Even with Matt Light's retirement, the Pats currently have 7-8 "starting" caliber linemen:
- Logan Mankins - a multiple Pro Bowler who has started all 104 games in which he has played. A certain starter if healthy.
- Brian Waters - a multiple Pro Bowler who has started 165 of 179 career games, and who played at a Pro Bowl level in 2011.
- Sebastian Vollmer - an All Pro in 2010, has started 29 of 36 games. A certain starter if healthy. Can play both right and left tackle.
- Nate Solder - started 13 games as a rookie at both right and left tackle, and played well. Seems set as the successor to Matt Light at LT.
- Robert Gallery - has started 103 of 104 career games at both guard and tackle (his only non-start coming his rookie season), so it's hard to not argue that he's NFL starting caliber, even though he will likely be a backup for the Pats barring injury. Injuries slowed him in 2011.
- Dan Koppen - similar to Gallery, has started 120 out of 121 career games at center, with his only non-start coming his rookie season. Assuming he's fully healthy, it's hard not to argue that he's a starting caliber center, whether he starts or not.
- Dan Connolly - has started 24 games the past 2 seasons at both guard and center, and has played at a starting caliber at both positions.
- Marcus Cannon - the most questionable name on this list, Cannon played in 7 games as a rookie after coming off PUP. He appears to be playing with the first unit in Sebastian Vollmer's absence, and is a likely starter at RT if Vollmer is not ready. Has reportedly acquitted himself reasonably well so far this year. May also have positional flexibility at guard.
If Marcus Cannon is indeed ready to make the jump to a starting caliber lineman, that would give the Pats 8 linemen who can play at a reaosnable NFL starting caliber. Most of them have the ability to play more than one OL position. I'm not sure if another team in the NFL can boast that kind of depth.