New England Patriots: Matt Light, Logan Mankins Situations Clearer Now

Just like every other team in the 2011 NFL offseason, the New England Patriots have plenty of needs. Though some of those are best left addressed in the 2011 NFL Draft, the team may take an in-house approach to some of those needs.

But that's nothing new to the Patriots. They took the same approach last year by re-signing big-name free agents Vince Wilfork, Leigh Bodden, Tully Banta-Cain, Stephen Neal and Kevin Faulk, among others.

With Matt Light and Logan Mankins' contracts expiring, it would only make sense to do the same with both of them.

We've already heard the reports that the Patriots will most likely franchise tag Mankins, and we know how that makes the Pro Bowl guard feel. This is, after all, the same guy who said no more than two weeks ago that there would be "32 teams in play" for his services in the offseason.

If he was unhappy with a restricted free agent tender last year, he may be equally unhappy with a franchise tag this year.

I don't know about you, but Mankins is the type of player I want to have on my team, especially when he's angry. Is there any way they can just keep putting the franchise tag on him to keep him angry?

Matt Light, however, is a bit more passive. He wants to return to the Patriots, but is taking a "wait and see" approach. It appears the team wants him back, but the team's NFLPA representative isn't making nearly as much noise as his neighbor on the offensive line.

In fact, the way Mankins is acting, he may get called for disturbing the peace. More likely, though, he'll get a contract extension much the same way Vince Wilfork did after he, too, was unwillingly franchise tagged last year.

A double re-signing. What does it mean?

Well, it means the Patriots value continuity on the offensive line.

There's no way the Patriots haven't realized that their offensive line needs retooling. The average age of their starting offensive linemen is 30.2. They only have two starters—Mankins and Sebastian Vollmer—below the age of 30.

That is, unless 28-year-old Dan Connolly figures to supplant 34-year-old Steve Neal in the starting rotation for 2011, in which case they will have three linemen below 30, and their average age would dip to 29.

Re-signing Mankins is a step in the right direction in terms of the age of this group. Not only that, but the interior of the Patriots' line is where they are weakest, and there's no doubt Mankins is the blue-chip, chip-on-the-shoulder player on that line that is so essential.

Light was one of the best run-blockers in the league last year, but ranked 55th among offensive tackles in pass blocking. Just so we're clear, there are 64 starting offensive tackles in the league (32x2). So, it appears his best days are behind him, but keeping him for at least another year would give the Patriots that necessary continuity on the offensive line.

Would it, however, come at the price of a less-than-formidable pass protector on Brady's blind side?

The Patriots must address the age of the offensive line at some point, and that will likely occur in the draft. Bringing back Mankins and Light could make the difference of a round in the draft. Say they bring back both of their Pro Bowl linemen. Would they then also use a first-round pick on an offensive lineman?

If the right guy falls to them at 17, it could happen, but the Patriots have only used one first-round pick on an offensive linemen in Belichick's 10 years at the helm. Most likely, he wants to get his hands on a defensive gem for the next five years. He's comfortable enough to leave the molding of a second- or third-round offensive linemen to Dante Scarnecchia, one of the best offensive line coaches in the league.

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