The Facts: The Patriots re-signed Faulk, a move formally announced Saturday morning.

Diehards Line:Faulk, an unrestricted free agent, appeared in two games for New England last season before tearing the ACL in his right knee and sitting out the rest of the year. The 35-year-old Faulk has spent his entire 12-year career with the Patriots after being drafted by the team in the second round (46th overall) of the 1999 draft. He is currently the longest-tenured Patriot on the roster. According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Faulk's return is "a no-brainer." The Patriots are a better team with him on the roster, both for what he contributes on the field and in the locker room as a mentor to younger players. But that doesn't mean he makes the final cuts. According to Reiss, BenJarvus Green-Ellis (assuming he signs as a restricted free agent), Danny Woodhead, second-round draft choice Shane Vereen and third-round draft choice Stevan Ridley are locks on the RB depth chart. Woodhead, who emerged in 2010, plays a similar role to Faulk as the team's "passing" back. The Patriots would likely keep either four or five backs on the final 53-man roster. Faulk figures to take a short-term focus, testing his knee, and seeing where the chips fall.