Logan Mankins is a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers now, but all the guard has ever known is the “Patriot Way.”
On Thursday, the Bucs held a press conference for Mankins, who was traded from New England to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, and ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas wrote that he sounded like “a man still in shock.”
“It’s a sad day not to be with those guys,” Mankins said. “But I’ve got new teammates here that I’m looking forward to developing relationships with.”
And Mankins will have to develop those relationships quickly. The press conference took place before the Buccaneers’ preseason game against the Washington Redskins, and he has just over a week before his new team opens its season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 7.
“It’s going to be tough,” Mankins said. “We’ve got a week until the first game. I’m going to try to take it in stride. I’ve got the weekend to try to get down some of the mental part of it and then all next week at practice. I’m sure the guys are going to help me as much as possible, and I’m going to try my best.”
It likely won’t be an incredibly easy transition for the six-time Pro Bowler, who spent all nine seasons of his career with the Pats. New England let Mankins go after he refused to take a pay cut, as they considered him in, if not close to, a decline.
“I might be in a little decline,” Mankins said. “I don’t know. How many guys that have played 150 games are still on the upswing? I’ve played a lot of games, a lot of snaps. But I feel like I still have something to give this game and give to this team. I’ll try my hardest for them. If it’s not good enough, it’s not. If it is, it is.”
