New England Patriots Training Camp: Notes from Day 1, Practice 1

The New England Patriots opened training camp today, and I was on the scene taking notes and making observations. One area that caught my eye is the offensive line.

The offensive line has been a topic of contention over the course of the offseason, as the group is seemingly in a state of flux. With Matt Light's contract up, Steve Neal announcing his retirement and Logan Mankins waiting until the official start of the league year, none of those three were at practice today.

First-round pick Nate Solder also didn't practice, as he has yet to sign with the team.

Also notably absent was right tackle Nick Kaczur, who was listed on the training camp roster. His future with the team has been in question since refusing to take a pay cut, and this may be an indication that the team is looking at moving on without him.

The top group of offensive linemen were, from left to right, Sebastian Vollmer, Ryan Wendell, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Mark LeVoir. That doesn't figure to last much longer, as Wendell will be replaced by Mankins once the Pro Bowl guard is eligible to practice on Aug. 4.

Vollmer was likely just filling in at left tackle until the team either figures out an extension with Light or decides to move on with Solder.

Even rookie free agent offensive tackle Corey Woods from Akron got some snaps and rotated at different tackle and guard spots at the start of the practice.

It should be noted, also, that this session was very much the definition of a "walkthrough." There were no offense vs. defense drills and practically no contact whatsoever.

That being said, look for the situation on the offensive line to change from day to day.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.