Patriots 2015 Free Agent Profile – Dan Connolly, Guard, Center, KR, Just Ask Him...
The Patriots offensive line went thru a bit of an upheaval in 2014. First longtime coach Dante Scarnecchia retired and was replaced by Dave DeGuglielmo. Then the team traded guard Logan Mankins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This opened the door for veteran Dan Connolly to move to starting left guard in place of the mainstay in Mankins.
The team drafted three offensive linemen, Center Brian Stork, tackle Cameron Fleming and guard Jon Halapio. The unit struggled as the Patriots tried to find the right combination up front for Tom Brady. The move of Connolly to left guard, Stork to starting center and Ryan Wendell to right guard was the key to stabilizing the interior of the offensive line. The team’s offense at the Week 5 mark took off and didn’t look back until they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in Glendale, Arizona.
Ryan Hannable of WEEI in Boston compiled the stats of Brady with this starting unit and came up with this: (7-1 record) — Brady: 214-320 (66.9 percent), 2,433 yards, 21 TDs, 6 INTs, 103.6 QB rating, 4 sacks. The link to that piece is here:
Connolly has been a valuable cog of the Patriots offensive line and his versatility and leadership has been extremely valuable. He was named a team captain this season and his quiet presence helped allay the initial struggles of the unit early this season.
Connolly started the year at center something he’s done before dating back to the 2009 season, right guard and then back to center for most of 2011 after Dan Koppen went on IR. He moved back to right guard for most of the past few years before moving to left guard this season. It wasn’t an entirely new position as he filled in for Mankins during his seven-game holdout in 2010. Where ever the team needed him, he was willing to play.
“It’s just about preparation,” Connolly told the media prior to the Super Bowl. “Everybody has to be ready to play any position. We ask that of the backup guys. When we practice, we do different combinations of people all the time.”
“We do that during training camp just so guys are ready to go in at any position if something happens to come up. You don’t know if somebody could get injured in the game and someone has to step up and fill that role. We always try to make sure everybody is as prepared as can be.”
Connolly even had a stint as a kick returner, taking back a kick against Green Bay in 2010 for a 71-yard gain during a Sunday Night Football game. It was the longest kickoff return by an offensive lineman in the history of the NFL, and helped turn a game around where the Patriots were down by ten points just before halftime to one they came back to win.
Why Connolly Will Return: Versatility, leadership and production. Connolly has always played well no matter where he was plugged in. In 2014 when it seemed the season was hanging in the balance after a 2-2 start; he was the one constant that kept the offensive line intact.
Connolly can play any of the interior three line positions and will move over seamlessly at the drop of a hat and is always prepared to do what is needed. He’s a valuable calming influence on the unit and it wasn’t a coincidence that the team made him a captain in 2014. His leadership was a big reason why this unit went from a near sieve in 2013 allowing 40 sacks of Brady to a much better unit this season giving up only 21.
He shouldn’t break the bank at the age of 33 and the team should be able to work out a contract that will keep him in a Patriots uniform for the next year or two.
Why Connolly Won’t Return: Connolly has never been the biggest guy, the strongest nor the quickest and at the age of 33, may not have many more productive years left. If there is a weakness on the Patriots offensive line that can be upgraded, it is on the interior.
The Patriots running game was only 18th in 2014, averaging only 107.9 yards per game. The team found a way around this with creative play calling and coaching, at times bringing in an extra OL to punch holes thru defenders. Their inability to assert their will against physical defenses in the playoffs versus Baltimore and Seattle were covered up by the stellar play of Brady but are unacceptable moving forward.
The pass blocking while better in 2014 was dependent on Brady getting rid of the ball in a ridiculously quick amount of time which, while effective, limited their down the field passing.
The addition of the rookie Stork was a big upgrade for the unit. The team will again be expected to dip early into the 2015 NFL Draft for more interior line help. The team may decide to move Fleming to guard to upgrade their size, youth and physicality there. In reality the Patriots could replace either Connolly or Josh Kline this season.
While the market for Connolly shouldn’t be huge, free agency may be the best way for him to gauge his value before coming back to New England to see if a deal can be struck for him to finish his career in a Patriots uniform.
The best case scenario would be for the team to draft a younger player and bring Connolly back and allow the team time to groom the younger player into the mold that they desire. But with the current salary cap situation, the Patriots can’t bring all of their free agents back. Although he was a very important piece of the 2014 Super Bowl season, don’t be shocked if the Patriots cut their ties and Connolly plays elsewhere in 2015.
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