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Restricted Free Agency Deadline Passes

The New England Patriots had three players as restricted free agents who hadn't signed their tenders. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, OLB Pierre Woods and LG Logan Mankins. Since the restricted free agency deadline has passed, these players are unable to contact other teams without permission, which basically means the Patriots have control of them for the rest of the season.

Both Woods and Gostkowski have signed injury waivers, allowing them to still take part in the off-season workouts. Mankins, on the other hand, has expressed his displeasure with the lack of a long term contract. He has stayed away from the Patriots camp and appears to be ready to stay away until a deal has been reached.

It's unknown when any of these deals will come to fruition any time soon. It's possible that deals with Woods and Gostkowski won't occur until after the draft, but I think the Mankins deal may be the most closely related to how the draft plays out. If Mike Iupati, guard from Idaho, drops to the Patriots at #22, perhaps the Patriots will draft him and put pressure on the Mankins camp. Perhaps the Patriots will trade Mankins for a top draft pick.

All that is known is that there's been no deal between the two camps. Hopefully, a deal comes soon.