FOXBORO — In NFL parlance, he is the next man up.

With Logan Mankins and Nick Kaczur out of the pictire, Dan Connolly, a heretofore relatively anonymous offensive lineman who has started four games in his four years in the NFL (all of them last season with the Patriots), is now the new face along the New England offensive line.

A 27-year-old out of Southeast Missouri State, Connolly was the No. 1 backup among interior linemen last season, and got the start on four occasions last year because of injuries. Now, with Mankins out of the starting lineup because of a contract dispute and Kaczur’s back injury reportedly threatening his 2010 season, it’s Connolly who has gotten the bulk of the reps with the starters at left guard during training camp and the two preseason games.

On Monday, veteran Matt Light said the New England offensive line is set up for players like Connolly to succeed — players who might not get the physical reps the rest of the starters get, but are set up for success because of the extensive mental reps they get in the film room and on the practice squad. And the 27-year-old Connolly, who had two stints on New England’s practice squad (one in 2007 and another in 2008), said it’s a system that’s worked for him.

“I don’t know how much I can comment on if this is a system that’s set up for that,” Connolly said of Light’s assertion. “But I can say that in my experience, that’s how it’s been for me, and I feel like I’ve somewhat flourished in just being able to get the mental reps and stand by and watch and learn. I was ready when the time came.

“Years on practice squad and not getting the physical reps, just having to get in there and watch film, I think that’s paid off in the end. I’ve been really able to develop as a player and understand the system.”

Kaczur was injured relatively early in training camp, so if there’s one positive, it’s that the timing of the injury has allowed Connolly and the rest of the offensive line to build a chemistry together over much of the summer, as well as the first two preseason games.
 
It’s a key part to any successful offensive line, and the 6-foot-4, 313-pound Connolly has spent a lot of time working on his craft this summer between left tackle Matt Light and center Dan Koppen.

“I think with any team sports — especially football — you need to trust guys around you because you need everyone. You need all 11 guys working together to get the play down,” he said. “And within the offensive line, you have five guys who are all doing the same thing. With all the practices that we’ve had, I think we’re getting a good cohesion. We work pretty well together.”

Of course, Connolly and the rest of the line aren’t starting from scratch when it comes to building that bond. He played in a career-high 14 games last season, and started four games at right guard after an injury to Stephen Neal, and has been used as a center, fullback and tight end over the last couple of seasons.

And while he loves being a part of the offensive line, it’s his occasional forays into the backfield that let him live the dream for every offensive lineman. “I love it,” he said.

“It’s something I think an offensive lineman likes to do — kind of be out of your normal position,” he said. “Call yourself a running back for a couple of plays, at least.”

As an offensive lineman in 2009, he saw a total of 420 snaps according to our friends at Pro Football Focus, who had him with 23 positive blocks on 219 running plays, a passable grade. (However, they stress that it’s nowhere near what Mankins has given them in the past.)

While he’s always made sure to be as versatile as possible — “Being able to play multiple positions gets you a job,” said Connolly — he knows that now, it’ll be a different story when he’s being counted on as a regular for the Patriots as a position where they remain thin.

“I’m never really comfortable. I’m always wanting to improve. Every day there’s something I can improve on,” he said. “[But] I think it’s gone as smoothly as I could have wanted.”