. McCourty got scorched on what should have been a 27-yard Laurent Robinson touchdown at the end of the second quarter, but Bradford's throw carried Robinson out of bounds.
• A bright spot for the defense was defensive lineman Ron Brace with seven tackles and a sack. He left the field with an undisclosed leg injury in the second half.
• Rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski is going to be a fan favorite if he can A) stay healthy, and B) keep making the kinds of plays he made against the Rams. He caught three passes for 66 yards and two scores. On his 14-yard touchdown in the second quarter, he dragged James Laurinaitis the final 5 yards and lunged at the goal line. Gronkowski capped a long drive at the start of the fourth quarter by leaping to snare a Tom Brady dart from 20 yards away.
• Wes Welker's return from reconstructive knee surgery took another positive step. He had two catches, one going for 39 yards to seemingly wake up the sleepwalking offense. But the psychological part of his recovery shouldn't be overlooked. Welker showed concern when Avery suffered a serious knee injury in the second quarter. Reminders are everywhere.
• Flat is one thing, undisciplined is another. The Patriots committed nine penalties (two were declined) for 72 yards. The defense was culpable for most. Three Patriots were flagged for roughing the passer: Tully Banta-Cain, Brandon Spikes and Marques Murrell.
• How did the Patriots score 35 points while maintaining possession for only 16:14? Brandon Tate returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown followed by four straight possessions with a combined one first-down conversion. Then they scored touchdowns on each of their next three series, totaling 20 plays.
• That's why Brady and the first-teamers played into the fourth quarter. He finished 18 of 22 for 273 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
• Brady's 65-yard bomb to Randy Moss sure looked pretty and got the Gillette Stadium crowd into the game, but you have to wonder if the Patriots' offense would have been better served with a drive. I don't think Belichick went into Thursday night with "Get Moss behind second-string safety Kevin Payne" on the Patriots' to-do list.
• So here's what happened on the next series: At the end of the third quarter and into the fourth, New England went no huddle and traveled 98 yards on 10 plays, gaining five first downs before Brady found Gronkowski for a 20-yard touchdown. And it took them just 2:45.
• Not sure what to make of running back Laurence Maroney not playing a down for the second straight game. Hard to say for sure, but looks like Belichick has booked him at Chateau Bow Wow. Belichick said it was related to time of possession. Regardless of the reason, no action two straight games is a bad sign for the fifth-year pro.
• Sam Aiken is one of the most underappreciated players in the division. He's an adequate receiver who can help out the offense in a pinch, but he's a consistently solid special-teams performer, the kind of player every good team needs. He eliminated a Rams player on Tate's touchdown return and went across the middle for a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brian Hoyer in the fourth quarter.
• The Patriots' offense probably would've had the ball longer if Belichick opted to go for it on fourth-and-inches from the 50-yard line midway through the first quarter. The TV showed Brady playfully mocking Belichick for punting. Against the Indianapolis Colts on "Sunday Night Football" is one thing. I guess Thursday night wasn't the right moment to be a renegade.
• Forbes estimates the Patriots are worth $1.367 billion. Time to give the Gillette Stadium field some new paint. An on-the-spot official thought Rams tight end Fendi Onobun stepped out of bounds on what should have been a touchdown because the faded white sideline was undefined.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 9

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Is this the year another AFC East team surpasses the New England Patriots in wins?

For nine straight seasons, no team in the division has won more games each season than the Patriots.

But they're being pushed.

The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins have experienced greater successes the past couple years. The Jets went deeper into the playoffs last winter. The Dolphins won the division two seasons ago on a tiebreaker that kept the Patriots out.

The Patriots, aging on offense and patchwork on defense, seem vulnerable to being overtaken.

Still, they're the Patriots, and as long as Bill Belichick is the head coach and Tom Brady is the quarterback, they'll be a fearsome opponent. Randy Moss is back. Wes Welker looks like he's going to be a factor from the start of the season. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork will anchor the defense with linebacker Jerod Mayo behind him.

"Each year is a new year," Belichick said at the beginning of training camp, "and what a team looks like on paper and what they actually are in the fall and how they perform are two different things.

"Each year it seems like we have three or four new division winners. We have teams that go from one, two, three wins to double-digit wins and playoff teams and so forth. I don't know how you project all of that. I don't really spend a lot of time worrying about that. I think you do your preparation on your opponents -- the new ones and the ones you are familiar with like the Jets and Miami, teams like that, Indianapolis, and then you take them as they come."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. How will left guard Logan Mankins' absence impact the offense? Mankins is unsigned and publicly demanded a trade because the Patriots haven't presented him with a contract proposal worth signing. Those who know him don't think he's going to back off that stance easily.

The Patriots already are down to a third-stringer at his position. They switched last year's starting right tackle, Nick Kaczur, to left guard. He suffered a back injury that could threaten his season. That puts Dan Connolly, a sixth-year offensive lineman with four career starts, in the lineup.

That's a precipitous drop from Mankins. He went to his second Pro Bowl last year and is known as one of the division's great smash-mouth players, regardless of position. He has a mean streak that sets the tone for New England's offensive line, particularly in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

One of Belichick's objectives coming into 2010 was to improve New England's red zone efficiency. Belichick has shown he's willing to go with three tight ends if he must. But Mankins' presence certainly would help the offense in terms of attitude and production.

2. Will the Patriots be able to generate enough of a pass rush? They tied for 23rd in sacks last year, registering a lackluster 31, worst among all playoff teams.

So the Patriots had a problem when they entered the offseason and might have gotten less stable. They cut Adalius Thomas, whose three sacks ranked fourth on the club. Derrick Burgess, a two-time Pro Bowler, tied for second with five sacks. He hasn't reported to training camp and is said to be contemplating retirement. Update: Burgess was reinstated to the active roster Friday, and defensive end Ty Warren (hip) was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Tully Banta-Cain, who led the team with 10 sacks, is back. But he doesn't strike fear in opposing tackles. Half of his sacks came against the overwhelmed Buffalo Bills. Second-round draft choice Jermaine Cunningham didn't play in Thursday night's preseason opener, which should raise some eyebrows.

You can't tell me Rob Ninkovich or Marques Murrell are going to provide that desperately needed jolt. Murrell did beat Pro Bowl tackle Jon Stinchcomb to sack Drew Brees on Thursday night (the Patriots' only sack), but the undrafted former Jet hasn't started an NFL game. Neither has Ninkovich.

3. Will Tom Brady's contract situation be a distraction? In stark contrast to Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis' entrenched holdout, Brady's approach to his contract situation has been commendable.

Brady is entering the final year of his contract and reportedly has been aggravated by the fact he hasn't gotten an extension yet. Some pundits insist Brady will be a tough negotiator because he has made salary concessions in the past and will insist on receiving full market value for a three-time champion.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft wants Brady to remain the face of the franchise, but it's not that simple. Labor strife and the role each man plays -- Kraft an influential voice for the league, Brady an emerging union spokesman -- contributes to the delicate process.

Brady's contract has been a major storyline of camp so far, but because he showed up on time and said all the right things, it hasn't been a problem.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Welker didn't play in the exhibition opener, but he has demonstrated he's going to be ready to play in Week 1, barring a setback. The only visible evidence he's coming back from two torn left knee ligaments is a brace. He also had offseason shoulder surgery, but you'd never guess by looking at him. Welker went all-out in joint practices with the Saints, putting his body in harm's way to make tough catches. He sliced through defenders, fought through coverages and leaped for passes.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Burgess, the AWOL outside linebacker, has left the Patriots in a lurch with his indecision. He apparently wanted to play in June, when he signed a one-year contract worth as much as $1.65 million. The Patriots expressed surprise when Burgess declined to report for camp. With an inkling Burgess was having second thoughts, they would've had a better chance to address the situation before it was too late.

OBSERVATION DECK

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AP Photo/Michael DwyerWide receiver Julian Edelman was impressive in the Patriots' first preseason game.
• You have to wonder if Welker's speedy recovery is partially due to the presence of Julian Edelman. I'm not saying Edelman is Welker's equal, but knowing that Edelman's on the roster and ready to step in must have entered Welker's mind once or twice during rehab.
• Edelman, the converted quarterback from Kent State, turned in a very Welkerish six-reception, 90-yard performance on Thursday night. He also had a 40-yard punt return.
• Strong safety Brandon Meriweather continually has progressed toward star status in his previous three seasons and still has room to get better. With another year of experience, this should be a big year for him.
• Interesting choice to start at running back in the preseason opener. Belichick went with BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who ran 11 times for 34 yards but darted for a 6-yard touchdown run.
• Both rookie tight ends look like they'll be impact players. Aaron Hernandez (113th overall) has trouble blocking but is a dangerous receiver. Rob Gronkowski (42nd overall) looks like a power forward at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds. He'll be easy for Brady to spot in the red zone.
• Rookie cornerback Devin McCourty has been getting first-team reps with Leigh Bodden sidelined by a knee injury. McCourty looks like he belongs out there, a great sign for the Patriots' secondary.
• Second-year cornerback Darius Butler, meanwhile, committed a costly penalty in Thursday night's preseason opener. Butler was called for illegal contact on a fourth-down play in which the Patriots seemed to stop the Saints. The penalty extended a 20-play touchdown drive.
• The Patriots will need more consistency out of their kicking game. Stephen Gostkowski, an All-Pro two seasons ago, had trouble kicking field goals this week, although he did nail both of his tries (from 35 and 28 yards) Thursday night. Zoltan Mesko can boom it, but the fifth-round draft pick occasionally delivers an onside punt.
• If you're in a larger fantasy league, jot down receiver Brandon Tate on the margin of your cheat sheet. Draft him late. You might steal one.

ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli, citing multiple unnamed sources, reports New England Patriots outside linebacker Derrick Burgess is mulling retirement.

Burgess did not report for the start of Patriots training camp Thursday at Gillette Stadium. The odd development comes after the 31-year-old Burgess chose to re-sign with the Patriots in June. His one-year contract has a $1.4 million base salary and included a $100,000 signing bonus.

If Burgess decides to quit, his absence would weaken an already uncertain outside linebacking corps. The Patriots ranked 22nd in sacks last year with 31. Burgess was tied for second on the team with five sacks.

Tully Banta-Cain led the way with 10. Defensive lineman Mike Wright also had five, and outside linebacker Adalius Thomas, since released, was fourth on the team with three sacks.

Burgess played all 17 games. He started four games at outside linebacker and two at defensive end.

Can the AFC East send three clubs to the playoffs?

Sure seems possible to me. The past two years have produced different division champs and a third team that reached the AFC Championship Game last season.

The journey will start in a matter of days. The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots blow the air horn on Thursday. The Miami Dolphins start Friday afternoon. The New York Jets open their "Hard Knocks" camp Monday morning.

All four teams have loose ends to tie up before camp. None has signed its first-round draft choice. Patriots left guard Logan Mankins remains unsigned and unhappy.

FOUR BIG QUESTIONS

Buffalo Bills: Who will be the quarterback?

New head coach Chan Gailey has stressed there will be an open quarterback competition, but the first depth chart will be known when the Bills begin camp. The campaign would get off to a fascinating start if anybody other than Trent Edwards takes the initial first-team reps. Ryan Fitzpatrick finished last year as the starter, but offers the least amount of upside. He's a sixth-year journeyman backup. Brian Brohm, a 2008 Green Bay Packers second-round pick, provides the most intrigue, titillating Bills fans because he's the unknown quantity. The battle should be a slowly progressing storyline unlikely to be decided until preseason games have been played -- and maybe not until the week before the season opener.

Miami Dolphins: How quickly will receiver Brandon Marshall integrate into the offense?

The Dolphins' prized offseason acquisition missed voluntary workouts and minicamp because of hip surgery the Dolphins didn't anticipate when they traded for him in April. His absence delayed the Dolphins' ability to see how he could transform the offense, forcing any ideas to remain X's and O's on the dry-erase board until training camp. The injury also prevented quarterback Chad Henne from getting fully acquainted with Marshall, a player who can help expedite Henne's development. Henne must get used to Marshall's speed and route angles. How quickly they find their timing on intermediate and longer patterns such as deep outs and posts against a defense will be important to making sure they're totally on the same page when the season starts.

New England Patriots: Will the Patriots show noticeable improvement on defense?

The old baseball adage claims championship teams are strong up the middle. The Patriots can say they're formidable in that regard. They have star nose tackle Vince Wilfork, inside linebacker Jerod Mayo and a solid group of safeties. But this ain't baseball. In football, especially with a 3-4 defense, teams need an outside presence. The Patriots are eager to see if they can improve their pass rush and be more consistent at cornerback. Those two areas depend on each other and contributed to the Patriots ranking 22nd in sacks per pass play last year. They'll have to sort through returning outside linebackers Tully Banta-Cain, Derrick Burgess, Rob Ninkovich and Shawn Crable and 53rd overall draft pick Jermaine Cunningham. At the all-important left cornerback spot, unproven sophomore Darius Butler will compete with first-round pick Devin McCourty.

New York Jets: Will quarterback Mark Sanchez take command in his second camp?

As a reckless rookie, Sanchez seemed hell-bent on squandering a team loaded in several key categories: No. 1 defense, No. 1 rushing attack, three Pro Bowlers on the offensive line. But late last season, Sanchez finally bought into what offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer had been preaching and closed the season with a deep playoff run. Knee surgery limited Sanchez's first full NFL offseason, but he participated in minicamp. He'll have two talented receivers, Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes, who weren't around at this time last year. How their chemistry develops over the next two months will be crucial.

HOTTEST SEATS

Bills: Demetrius Bell. It's odd to imagine a player drafted in the seventh round as a long-term project being on the hot seat going into just his third season. But Bell plays left tackle, and the Bills can't afford to fool around at such an important position. Bell didn't play a snap in 2008, yet emerged as last year's opening-night starter. He struggled before a knee injury ended his season prematurely. Bell was one of the NFL's most penalized players, and Gailey abhors pre-snap penalties. In eight games, Bell committed six false starts and allowed five sacks.

Dolphins: Will Allen. The 10-year veteran started last season as the club's top cornerback, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game. The Dolphins played out the year with a pair of rookies, Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, at cornerback. While they were frequently broiled by opposing receivers, they are the future and there's something to be said for trial by fire. Allen's contract might doom him. He's scheduled to make base salaries of $5.2 million this year and $5.5 million next year.

Patriots: Laurence Maroney. He has been a polarizing player since the Patriots drafted him 21st overall in 2006. He has looked like a stud running back at times, but not nearly often enough. Maroney's entering his fifth season but has started only 14 games, hasn't cracked 900 rushing yards in a season and fumbles too much.

Jets: Nick Folk. Coaches don't have much patience for an erratic kicker. The Jets parted ways with a good one, letting Jay Feely leave via free agency. They signed Folk, a former Pro Bowler who was a disaster with the Dallas Cowboys last year. He was inconsistent in Jets voluntary workouts and minicamp, already drawing playful ridicule from coach Rex Ryan. If Folk continues to miss kicks, the Jets won't be laughing.

SECRET WEAPON

Patriots receiver Brandon Tate. When considering New England's top targets, the names Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Torry Holt and maybe Julian Edelman come to mind. Keep an eye out for Tate, a second-year pro with one reception. Tate still was recovering from knee surgery when the Patriots drafted him in the third round out of North Carolina. He made his debut in Week 7 and suffered another knee injury in Week 9. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has spoken highly of Tate during the offseason.

CHANGING OF THE GUARDS

The Bills boast one example of stability over the rest of the AFC East -- on the offensive line, no less.

The Bills enter training camp with the lone left guard in place. Second-year pro Andy Levitre returns as the starter, while each of the other three clubs have uncertainties to address. The Jets and Dolphins are letting players compete for their left guard openings, while the Patriots have a two-time Pro Bowler who has demanded a trade.

In Jets camp, second-round pick Vladimir Ducasse and sophomore Matt Slauson are battling for the vacancy created by the controversial release of nine-time Pro Bowler Alan Faneca.

The Dolphins traded Justin Smiley, their left guard the past two seasons. Nate Garner started eight games, including four on the left side while Smiley was hurt last season. Donald Thomas started 12 games at right guard. Richie Incognito started at right guard for the St. Louis Rams and Bills. The Dolphins drafted guard John Jerry in the third round.

Mankins isn't expected to be at Patriots camp when it begins. He's an unsigned restricted free agent and last month went public with his desire to be traded. Right tackle Nick Kaczur has been working in Mankins' spot.

The theme of the New England Patriots' offseason has been identifying their keepers and re-signing them. Vince Wilfork, Kevin Faulk, Stephen Neal, Leigh Bodden and Tully Banta-Cain have new contracts they're happy with.

The same can't be said for another important player. Logan Mankins, a two-time Pro Bowl guard, remains unsigned and might be headed for a contentious summer.

Mankins is one of the couple hundred free agents affected by the uncapped year. He was supposed to be unrestricted, but the rules rendered him restricted and unable to control his own fate.

On Sunday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said, "I really hope Logan will be with us for the long term. That is our objective."

Mankins' agent, Frank Bauer, told the Boston Herald: "There has been discussions. We're pretty far apart. Let's leave it at that."

Mankins has missed the offseason conditioning program so far. Bauer declined to say whether Mankins would attend upcoming organized team activities or mandatory minicamp in June.

Mankins and Bauer certainly noticed when the New Orleans Saints signed guard Jahri Evans to a seven-year contract worth $56.7 million.

Evans was a 2006 fourth-round draft choice and is coming off his first Pro Bowl season. He also was first-team All-Pro. Mankins was New England's first-round pick in 2005. He has been to a pair of Pro Bowls, including last year.

In light of Evans' whopping contract, I recently discussed Mankins' situation with National Football Post president Andrew Brandt, a former Green Bay Packers vice president who handled contracts and the salary cap.

Mankins' situation was aggravating from the start because he was one of 212 "limbo free agents," as Brandt calls them. If not for the uncapped season, Mankins would be cashing in with the biggest contract of his career.

Instead, the Patriots were able to tender a one-year, $3.3 million offer. If Mankins refuses to sign it by June 15, then the Patriots can drop the offer to 110 percent of last year's salary, or about $1.5 million.

"It just creates this frustrating situation for a player with a tender," Brandt said, "where in any other year he'd be free to shop his services."

In a column for National Football Post, Brandt breaks down how guard salaries escalated to where they are today. The standard was around $7 million a season from 2006 through 2008, but then the New York Jets signed Alan Faneca to a deal that averaged $8 million annually.

Evans' contract surpassed Faneca's record-breaker in terms of average salary and is second in guaranteed money.

Mankins, however, can't force the Patriots to give him a similar deal.

"His only leverage is pointing to what other teams have done in terms of the Evans deal," Brandt said. "However, the team response -- and I've been there -- is, 'We don't do deals based on what other people do.'

"His leverage is that he's a good player they want to keep happy."

The Patriots have significant money already tied up in veteran players. They've already invested roughly $80 million this offseason and still have to keep Tom Brady happy. The face of the franchise is entering the final year of his contract.

"Obviously, the Brady situation and other free agents are going to impact Mankins," Brandt said. "Priorities are important. It's all about priorities and budgets. Like any other team, they have to find out where those two things lie.

"Without a salary cap, teams have taken to creating their own salary caps, which translate to the word 'budget.' The real reason we're not seeing big deals is the uncertain labor situation, which is in turn causing teams to budget their player costs [lower] than they would."

One possibility for Mankins could be a lucrative extension that doesn't begin until 2011. The Patriots would promise Mankins his money while delaying costs for another year.

"I think that's possible as long as there's some sort of sufficient guarantee where the amount fits in terms of the marketplace and the future years," Brandt said. "If budget's an issue, you try to defer the big costs until next year.

"With an extension that adds years to a contract, there has to be guaranteed security for the player. That's usually in signing bonus or other guaranteed money. The only way to do that is to provide a sufficient level of guaranteed money, according to the marketplace."

The marketplace changed significantly with the Evans contract, and it made satisfying Mankins that much more difficult to achieve.