Bill Belichick is ranked as the best coach in the NFL, according to a poll of 30 league insiders.

Pete Carroll and Sean Payton are ranked second and third and are also in their first tier.

"The most important thing to me is the ability to control the offense, the defense and the special teams," a GM said in describing the ideal coach. "You can change and you can coach multiple things and you have the ability to teach almost every position group. Then you can lose any coach you want and replace from within because the head coach is the talent. Belichick is the ultimate model of that."

Belichick commmanded a 1 vote on 28 of 30 ballots.

In Tier 2 are Andy Reid at No. 4, Tom Coughlin at No. 5, Mike McCarthy and Mike Tomlin at No. 6, Jim Harbaugh at No. 8, John Harbaugh at No. 9, John Fox at No. 10 , Jeff Fisher at No. 11, Chip Kelly at No. 12, Bruce Arians at No. 13, Lovie Smith at No. 14 and Mavin Lewis at No. 15.

Tier 3 is led by Chuck Pagano At No. 16, followed by Rex Ryan (17), Mike Smith (18), Gus Bradley (19), Ken Whisenhunt (20), Mike McCoy (20), Marc Trestman (22) and Ron Rivera (23).

Tier 4 features Mike Zimmer (24), Jay Gruden (25), Bill O'Brien (26), Jim Caldwell (27), Doug Marrone (28), Joe Philbin (29), Jason Garrett (30), Mike Pettine (31) and Bruce Allen (32).

The New England Patriots have traded Logan Mankins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a draft pick and Tim Wright.

Mankins is a six-time Pro Bowler at guard.

Mankins will count $4 million against the Patriots' salary cap in 2014 and another $4 million in 2015.

The Buccaneers have been searching for an upgrade at left guard.

Da'Quan Bowers dropped to the second round in the 2011 draft due to medical issues and could end up getting cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bowers is currently suffering from a groin strain.

"I think every day you don't practice you're hurting your chances (of making the team),'' coach Lovie Smith said, per the Tampa Bay Times. "We've seen enough to like Da'Quan a lot. But all the reps that he's not getting, someone else is getting them. The best way to beat your competition sometimes is just to stay on the field. You can't get Wally Pipped. Da'Quan is trying to get back. Again, I think he has a future in the league, whether it be as a defensive end outside or more of a third down rush guy inside.''

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed Larry English.

English was the 16th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.

English was cut in July after failing to deliver on his promise as an outside linebacker.

In Lovie Smith's 4-3 scheme, English will move to defensive end and fight for playing time behind Adrian Clayborn and Michael Johnson.