Pretty valuable re-signing by the Patriots on Thursday.Dan Connolly, who played 14 games at center after Dan Koppen went down, will be back with the team in 2012 according to Greg Bedard of The Boston Globe. When Stephen Neal went down in 2011, Connolly played at right guard. When Logan Mankins was holding out, he played left guard. In all, he's started 24 games the past two years. Dan Koppen, the Patriots center since 2003, is also a free agent.