FOXBORO — As camp continues in Foxboro, our position-by-position analysis of the Patriots roster focuses on the offensive line.
The Returners
Marcus Cannon – OL, 7th season, Texas Christian
Nate Solder – T, 7th season, Colorado
LaAdrian Waddle – OL, 5th season, Texas Tech
Cameron Fleming – OL, 4th season, Stanford
David Andrews – C, 3rd season, Georgia
Shaq Mason – OL, 3rd season, Georgia Tech
Ted Karras – G, 2nd season, Illinois
Joe Thuney – OL, 2nd season, North Carolina State
Jamil Douglas – OL, 2nd season*, Arizona State
The New Guys
James Ferentz – OL, 2nd season, Iowa (Denver)
The Rookies
Cole Croston – OL, Iowa
Tony Garcia – OL, Troy
Andrew Jelks – OL, Vanderbilt
Jason King – OL, Purdue
Conor McDermott – OL, UCLA
Max Rich – OL, Harvard
The Skinny: Last season, Brady was sacked 15 times in the regular season – 35th among all quarterbacks in 2016. His 1.25 sacks per game average means that had Brady played all 16 games, he would have been brought down about 20 times, still just 30th in the league. All of the big names from last year's championship offensive line return for the season, with a slew of rookies pushing them for spots on the roster. Also returning is offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, who returned to the Patriots last season and turned around an O-line that had allowed 38 sacks in the 2015 regular season.
The Top Talk: Shaq Mason on the offensive line being the lifeblood of the team:
"I wouldn't say it's, 'As we go, the team goes.' I see it as the whole-team aspect, honestly. If we go and somebody else doesn't go, you can say that for them, as well. Say, if the receivers don't go, we don't go. It's all one."
David Souza is an intern in the Boston 25 Sports department. Follow David on Twitter: @DSouza4717