NEP4Life

Koppen is a 3 mil+ /yr player. Connolly is 1 mil +/yr. They're both free agents, with gas left in the tank, so we assume they'll get a raise.

Who do you think will be the starting offensive center in 2012?

__________________

VrabelJr

Someone else, ideally Peter Konz or Mike Brewster. Koppen is more valuable to another NFL team, Connolly and Wendell are great depth guys for G/C but up the gut pressure has been an issue this team has faced for too long.

JackBauer

At those prices, I'd keep Connolly. Not sure about Koppen vis a vis Connolly, but I am sure the difference, if any, is not 2mm worth.

Would rather draft a C and have them come in and compete with Connolly for the starting position.

KontradictioN

The majority of the gut pressure in this last Super Bowl came from the guy Mankins was supposed to be blocking. Connolly had a fine game.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


CREDIT - Sicilian

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Connolly and Wendell have done a good job since Koppen went down....no need to spend a few million more on Dan...even if its brady's good friend.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

rojo8401

Koppen is the leader of the o-line and helps Brady makes all the pre-snap reads.

Ask Brady who he wants there.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

MoLewisrocks

I think it has to be Connolly and maybe Koppen comes back as a veteran backup for short money. They have too many other issues to deal with, including elsewhere on the OL, to invest draft capital at the position and the OL has had more than it's share of investment in the last couple of years. Don't know if the RG will be back or the RT will ever rebound and if Light hangs 'em up Solder won't be covering for Vollmer, he'll be the starting LT. Need to invest in some skill players on offense and in the secondary and probably even in another pass rusher who is more than a stop gap.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Draft Scott Wedije from northern Illinois in the 4th round ... a solid pass blocker and will probably be available in the 4th or 5th round.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

NEP4Life

To me it seems Connolly is almost a lock to come back because of his role as an interior line backup, and he's almost certain to get significant snaps over the course of next season, just because of injuries (hopefully all minor - knock on wood).

So if Connolly is the starting C, then you need an effective backup interior lineman. Not sure Wendell is that guy.

Added: Some pundits claim it's almost impossible for a new C, especially a rookie, to come in and correctly execute the line calls in this offense, so I expect the C will have to be Koppen or Connolly, while any new C learns the system.

__________________

patsfan13

Connolly did well this year, maybe as good as Koppen at this stage of his career, we need to draft a center for the future.

__________________
"Some guys play in all-star games, some guys don't. I don't know who picks all those all-star teams. In all honesty, I don't know who picks the combine, for that matter," Belichick said. "How does (Miami-Ohio offensive lineman Brandon) Brooks not get invited to the combine? How did Vollmer not get invited to the combine? I don't know. We can't really worry about that. We just have to try to evaluate them the best we can."