Newark Star-Ledger reports Mangold has not signed yet, but he and the Jets reached agreement on a new, seven-year deal worth $55 million today, according to a source.
New York Jets center Nick Mangold.By Dave Hutchinson and Jenny Vrentas
Newark Star-Ledger
Nick Mangold was purposely “stone-faced” when he met with reporters earlier today.
“I will let you know,” the All-Pro center said about signing a long-term deal with the Jets, “and we’ll have a big party."
Mangold has not signed yet, but he and the Jets reached agreement on a new, seven-year deal worth $55 million today, according to someone with direct knowledge of the details of the contract.
That person requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak for Mangold or the team.
The amount of guaranteed money was still being negotiated but is expected to be more than the $20 million Rams center Jason Brown received last year. Brown set the previous mark for centers in the league with the five-year, $37.5 million contract he signed last year.
Mangold was scheduled to make $3.3 million this season in the final year of his rookie deal, which will be included as the first year in the new contract. The sides were reported to be closing in on a deal Sunday night, and his representatives flew in yesterday morning to hammer out the final details.
Asked if how much he would enjoy being with the Jets long-term, Mangold said he “would love to.” Coach Rex Ryan agreed.
“You lock up the best center in football,” Ryan said. “That would be a huge thing for our franchise.”
Ryan said when he was in Baltimore in 2006, the team was going to take Mangold if defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was not available with the No. 12 pick of the draft. Ngata was there, but three years later, Ryan was thrilled to inherit Mangold when hired by the Jets.
Mangold is the second member of the Jets’ core of young starters to reach a long-term deal this year. Left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson signed a six-year, $60 million extension in July.
The team has been deadlocked in negotiations with All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis for more than six months. Asked today if any deals other than Mangold’s, i.e. Revis’, are close, Ryan said, "it would be news to me."
Earlier this offseason, Mangold was open about being disappointed with the slow pace of contract negotiations. But he elected to attend mini-camp and training camp, not because he hoped his presence would be rewarded, he said, but because he wanted to be on the field with his teammates and the young players competing for the left guard job.
“You obviously want the security, you want to have that,” Mangold said. “But in the end, me wanting to play football and me wanting to help out my offensive line overrode the compelling thought of not having the security.”
He hoped, in hindsight, it would be a good decision. When he officially inks his deal, it will be.