Center Dan Koppen will re-sign with the Patriots after spending a month on the free-agent market. He will get a two-year deal that maxes out at just less than $6 million total, a source confirmed to ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss.
Koppen, 32, has spent his entire career in New England, starting 120 of 121 regular-season games.
After he suffered a broken left fibula in the Patriots' opening game last season, there was hope Koppen would be able to make a late-season return, but he was placed on injured reserve Sept. 21, ending his season.
The move to re-sign Koppen comes weeks after the Patriots re-signed Dan Connolly, who was Koppen's replacement at center last season. Connolly received a three-year, $9.7 million deal, suggesting that Koppen, who visited the Tennessee Titans earlier this month, would no longer have a role in New England.
Instead, Koppen rejoins a crowded interior offensive line for the Patriots that includes guards Logan Mankins and Brian Waters, who both were named to the Pro Bowl last season, although Waters said after the team's loss in Super Bowl XLVI that he would consider retirement.
The Patriots also signed former second-overall pick Robert Gallery last month, who can play both guard and offensive tackle, while they return Connolly (11 starts in 2011), center Ryan Wendell (three starts) and Nick McDonald (two starts).
Mike Rodak covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com.