Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 01:22 PM

Patriots re-sign longtime O-lineman Neal to undisclosed terms

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have re-signed longtime starting offensive lineman Stephen Neal.

The team didn't disclose terms of the deal, which was announced Tuesday.

The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Neal was drafted by the Patriots in 2001 out of Cal State-Bakersfield, where he was a championship wrestler and didn't play football. The Patriots waived Neal, then re-signed him in December 2001. By 2004, he was starting at right guard.

In 2008, Neal started the final nine games on a Patriots team that set rushing records in yards, touchdowns and yards per carry.

Last season, Neal was part of a line that allowed 18 sacks, the team's fewest since the NFL switched to a 16-game schedule in 1978.