The Patriots were indeed prepared to move on without Dan Koppen at center, it’s just that he got next to no interest on the free agent market. It’s not just the leg injury Koppen is coming off, either. Koppen’s tape wasn’t great, according to two league sources. His play slipped in 2010, and he didn’t have a very good training camp.

Expect Koppen’s situation to be like Matt Light’s – a two-year contract that is in reality a one-year deal, unless someone suffers a big injury – without a definite starting job. Koppen is smart and tough, so he’ll bring peace of mind at least as a backup. But center is Dan Connolly’s to lose.