Sebastian Vollmer and Daniel Fells set to return

According to a tweet yesterday from Tom Curran of CSNNE, Sebastian Vollmer and Daniel Fells will be activated from the PUP list in the “very near future”. Fells will be a part of the 53-man roster, as he was signed to a three-year deal this offseason and is a blocking TE that Bill Belichick values. The Pats now have three tight ends on the roster (I’m assuming they are pretty much back), but the biggest news is the return of Vollmer.

You see, Logan Mankins is the best player on this offensive line, but Sebastian Vollmer is the most important player. The reason being is that there is a big drop off between Marcus Cannon and Vollmer on the right side. Cannon has a lot of potential and is a good run blocker, but his pass protection leads a lot to be desired. On the other hand, Vollmer is good in both areas and, when healthy, is perhaps one of the best five right tackles in the game.

The problem is that Vollmer has been struggling with injuries recently, so it’s great to hear that he has returned from a nagging back injury that has plagued him in his football career. In fact, he has suffered from back injuries since his college days. The Patriots need Vollmer to be healthy this season more than ever, especially after Cannon’s performance in the first preseason game and his struggles in training camp; he isn’t ready yet.

Meanwhile, Daniel Fells will have to beat out Visanthe Shiancoe for a roster spot, but he probably will due to his blocking ability. It’s a tough cut between them, but Fells has the upper hand at this point.

Having Fells back soon helps the team, but having Vollmer back eases some concerns and is a relief. It’s great to have the All-Pro RT back, and I’m sure Tom Brady is happy that the right side of the line will be more effective. He probably wasn’t going to miss any regular season games, but it’s still good to hear that he’ll be back very soon.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.