In the lead-up to free agency, we'll be looking at each Patriots free agent and projecting whether or not they will re-sign with the Patriots this offseason;

Tracy White

Age: 30

Position: Linebacker

Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

2011 Stats: 15 games, 1 game started, 37 tackles, 1 pass defensed

Overview: Since coming to the Patriots via trade from the Eagles, veteran linebacker Tracy White has been one of the very best special teams players for the Patriots. However, in the 2011 season, White actually stepped up and played a more significant role on defense. He started at OLB in the 4-3 and also played some MLB. He wasn't terribly effective or consistent, but he occasionally made some decent plays. In fact, it was his pass deflection against the Redskins that led to Jerod Mayo's game-sealing interception in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. While White did perform adequately at times in 2011, it became clear that giving White a role as a full-time defender going forward probably wouldn't be in the team's plans. Nonetheless, White is still valuable as a special teams player, and is one of the very best in the league when it comes to that role. The Patriots obviously aren't going to break the bank on a player like White, but if he's willing to come back on the cheap, I'm sure the team would be happy to have him back.

Prediction: Re-signs on a one year, $1 million deal