New England Patriots Report

Breaking down center rotation

August, 10, 2012

8/10/12

8:00

AM ET

By Mike Reiss | ESPNBoston.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Patriots kept four of the five positions on the first-unit offensive line intact throughout the first half of Thursday's preseason opener.

Left tackle: Nate Solder
Left guard: Donald Thomas
Right guard: Dan Connolly
Right tackle: Marcus Cannon

The only changes in the first half came at center, where three players were rotated. That would seem to reflect the view of an open competition at the center spot.

Here was the rotation by series:

First drive: Dan Koppen (12 plays)
Second drive: Ryan Wendell (7 plays)
Third drive: Wendell (3 plays)
Fourth drive: Wendell (6 plays)
Fifth drive: Wendell (3 plays)
Sixth drive: Koppen (6 plays)
Seventh drive: Nick McDonald (5 plays)

Mike Reiss

Patriots reporter, ESPNBoston.com

Covered Patriots since 1997
Blogging on Pats since 2004
Joined ESPNBoston.com in 2009

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Mike Reiss

Mike Reiss first started covering the Patriots in 1997 with the team's official newspaper, Patriots Football Weekly, before moving on to the MetroWest Daily News in his hometown of Framingham. From 2005 to 2009, he covered the Patriots for The Boston Globe, while also writing on the NFL. He started his popular Patriots blog in 2004. Send any questions or comments for Mike to his mailbag. Follow him on Twitter (@MikeReiss).

Mike Rodak

Mike Rodak began covering the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com in July 2010. A native of Grafton, Mass., Mike attended Providence College. Follow him on Twitter (@mikerodak)

Field Yates

Field Yates begins his contributions to ESPNBoston.com in 2012 after having written for a number of football-related sites around the web. Field began his professional career after college with the Kansas City Chiefs, working in both the scouting and coaching departments of the franchise before redirecting his focus to a career in media. He also interned for four summers in the coaching and scouting departments with the Patriots. Follow him on Twitter (@FieldYates).