New England Patriots
Dan Connolly - #63 - G
| Status | Active |
| Height/Weight | 6' 4"/ 310 lbs. |
| Birthday | 09/02/1982 |
| Birthplace | St. Louis, MO |
| College | Southeast Missouri State |
| Years played | 8 |
Patriots No. 4 pick scouting report: RB Stevan Ridley, LSU
The Patriots took another running back, selecting LSU's Stevan Ridley with the 73rd overall pick.
Patriots trade down, get two picks from Texans
The Patriots traded their third second-round pick, the 60th pick overall, to the Texans for Houston's third- (73rd) and fifth-round (138th) picks.
Patriots No. 3 pick scouting report: RB Shane Vereen, California
With their second pick in the second round, the Patriots took California RB Shane Vereen 56th overall.
Patriots No. 2 pick scouting report: CB Ras-I Dowling
With the 33rd overall pick, and the first pick of the second round, the Patriots decided to hold onto the pick and select Virginia Tech CB Ras-I Dowling, a big, physical corner.
Patriots No. 1 pick scouting report: OT Nate Solder, Colorado
With the 17th overall pick, the Patriots picked a player they hope to be their left tackle of the future, Colorado's Nate Solder.
Patriots finalize preseason schedule
The Patriots finalized their 2011 preseason schedule on Friday, and it includes a nationally televised game against the Lions.
Saints trade back into first round for RB Ingram
The Saints re-entered the first round of the NFL draft at No. 28, trading with the Patriots to acquire Alabama RB Mark Ingram.
Patriots trade 28th pick to Saints
To no one's surprise, the Patriots traded their second first-round pick, the 28th overall selection, to the Saints for New Orleans' second-round pick this year (pick No. 56) and a first-round pick in 2012.
Pats draft for future with Solder
The Patriots did not draft the best player available, nor did they address the need on defense, but they took a guy who could be the tackle of the future in Nate Solder.
Report: Patriots interested in No. 6 pick
The Patriots have interest in trading up to acquire the No. 6 overall pick, currently held by Cleveland, in Thursday's draft, according to The Boston Globe.
Reaction to Patriots' 2011 schedule
In 2011, the Patriots' schedule will be soft at the beginning and end, but they will face a tough six-game stretch in the middle of the season against five '10 playoff teams.
Teams should mimic Wolf's QB ways
Ron Wolf drafted seven quarterbacks from 1992 to 2000 in his time as Packers general manager. He turned some of them into draft picks in future trades. Current teams should take note.
Parcells on coaching: 'I'm done'
Bill Parcells told reporters on Monday that his career as an NFL head coach is over.
Bledsoe, Parcells nominated for Patriots Hall of Fame
Bill Parcells and Drew Bledsoe join Houston Antwine as the 2011 Patriots Hall of Fame finalists. It's the first year Parcells and Bledsoe are eligible, and Antwine's a three-time finalist.
PLAYER NEWS
The New England Patriots are without starting guards Logan Mankins and Connolly against the Indianapolis Colts.|||||||
Mankins missed Sunday's game with calf and ankle injuries, while Connolly has a back problem.
The Patriots re-signed offensive lineman Dan Connolly on Tuesday, and announced two more free-agent deals, with defensive end Jonathan Fanene and tight end Daniel Fells.|||||||
Connolly, 29, is a veteran of seven NFL seasons, and has been with the Patriots since 2007. While with New England, he has started at both guard and center. Last season, Connolly played in 13 regular-season games with 11 starts at center. He also started at center in all three postseason games. Connolly set an NFL record for the longest kickoff return by an offensive lineman with a 71-yarder against Green Bay on Dec. 19, 2010.
Connolly missed Wednesday's practice with a concussion three days after his 71-yard kickoff return against Green Bay, believed to be the longest by an NFL offensive lineman.|||||||
According to STATS LLC, it was the longest since 1976, when the league began keeping complete records. Earlier Wednesday, Connolly became the second offensive lineman ever to be honored as the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week by the NFL.
The Patriots signed Connolly from their practice squad on Saturday.|||||||
Connolly has played in four career games, all with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005. This season, the 6-foot-4, 313-pound offensive lineman was on the Patriots' active roster for the first five games. He was released Oct. 20 and signed to the team's practice squad two days later.
The Jaguars placed Connolly on injured reserve. Connolly broke his finger during training camp.|||||||
