Logan Mankins

So the Patriots and Wes Welker are about on the same wavelength with a contract as Chad Ochocinco was with the playbook last season. They're not close. Welker took his frustrations over the state of negotiations - which have only regressed since the Patriots offered two years at $16 million guaranteed before last season - public in comments to the Boston Herald last week. The Patriots did not react kindly to having their affairs aired that way. Big bulletin there.

So the Patriots and Wes Welker are about on the same wavelength with a contract as Chad Ochocinco was with the playbook last season. They're not close. Welker took his frustrations over the state of negotiations - which have only regressed since the Patriots offered two years at $16 million guaranteed before last season - public in comments to the Boston Herald last week. The Patriots did not react kindly to having their affairs aired that way. Big bulletin there.

FOXBOROUGH - Wes Welker may have done himself a big disservice in contract negotiations with the Patriots Thursday when he spoke publicly about the progress - or lack thereof - in recent talks. "There have been talks, but nothing that's brightened anything at all," Welker told the Boston Herald. "It's actually gotten worse. " Welker explained that "worse" means the Patriots' offer is now less than the two-year, fully guaranteed $16 million the team proposed during the 2011 regular season.

FOXBOROUGH - Wes Welker may have done himself a big disservice in contract negotiations with the Patriots Thursday when he spoke publicly about the progress - or lack thereof - in recent talks. "There have been talks, but nothing that's brightened anything at all," Welker told the Boston Herald. "It's actually gotten worse. " Welker explained that "worse" means the Patriots' offer is now less than the two-year, fully guaranteed $16 million the team proposed during the 2011 regular season.

Patriots guard Logan Mankins had surgery after the Super bowl to repair a torn ACL, ESPN reported Monday night. He hopes to return for training camp, according to the report. Mankins suffered a left knee injury Dec. 24 against Miami and missed the regular- season finale, the only game he's missed in his career because of injury. ESPN reported that Mankins was hit early in Super Bowl XLVI and played the game with a torn ACL. The Patriots signed offensive lineman Robert Gallery yesterday, which might be insurance for Mankins.

Patriots left guard Logan Mankins suffered a sprained MCL in Saturday's game against the Dolphins, league sources confirmed. The Patriots are hopeful that Mankins can return to action after the team's wild-card round playoff bye. Mankins made his first career start at left tackle on Saturday, after Matt Light's ankle injury flared up prior to the contest and he was unable to go against the Dolphins. But Mankins played for only a quarter before suffering his knee injury.

Logan Mankins's availability for the start of Patriots training camp is in jeopardy in light of the news that he has undergone surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. A league source confirmed to the Globe Tuesday that Mankins had the procedure sometime after the Patriots played the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI Feb. 5; the news was originally reported by ESPNBoston.com late Monday night. Dr. Daniel Kharrazi, a partner at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles, where Tom Brady had his knee surgery in 2008, confirmed that six months is...

Exhale, Patriots fans - Logan Mankins returned to practice today after missing yesterday due to illness. The left guard will be needed against Richard Seymour in Oakland, and it's a positive sign for his availability Sunday that he's back on the field today. However, Albert Haynesworth, Aaron Hernandez, Sebastian Vollmer and Mike Wright were not spotted during the media access window, Monique Walker reports. The Patriots, who practiced in full pads yesterday, are in shells and shorts/sweatpants today.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff The Patriots are working on a deal to retain left tackle Matt Light and the hope is that it will completed later today, NFL sources said. With guard Logan Mankins already back in the fold, Light's return will give the Patriots the veteran left side of the line that has protected quarterback Tom Brady for much of his career. If Light doesn't return, then left tackle would fall to either first-round pick Nate Solder, or right tackle Sebastian Vollmer.

The Patriots signed fullback Lousaka Polite today. With guard Logan Mankins recovering from a knee injury and unlikely to play on Sunday vs. the Bills, the Patriots plan to use Donald Thomas, who had been playing in some situations as a fullback, at guard. Polite could fit in as a situational fullback. The Patriots had a roster spot available for Polite because they waived defensive back Ross Ventrone yesterday. Polite played in four preseason games for the Dolphins, but has not appeared in a regular-season game since last season.

FOXBOROUGH - When he became a free agent, guard/tackle Robert Gallery was looking for a situation that would put him in a position to finally enjoy some team success. Obviously, in signing a one-year deal with the Patriots, Gallery chose wisely. Gallery, the second overall pick in the 2004 draft, has been part of teams that have gone a combined 40-88 in his previous eight season, including the first seven with the Raiders. The closest Gallery, 31, has been to a winning record was the 8-8 mark Oakland posted in 2010.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff FOXBOROUGH - When he became a free agent, guard/tackle Robert Gallery was looking for a situation that would put him in a position to finally enjoy some team success. Obviously, in signing a one-year deal with the Patriots, Gallery chose wisely. Gallery, the second overall pick in the 2004 draft, has been part of teams that have gone a combined 45-88 in his previous eight season, including the first seven with the Raiders. The closest Gallery, 31, has been to a winning record was the 8-8 mark Oakland posted in 2010.

FOXBOROUGH - With a chance to reflect at Matt Light's retirement celebration Monday, Bill Belichick thought about the moment 11 years ago when he rocked back in his chair in the Patriots' draft-day war room and told one of his assistants to pull the trigger on Light. First, he had to make it clear whom he was talking about. "That's the offensive lineman," Belichick said. Then, Belichick had to make sure they called him an "offensive lineman" and not an "offensive tackle.

FOXBOROUGH - With a chance to reflect at Matt Light's retirement celebration Monday, Bill Belichick thought about the moment 11 years ago when he rocked back in his chair in the Patriots' draft-day war room and told one of his assistants to pull the trigger on Light. First, he had to make it clear whom he was talking about. "That's the offensive lineman," Belichick said. Then, Belichick had to make sure they called him an "offensive lineman" and not an "offensive tackle.

Wes Welker finally expressed displeasure with the lack of progress toward a long-term contract agreement with the Patriots Tuesday as the receiver appeared on several ESPN television and radio broadcasts. "Obviously we're looking for a long-term deal and the body of work that I've showed over the last five years warrants that," Welker said on SportsCenter Tuesday morning. "And hopefully we can get to that point and get something done and cooler heads prevail and we're able to make something happen.

On paper, Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler looks like the perfect Patriot: he is all about football, won a team award after his junior season for weight room dedication, has made a strong impression on teams in interviews, projects well in a zone-blocking scheme and scored a reported 33 on the Wonderlic test. If that's not enough to convince you, try this: one draft evaluator called Zeitler ‘'a dependable, no-nonsense mauler. " Sounds a little like Logan Mankins, no? Zeitler even wore number 70 in college, the same number Mankins wears with New...

Colleague Michael Whitmer reports that Tom Brady is one of three players who were not present for the media portion of practice today. Brady was limited last week for what the team termed "non-injury-related" reasons, so he could just be getting some rest as the team readies for its final regular-season game. In addition to Brady, Logan Mankins (knee), and Sebastian Vollmer (foot/back) were not spotted. The Patriots are in shells and sweats and practicing on the upper grass fields behind Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots and Dan Koppen agreed to a two-year contract Friday, a league source confirmed, meaning the veteran center will remain with the only NFL team he's known. NFL Network reported the deal is worth a total of $6 million. Koppen, a fifth-round draft pick out of Boston College in 2003, missed nearly all of last season after suffering a broken ankle in the opener against Miami. Koppen, who hit free agency for the first time in his career, didn't receive a lot of interest on the open market, likely because of his injury.