New England Patriots: Should They Re-Sign Logan Mankins and Matt Light?

While the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers head to Super Bowl XLV, the New England Patriots and 29 other teams are already looking ahead to the 2011 NFL offseason.

On the Patriots' list of priorities is figuring out the pending contract situations for both Logan Mankins and Matt Light, the two anchors of the left side of the offensive line.

Will both be brought back? Just one? Neither?

Both have been important to the Patriots for years now. A second-round find, Matt Light has blocked for Brady's blind side since both were baby-faced rookies.

Drafted in the first round, Logan Mankins has been a standout at guard, and has been to three Pro Bowls.

The way the Patriots usually do business is to try and develop young talent behind their talented veterans, and to replace those veterans when the Patriots feel they have a better option.

For that reason, I think it's far less likely that Matt Light returns than Logan Mankins.

The Patriots have already begun finding Light's replacement, having drafted second-team All-Pro Sebastian Vollmer two years ago in the second round. One key question that may determine the outcome of Light's contract situation may not be one that falls on him, but it may be whether or not Vollmer is ready to step in at left tackle.

At 33-years-old, Light's better years may be behind him, while it appears Vollmer's are just ahead.

The Patriots are no strangers to letting their veterans walk if they are no longer of use to the team, and though Matt Light will likely find work elsewhere, his time as a Patriot may be up.

Mankins, on the other hand, is much more irreplaceable. The temperament and attitude he brings to the offensive line are important to the Patriots. The differences may not show up in the stat sheet, but there was a clear difference in the way the Patriots offensive line played with and without Mankins.

Mankins will do anything to protect his quarterback.

Some may say that the relationship between Mankins and the Patriots is tarnished after what happened this past offseason. Mankins did, however, return several weeks earlier than he was required to because he wanted to get back to his teammates, and Bill Belichick was gushing over him shortly thereafter.

Both are clear indicators that the relationship is still reparable. Whether that is actually the case is yet to be seen.

Dan Connolly did a fine job of replacing Mankins while he sat out, but there's no quantifying what Mankins adds to this group: an extra shot of piss and vinegar.

What's more, at 28-years-old, with six seasons under his belt, Mankins has yet to miss a start to injury. That kind of reliability is a trait that everyone wants on their football team, especially when it comes to inking long-term deals.

The perception around the league has been that the Patriots don't like to pay their star players. That perception was blasted off the hinges when the Patriots made Vince Wilfork the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL, and also extended Leigh Bodden, Stephen Neal, Tully Banta-Cain and Kevin Faulk, among others.

The players who are still important to the team are kept, while those who are not are cast away. Keeping Logan Mankins needs to be a high priority for the Patriots this offseason.