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Did you miss me?

My buddy, "ESPN.com staff," said you all were solid while I was on vacation. So I won't flood the AFC East blog with two Tim Tebow posts per day this week. But that's always subject to change in seven days (wink, wink).

Anyway, a lot happened in the AFC East when I was away. So we are going to skip Monday's "Morning take" in order to catch up on recent issues within the division.

Story No. 1: Dolphins OLB Cameron Wake holds out.

Issue: Wake, who is scheduled to make $615,000 next season, is holding out for more money. He skipped the beginning of the team's offseason workout program last week and reportedly plans to miss more time if a resolution isn't reached.

Walker's take: This is another big blow to a horrific offseason for the Dolphins. I agree that Wake outperformed his contract and is due for a raise. I also doubt the Dolphins disagree with that. The question is, can Miami create enough cap room to fit in another big contract? This will be a tricky situation that probably won't be resolved for a while. This could go well into the spring or summer.

Story No. 2: Should Dolphins trade for the No. 3 pick?

Issue: Former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill's stock continues to rise leading up to the draft. Reports are now surfacing that Miami may have to trade up to the No. 3 overall pick to guarantee a shot at Tannehill. The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 4 pick and also may consider Tannehill.

Walker’s take: Don't do it, Miami. Sure, the Dolphins need a quarterback. But giving away the farm (a first-, second- and third-rounder?) to move up five spots isn't wise. Miami simply has too many holes to fill on its roster. Tannehill is not Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III. Tannehill has potential but he is far from a sure thing. Miami should stand pat at No. 8 and see what happens. Even if the Dolphins drafted Tannehill, he would not start in Miami next year anyway. Tannehill would hold a clipboard in 2012 behind Matt Moore and David Garrard.

Story No. 3: Dan Koppen re-signs with the New England Patriots.

Issue: Former longtime starting center Koppen re-signed with the reigning AFC champs. This is somewhat a surprise considering New England chose to first re-sign center Dan Connolly, who replaced Koppen after an injury and performed well.

Walker’s take: This move happened late in free agency. So that tells me Koppen examined his options, didn’t like them and decided it was best to return to New England at a discounted rate. This is good news for the Patriots. They gained depth at center by being patient. But New England also may have a competition brewing in training camp. Koppen is a favorite of Patriots starting quarterback Tom Brady, so you can’t rule him out.

Story No. 4: Patriots Rob Gronkowski out of "Madden" tourney.

Issue: Pro Bowl tight end Gronkowski was knocked out of the “Madden NFL 13” tourney by Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. The final four will be Johnson, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis.

Walker’s take: This is great news for Gronkowski, even if he doesn’t realize it. He made a strong push for the “Madden” cover with a series of videos, but fortunately for him and fortunately for the Patriots, Johnson prevailed. Regardless of whether you think the curse is legit, players who get on the cover usually have bad seasons. The playoffs proved last season how much the Patriots need a healthy Gronkwoski.

Story No. 5: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and receiver Santonio Holmes together in Florida

Issue: Sanchez and Holmes are working out together in Florida. This follows their high-profile falling out at the end of last season.

Walker’s take: This is another good step in the right direction for the duo. The pair need each other for the offense to work. They may never be best friends, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work together on the field. Sanchez and Holmes can repair their relationship, but ultimately it will come down to how they perform next season.

Now that we are all caught up, we have plenty of blogs in store for you this week. Enjoy the ride.

Here is more injury news in the AFC East: Jets center Nick Mangold (ankle) is expected to miss at least two weeks with a high-ankle sprain, ESPNNewYork's Rich Cimini reports.

Here are some thoughts on the injury:

• It's no secret that this is a big blow for the Jets. New York already had trouble running the football. Mangold anchored the center of the offensive line. In many ways, he was the "quarterback" of that unit. Rookie Colin Baxter is expected to start in Mangold's place Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
• I saw a lot of high-ankle sprains with the Cleveland Browns the past two years, and they're not pretty. There's various degrees of sprains and every player heals differently. But in my experience, two weeks could be generous. Some players with the Browns took about a month to recover. Mangold is very tough and will be pushing to return quickly. New York needs Mangold for the long-term and needs to guard against that, as well.
• Mangold is the second starting center in the AFC East to suffer a leg injury. Patriots center Dan Koppen broke his fibula in Week 1 and will be out for a significant period. New England adjusted well Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. The Jets hope they can do the same without Mangold.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 2:

All eyes on Henne: Few quarterbacks received more heat this offseason than Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne. But the fourth-year player had the best outing of his career in Week 1. Henne threw for 416 yards and had three total touchdowns (two passing, one running) against the New England Patriots. But was it a fluke, or will Henne keep that momentum going Sunday against the Houston Texans? This is a make-or-break year for Henne. He needs to continue to play well to erase doubts from his previous three seasons.

Last shot for a while at home: Miami's struggles at home are well documented. The team is 1-8 in its past nine games at Sun Life stadium dating to last season. But Miami could be in trouble if it drops back-to-back home games to start this season. Miami will hit the road for three straight games following Sunday's matchup against Houston. The Dolphins were road warriors (6-2) in 2010. But winning six road games two years in a row is very difficult. Miami will play at Cleveland (Sept. 25), at San Diego (Oct. 2) and at the New York Jets (Oct. 17) after a bye week.

Stacking the box: On paper, the offense of the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) appears to be a favorable matchup for the New York Jets' defense. Look for the Jets' game plan to be simple: Stack the box against the run, and see whether Jaguars quarterback Luke McCown can beat them. Jacksonville ran the ball 47 times last week to protect its journeyman quarterback. Most likely that approach wouldn't get very far against the Jets' front seven. McCown needs a good game to beat New York.

Another RB test for Bills: There are plenty of great matchups to watch in Week 2 in the AFC East. But one I'm really looking forward to is the run defense of the Buffalo Bills (1-0) versus Oakland Raiders (1-0) tailback Darren McFadden. The Bills held Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl tailback Jamaal Charles to 56 yards rushing last week. McFadden is coming off a 150-yard rushing performance in a win over the Denver Broncos. Winning this battle should go a long way toward determining which team stays undefeated.

The new guy at center: New England Patriots veteran center Dan Koppen reportedly will miss eight to 10 weeks with a fractured fibula. This puts Dan Connolly, who filled in at guard last season, in the middle at center against the San Diego Chargers (1-0). New England ran a lot of no-huddle and quick-huddle on offense last week. That requires a lot from the center, who has to work with the quarterback to make the proper adjustments at the line of scrimmage. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had great chemistry with Koppen. That will be hard for Connolly to replicate.

While working on a feature about Tom Modrak's draft record as Buffalo Bills vice president of college scouting, ESPN researcher John Fisher dug up some interesting data.

The Bills actually were the AFC East's most efficient club when it came to drafting starters since Modrak came aboard in 2002.

Several factors certainly play into that from team to team. Importance of the position, holes that allow for immediate contributions and reliance on free agents to fill out a roster all make a difference. So do the number of players drafted.

But, in general, I thought it was an interesting snapshot to share. Because the research was done to put Modrak's tenure in perspective, numbers are from 2002 through the present.

Buffalo Bills

First through third rounds: 28 players; 804 starts (15th)

Fourth through seventh rounds: 45 players; 417 starts (eighth)

Analysis: Among AFC East teams, only the New England Patriots generated more starts within the first three rounds. No other division opponent found more starts from the fourth round and beyond. The Bills have whiffed badly on some early picks, as noted in Thursday's story about Modrak. But they have done well in locating solid help in the later rounds, namely 1,000-yard receiver Steve Johnson (seventh round), Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kyle Williams (fifth round) and top cornerback and Pro Bowl kick returner Terrence McGee (fourth round).

Miami Dolphins

First through third rounds: 25 players; 599 starts (31st)

Fourth through seventh rounds: 43 players; 333 starts (16th)

Analysis: The Dolphins have done well with their recent first-round picks. Although receiver Ted Ginn with the ninth pick in 2007 was controversial, they found keepers with tackles Jake Long and Vernon Carey and running back Ronnie Brown. But the second and third rounds have been a wasteland: quarterbacks John Beck and Pat White, running back Lorenzo Booker, receivers Patrick Turner and Derek Hagan, linebacker Eddie Moore. Miami's best later-round pickups since 2002 have been franchise-tagged nose tackle Paul Soliai (fourth round), Pro Bowl safety Yeremiah Bell (sixth round) and tight end Randy McMichael (fourth round).

New England Patriots

First through third rounds: 31 players; 823 starts (12th)

Fourth through seventh rounds: 50 players; 379 starts (11th)

Analysis: The Patriots have found their share of gems in the later rounds, including four eventual Pro Bowlers. They picked up cornerback Asante Samuel and kicker Stephen Gostkowski in the fourth round, center Dan Koppen in the fifth and quarterback Matt Cassel in the seventh. They've also done incredibly well with their first-round selections. Five of their past six first-rounders have gone to the Pro Bowl. Where the Patriots have been shaky is in the second and third rounds. They've gotten receiver Deion Branch, tight end Rob Gronkowski, tackle Sebastian Vollmer and safety Patrick Chung there, for instance, but they've also misfired with quarterback Kevin O'Connell, receivers Chad Jackson and Bethel Johnson and cornerback Terrence Wheatley.

New York Jets

First through third rounds: 24 players; 766 starts (19th)

Fourth through seventh rounds: 32 players; 314 starts (18th)

Analysis: The Jets' start totals look worse because they haven't drafted as many players as the other AFC East teams. Their early round players average 32 starts, about 5 1/2 more than the Patriots. But the team that accumulated the most starts here -- the Jacksonville Jaguars with 1,172 -- averaged an extraordinary 43 per player. The Jets obviously failed with 2008 sixth overall pick Vernon Gholston and 2003 fourth overall pick Dewayne Robertson, but they've generally identified quality players inside the first three rounds, including All-Pros Nick Mangold and Darrelle Revis and franchise quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Sports labor squabbles often are described as billionaires arguing with millionaires over money.

While that's a catchy rhyme that sums up fan frustration, the phrase is not entirely true.

Inspired by a blog entry from the minister of all things AFC South, Paul Kuharsky, I looked at NFL Players Association files to count up the number of AFC East players scheduled for $1 million base salaries in 2011.

Granted, up-front bonuses and incentives can make base salaries misleading. But base salaries are the only figures that create a common ground, player for player.

You'll see a vast majority of NFL players make much less than $1 million a year. Although many will make seven figures before they walk away from the game, careers are short and treacherous. They'll never see that kind of cash again for the rest of their lives.

That's why they're fighting for every dollar now.

Of the 226 players under contract in the AFC East, only 62 of them (27.4 percent) will make base salaries of $1 million or more.

The NFLPA hasn't acknowledged any franchise tags that have been signed. Those players are marked with an asterisk and not factored into the totals.

Buffalo Bills

• Receiver Lee Evans, $3.275 million
• Cornerback Terrence McGee, $3.2 million
• Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, $3.195 million
• Defensive end Spencer Johnson, $3 million
• Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, $2.75 million
• Defensive end Dwan Edwards, $2.6 million
• Center Geoff Hangartner, $2.55 million
• Outside linebacker Chris Kelsay, $2 million
• Running back Fred Jackson, $1.75 million
• Defensive lineman Kyle Williams, $1.75 million
• Kicker Rian Lindell, $1.45 million
• Punter Brian Moorman, $1.425 million
• Cornerback Reggie Corner, $1.2 million
• Receiver Steve Johnson, $1.2 million
• Safety Bryan Scott, $1.15 million
• Linebacker Andra Davis, $1.1 million
• Receiver Roscoe Parrish, $1.025 million
• Safety George Wilson, $1.025 million
• Cornerback Leodis McKelvin, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 19

Players under contract: 54

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 35.2

Miami Dolphins

• Nose tackle Paul Soliai, $12.47 million*
• Tackle Jake Long, $11.2 million
• Receiver Brandon Marshall, $6.5 million
• Tackle Vernon Carey, $4.15 million
• Safety Yeremiah Bell, $3.7 million
• Defensive end Randy Starks, $3.625 million
• Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, $2.7 million
• Inside linebacker Channing Crowder, $2.5 million
• Tight end Anthony Fasano, $1.9 million
• Cornerback Benny Sapp, $1.9 million
• Inside linebacker Tim Dobbins, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Will Allen, $1.5 million
• Safety Tyrone Culver, $1.25 million
• Fullback Lousaka Polite, $1.25 million
• Receiver Davone Bess, $1.013 million
• Kicker Dan Carpenter, $1.005 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 15

Players under contract: 55

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.3

New England Patriots

• Quarterback Tom Brady, $5.75 million
• Cornerback Leigh Bodden, $3.9 million
• Tackle Nick Kaczur, $3.4 million
• Defensive end Ty Warren, $3.1 million
• Center Dan Koppen, $2.9 million
• Safety James Sanders, $2.8 million
• Tight end Alge Crumpler, $2.4 million
• Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, $2.3 million
• Receiver Deion Branch, $2.2 million
• Receiver Wes Welker, $2.15 million
• Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, $1.2 million
• Offensive lineman Dan Connolly, $1.025 million
• Inside linebacker Gary Guyton, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 60

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 23.3

New York Jets

• Quarterback Mark Sanchez, $14.75 million
• Inside linebacker David Harris, $10.1 million*
• Cornerback Darrelle Revis, $6 million
• Tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, $5.615 million
• Inside linebacker Bart Scott, $4.9 million
• Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, $3.855 million
• Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, $3.2 million
• Guard Brandon Moore, $2.75 million
• Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, $2.425 million
• Center Nick Mangold, $2.26 million
• Defensive end Mike DeVito, $2.125 million
• Safety Jim Leonhard, $1.95 million
• Receiver Jerricho Cotchery, $1.8 million
• Defensive tackle Sione Pouha, $1.28 million
• Quarterback Mark Brunell, $1.25 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 57

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 24.6

The New England Patriots already had the NFL's best quarterback, best offensive player and best coach for 2010.

Now they have the best offensive line, too.

John Madden -- the actual guy, not the video game -- announced the Patriots won the 2010 Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award, an honor established last year to recognize the NFL's best offensive line.

The award is based on a combination of criteria including O-line stats (sacks allowed, rushing and passing yardage, time of possession, penalties, conversion percentages and red-zone efficiency), fan voting and Madden's evaluation.

"All season long, these guys proved they had the mental and physical toughness that enabled the Patriots offense to put up impressive numbers on the ground and in the air," Madden said.

Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia's boys beat out the other finalists: the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and New York Giants.

Patriots left guard Logan Mankins was first-team All-Pro and started in the Pro Bowl despite a contract dispute that caused him to miss the first seven games of the season. Left tackle Matt Light was chosen for the Pro Bowl as an alternate. Right tackle Sebastian Vollmer was voted second-team All-Pro.

The Patriots also endured two significant O-line injuries. Last year's right tackle and projected left guard Nick Kaczur missed the entire season with a back injury. A bad shoulder placed right guard Stephen Neal on injured reserve after eight games. Dan Connolly was the super sub who filled in at left guard for Mankins and Kaczur and then at right guard for Neal.

The Patriots led the NFL in scoring. They ranked eighth in total offense, ninth in run offense, 11th in pass offense and fourth in sacks allowed.

New England surrendered 25 sacks. Ten of them came in a three-game stretch in October and nine more in a three-game stretch in December. That left 10 games in which New England gave up zero or one sacks.

It's no mystery why we love underdogs.

Respected football minds who get paid to assemble NFL teams dismissed them out of hand, scratched them from their draft lists, cut them in training camp.

Yet these players survive. They're too driven to give up. Not all of them become stars, but that's not necessary to become a precious asset on a team.

"As a coach, you love those stories," said former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards. "They don't let you down."

Said Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey: "You have to have them. There's no way to play the game without them."

Overachievers have dominated the AFC East this year. Late-round draft picks, players who weren't drafted at all and castoffs from other teams have starred for every team, including the MVP favorite (Tom Brady), two leading rushers (BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Fred Jackson), three leading receivers (Wes Welker, Steve Johnson, Davone Bess) and three sack leaders (Cameron Wake, Mike Wright and Kyle Williams).

These thriving underdogs are a substantial reason why the AFC East has been so compelling this year.

"It's football," said Jim Jensen, the ultimate survivor with the Miami Dolphins. They drafted the Boston University quarterback in the 11th round in 1980, and he stuck around until 1992 as a receiver/wedge buster/long snapper/third-down fullback/holder/tell me where to go, Coach, and I'll hit them.

"I like to watch guys that are working hard and working for the team," Jensen said. "They're working for a goal. They're not selfish. Wes Welker is a great example. He just loves to win. He's unselfish. Davone Bess is another one who's an inspiration to watch."

There's a reason the conquering underdog is such a common theme in Hollywood.

"These guys have something to prove," said film producer Mark Ciardi. "There's enough of these stories where these guys just survive and climb over players teams have a lot of money invested in. It's just a different thing when you've got to prove people wrong. They know they've got to check way more boxes than other people to succeed."

Ciardi pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers despite being a 15th-round draft choice in 1983.

"I got no money to sign," Ciardi said. "I was the last guy on the pitching squad of 17 guys in rookie ball. I had no chance."

Four years later, Ciardi made it to the majors. He started three games and pitched another in relief. He defied the odds, which is why he finds stories about unlikely heroes so appealing.

Among his true-story films: "Invincible" (about Philadelphia Eagles walk-on Vince Papale), "Miracle" (about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team), "The Rookie" (about 35-year-old rookie pitcher Jim Morris) and "Secretariat."

All of those motion pictures portrayed an undeniable will to win, a theme that has carried Ciardi throughout his career. He sees it in such players as Brady and Patriots running back Danny Woodhead.

"What I realized was you've got to work extra hard," Ciardi said. "Nothing will be given to you, but you have an opportunity. The only way you're going to succeed is to snatch it and force them to keep you. If they don't have money invested in you, chances are you're not going to get the same kind of shot."

But having overachievers on the roster means more than a compelling storyline and increased jersey sales.

They often become team leaders and examples for other players to emulate. Underdogs help manage the salary cap because they're cheaper (at least in the beginning). They make draft mistakes much more bearable. They help a front office sell the team to future free agents.

"They're so coachable," former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick said. "Once they get into it, they realize how tenuous it is to stay in the NFL. Nothing came easy for them. You love having guys like that on your team."

Inquiring about a coach's favorite player is like asking a parent to name his favorite child. But it's easy to guess what type they admire most: the relentless survivors.

"You know what they have done to get to where they are," Gailey said. "As a competitor, you appreciate that. Everybody doesn't end up with a bunch of God-given talent. Guys have to go fight for what they want in life. When those guys get it, it's very satisfying to see it for those guys to make it."

Two players New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan identified as critical to his establishing his defense last year were inside linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard. Neither was drafted. Leonhard had been waived by the Bills, re-signed and then cast adrift in free agency because the Bills viewed him as no more than roster filler. When Leonhard suffered a season-ending shin injury last week, Jets fans got nervous because he was integral to the secondary and special teams.

The NFL-leading New England Patriots are loaded with examples of perseverance. Brady has been such a superstar in the league for so long, it's sometimes strange to think of him as an underdog. But as the 199th pick in the 2000 draft, Brady might be the game's greatest overachiever.

Wake, the Miami Dolphins outside linebacker, leads the league with 12 sacks. He wasn't drafted and went five years between his last down at Penn State and his first in the NFL. Pro Bowl safety Yeremiah Bell was a sixth-round pick who got waived as a rookie and placed on the practice squad.

Buffalo's offense features late-round picks or undrafted players at the three marquee spots. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was a seventh-round draft choice and a career backup. Jackson didn't start a game for his high school team and came up through Division III and the arena leagues before emerging in NFL Europa. Top receiver Johnson was a seventh-round draft choice.

As inspirational as these players are, they also make slackers look that much worse. Those healthy first-, second- and third-round players who can't get on the field unfortunately aren't wired to battle that way.

"A lot of these guys think it's a right that they have to play," Gailey said. Overachievers "realize it's a privilege to play this game.

"When you got a guy who knows how to fight and understands the fight, understands competition, understands working through adversity and he becomes a good player on your team, then that helps set a tone."

Billick and Edwards emphasized the impact of undrafted players and late-round successes on a roster's overall well-being. Edwards, an undrafted player who started for the Eagles from the opening day of his rookie season, said unearthing overlooked gems are "like getting a free draft pick." Billick noted that they're instrumental to managing the salary cap.

"The residual effect is you don't have to spend those resources," Billick said, "whether they be draft choices or a procurement through free agency to go fill that spot.

"You pick Tom Brady up in the sixth round. Are you kidding me? What that does for your organization ... Even the difference between that and having to draft Matt Ryan third in the draft, the resources you have to spend is just a gift from above."

Heaven-sent is how Patriots fans must view a good chunk of their division-leading team. Dolfans can't be more thrilled with Wake or Bess. The Jets will depend on undrafted starters such as right guard Brandon Moore, defensive end Mike Devito and Scott down the home stretch while certainly missing Leonhard.

And about the only pleasure Bills fans have had this season is watching their unlikely stars because they're such gripping characters.

"An underlying factor to all these stories," Ciardi said, "is the will and the heart that makes them extraordinary on the field."

Three years ago, the New England Patriots left jaws agape by operating almost exclusively out of the shotgun, spreading out their receivers, sending Randy Moss deep, zipping quick passes to Wes Welker and mixing in throws to Jabar Gaffney, Donte Stallworth and Kevin Faulk. The run game and tight ends were afterthoughts.

This year, Tom Brady's hands are underneath center Dan Koppen. Nine quarterbacks, including Ryan Fitzpatrick for the Buffalo Bills, have attempted more passes out of the shotgun than Brady has. No other team uses two-tight end sets more than the Patriots, who have no established deep threat since trading Moss.

Not much of a resemblance, right?

Football Outsiders writer Doug Farrar compared this year's Patriots' offense to their sublime 2007 unit and found more similarities than you might think.

Farrar wrote in a column for ESPN Insider subscribers:

This offense has been just about as efficient, especially when adjusted for opponent, and especially in the last few weeks. The current team has an offensive DVOA of 45.2 percent, the second-highest total of any team after 12 weeks (since our numbers begin in 1993). It's the exact same figure the 2007 offense finished with after reality set in.

Farrar explained how Football Outsider's metrics show this year's Patriots and their record-setting '07 offense are alike. While the numbers might not be as explosive this year, the Patriots are producing against defenses that rate better than the ones they faced three years ago. In the division, the Patriots twice played the Jets in a down year, a 1-15 Dolphins club and the perennially subpar Buffalo Bills.

This year's Patriots have played four of Football Outsiders' top 10 passing defenses and only one in the bottom third, the Bills.

Farrar notes Brady's numbers have gotten stronger as the season has evolved, suggesting a growing comfort with rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead and receiver Deion Branch, who was reacquired in Week 5. It probably also helps that Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins is in front of Brady again after missing the first seven games.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears was asked for a reaction to left guard Logan Mankins' return to the team.

"Are you kidding?" Fears said with laugh. "The guys are jumping for joy."

You can't blame New England's running backs for being ecstatic. Mankins is a two-time Pro Bowler and a mauler. He'll make it easier to run, especially in short-yardage situations.

At least one player on the Patriots roster cannot be so thrilled.

Dan Connolly rose from third on the depth chart over the summer and has played admirably at left guard in Mankins' absence. Connolly is about to go from starter on the team with the NFL's best record to backup again.

"It'll be a little bit of a bummer and a little bit of setback for him personally to not play for a while," said ESPN.com columnist Ross Tucker, a former NFL offensive lineman. Tucker was with the Patriots in Mankins' rookie year.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the Patriots will evaluate Mankins on a day-to-day basis and hasn't committed to when Mankins would return to the field or the starting lineup.

Regardless of his conditioning, Mankins must reacquire his command for pass sets, get used to pulling to the right side or bursting to the perimeter to block on a screen.

Connolly might remain in the lineup Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, but it's only a matter of time until Mankins takes his familiar spot between left tackle Matt Light and center Dan Koppen.

"A lot of it's just getting back into your stance," Tucker said. "But I don't care how in shape you are. You're still not ready for a two-minute drill. You're still not ready for a 14-play drive.

"There are a lot of different body movements you need to work on to get ready to perform on the offensive line. No matter what he has being doing on his own, they have to make sure he looks comfortable before they put him in a game."

Rather than write about Mankins' return, let's take a few moments to salute the often overlooked and underappreciated interchangeable grunt.

Connolly, a former Patriots practice squad player, has been solid despite preseason fears he would be their weak link.

As it became clearer Mankins was entrenched in his contract demands, the Patriots shifted last year's starting right tackle, Nick Kaczur, to left guard. Kaczur suffered a season-ending back injury early in camp.

Connolly took over with four career starts -- all last year for injured right guard Stephen Neal -- in five NFL seasons.

Before we knew Mankins would choose this week to end his contract dispute with the Patriots, I had the chance to ask Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Neal about Connolly's contributions.

Using a scale of 10 -- with one being total peace and 10 being sheer panic -- I asked Neal how he would describe his mindset when Kaczur went down.

Neal's response: "Zero."

"Dan plays good football and has just been waiting around for an opportunity," Neal said. "I don't think it's a surprise to anyone in this locker room what he's doing out there.

"I know how hard he works. I know he's going to do everything he can. As a line, it's not about each individual. It's about all of us collectively. If we can all work together we can slay the monsters out there."

Connolly has started every game at left guard, has lined up at fullback in jumbo packages and is on the kickoff unit.

"We have asked Dan to do a lot," Belichick said. "He has played left guard obviously, but has also played fullback in our short-yardage and goal-line packages. Smart guy. Good technique player.

"He has really improved a lot over the time he has been here. He has gotten a lot of playing time this year and has continued to improve. So he is doing a solid job."

The Patriots believe in plug-and-play backups. If Belichick doesn't have confidence in someone being able to handle the job on Sunday, that player won't stick around long. Connolly has been working with offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia for four seasons.

With that plug-and-play mentality, however, comes a strong possibility of relinquishing the job at some point -- and starting again if Mankins, Neal or Koppen gets hurt.

"Connolly is smart enough to realize Logan is a rare player," Tucker said. "Logan is a powerful, powerful blocker in the run game. He is a tone-setter. He's the intimidating force of that offensive line.

"It's fun to play. Practice stinks. Meetings stink. All the other stuff is not fun. The games are fun. For Connolly, it must be neat to get out there with the guys and win games. They're 6-1. But for him, he should take it as a positive because he has now shown he can start NFL games and play at a competent level. This has been really good for his career."

Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins is about to finally sign a contract with the New England Patriots, according to multiple reports.

Mankins is expected to sign his restricted free-agent tender of $1.54 million Tuesday and report for duty.

While the Patriots have the NFL's best record at 6-1, Mankins certainly will make them better.

He is a hellacious run blocker, and the Patriots have struggled with pass protection this year. Tom Brady wasn't sacked in Sunday's victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Gillette Stadium, but he had been dropped 10 times in the previous three games. Brady was sacked 16 times all last year.

ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss put together a quick analysis of what Mankins' return will mean for the offensive line and left guard Dan Connolly in particular.

Mankins, while technically not a holdout because he wasn't under contract, was the last player to report to his team.

He has been upset with the Patriots for at least six months over failed negotiations on a long-term contract and demanded a trade in June. He might have sat out the entire season had NFL labor uncertainty compelled him to return.

Mankins was supposed to be an unrestricted free agent this year, but when owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement, an uncapped season with new free-agency guidelines kicked in. Players needed a sixth accrued season to be unrestricted, but Mankins had only five.

Nobody knows what the new CBA will entail. To help him gain unrestricted status after this year, Mankins needed to accrue another season. Thus, he's showing up to sign a contract he doesn't like.

But once he gets in the Patriots locker room -- they kept his stall just the way he left it -- I'm sure those competitive juices will kick in. He'll play proudly between left tackle Matt Light and center Dan Koppen as he has since the Patriots drafted him in 2005.

And it's hard to imagine Bill Belichick holding a grudge with a standout player who can help the Patriots chase another championship.

Indianapolis Colts fixtures Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday are about to set a record.

Unless an injury befalls one of them, Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars will be the 158th start together for Manning and Saturday.

That will be the most quarterback-center exchanges since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, breaking the record held the past 14 years by Jim Kelly and Kent Hull with the Buffalo Bills.

"The chemistry between those two is a must for a quarterback to be successful," Kelly said. "I was blessed because I had Kent Hull for more than 90 percent of the snaps that I took in the NFL."

Although the quarterback gets the credit for audibles at the line of scrimmage, something Manning is famous for, the center plays a crucial role.

"We would go up to the line and Kent would turn to me and say 'Get out of it,' " Kelley said. "He knew based on the alignment of the nose tackle whether it was a 3-4 or a 4-3. He always knew if the play was going to work by their initial alignment when we'd get up there. I wouldn't even ask any questions or wait to look."

In the AFC East, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and center Dan Koppen are on the verge of breaking into the top five. They've started 103 games together and should surpass Phil Simms and Bart Oates on Halloween. Brady and Koppen have been to four Super Bowls together and won the first three.

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and All-Pro center Nick Mangold have a long way to go to catch up, but they're next at 19 starts.

The Miami Dolphins have rotated their centers every year. Young quarterback Chad Henne and center Joe Berger started six games last year and all three this year.

New Buffalo Bills starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has started nine games with center Geoff Hangartner.

» NFC High Energy: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at a player who gave his team a significant boost in Week 3.

The New England Patriots badly needed a backfield boost.

Five days after they traded Laurence Maroney, trusted veteran Kevin Faulk went down with a season-finishing knee injury last week.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis stepped in and propelled the Patriots to a 38-30 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Gillette Stadium. The undrafted and seldom-used running back rushed 16 times for 98 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown that virtually ended the game.

"No matter who goes down, the train has to keep rolling," Green-Ellis said. "So everybody has to go out and do their part."

Green-Ellis went into Sunday with only 52 carries over his previous 18 games dating to November 2008.

ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss charted Green-Ellis for 23 of the Patriots' 68 offensive plays, more than any other back.

"He gets it downhill," Patriots center Dan Koppen said. "He finds what's there to get and keeps positive yards. He's a great running back to block for."

Another undrafted runner, Danny Woodhead, had a big game in his Patriots debut with three carries for 42 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown.

Scouts Inc. has evaluated more than 2,500 players and on Tuesday unveiled its Top 200 rankings for the year .

You can view the entire list, see how players compare around the NFL and sort them by position if you have an ESPN Insider subscription. Insiders also can check out the ratings for every player on a given roster by visiting a team page and clicking on the "Scouting" tab.

I've been given special dispensation by the Bristol High Court of Data Dissemination to share with you AFC East players in the top 200.

All things being equal, every division should have 25 players and each team should have 6.25 players on the list. The AFC East has 23 players, but the Buffalo Bills have only one representative.

The New England Patriots lead the way with nine players. The New York Jets have eight, and the Miami Dolphins five.

Here are the AFC East rankings along with their Scouts Inc. scores.

3T. Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback 93

3T. Darrelle Revis, Jets cornerback 93

14T. Nick Mangold, Jets center 91

22T. Jake Long, Dolphins tackle 89

22T. Randy Moss, Patriots receiver 89

22T. Vince Wilfork, Patriots nose tackle 89

37T. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver 88

39T. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver 87

46T. Kris Jenkins, Jets nose tackle 86

51T. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins inside linebacker 85

51T. Logan Mankins, Patriots guard 85

99T. Vernon Carey, Dolphins tackle 82

99T. Ty Warren, Patriots defensive end 82

112T. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker 81

122T. Antonio Cromartie, Jets cornerback 80

133T. Lee Evans, Bills receiver 79

133T. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver 79

133T. Randy Starks, Dolphins nose tackle 79

157T. Brandon Meriweather, Patriots safety 78

157T. Dan Koppen, Patriots center 78

157T. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker 78

157T. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker 78

191T. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets tackle 77

How does the absence of left guard Logan Mankins affect what the Patriots can do in the run game?

Mankins' absence is substantial. He is one of the best guards in the NFL and brings a rugged attitude and presence to a very good offensive line. He and center Dan Koppen are the best players on this line and have been cornerstones during the Patriots’ excellent run over the past few seasons.

New England has a decent backup plan in place if it ends up without Mankins. Former starting right tackle Nick Kaczur has moved to Mankins’ guard spot and second-year offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer inherited the right tackle vacancy. Vollmer is very promising and should be an upgrade over Kaczur on the edge. In fact, it probably will not be long before Vollmer is entrenched as Tom Brady’s blind-side protector at left tackle. Vollmer was excellent this past season in protection and moving bodies in the run game.

But Kaczur is now suffering through a significant back injury and his status is uncertain. Now, the cupboards appear rather bare and surely Mankins’ stand for a new contract has gotten stronger with Kaczur’s injury. But assuming New England does not budge with the contract talks, how will this hole in the line affect this run game?

You can’t discuss the Patriots’ run game without first talking about the passing attack, as New England often operates out of the shotgun and with predominantly passing personnel groupings on the field in any down and distance. This is an extremely well-coached line and much like Peyton Manning or Drew Brees, Brady’s ability to see the rush and maneuver within the confines of the pocket often makes the protection appear better than it truly is.

But because of this excellent overall protection and an elite passing game, New England can exploit favorable numbers in the box in the run game and also is very adept at calling timely runs to keep defenses honest and off balance. Again, this makes the line’s job collectively a little easier. That’s what having an all-time great player such as Brady can do for an offense.

The remaining options for the left guard spot feature a list of no names, with Dan Connolly as the leading candidate for promotion. Also, don’t forget that right guard Stephen Neal has an extensive injury history. Connolly did well enough in Neal’s place last year.

Mankins on board certainly still would not be a bad idea, of course. He is an exceptional player and is missed. But the Patriots’ coaching staff has been exceptional at developing offensive linemen -- Neal is the perfect example -- and mixed with the system and strong supporting cast, don’t expect a massive drop in production up front.

In general, the New England Patriots have stability on their offensive line.

They seem set with left tackle Matt Light, center Dan Koppen, right guard Stephen Neal and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer.

But a line is only as strong as its weakest link.

Left guard is busted.

The Patriots have a fractured relationship with unsigned Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins. He is not in camp and has demanded a trade.

ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss reported Friday that Mankins' projected replacement, converted tackle Nick Kaczur, will be out indefinitely with a back injury that could wipe out his entire season.

That puts Dan Connolly, with four starts in his five-year career, on the first unit.

Reiss wrote an analysis of the Patriots' offensive line, noting the Patriots have had no contact with the Mankins camp since he went public with his trade request.

Mankins is a smash-mouth player, and one of the Patriots' priorities for 2010 is to become more physical.

"At this point, we're doing what we have to do," Light said. "We have a lot of guys who are stepping up and playing well. Then again, you can't make up for a guy who is a Pro Bowl player and has had as much experience, as many games, as many snaps as Logan has. Outside of that, everything is going well."