FOXBOROUGH — Logan Mankins and Sebastian Vollmer are on the shelf, with no timetable for their returns. Brian Waters hasn’t reported to the team. Matt Light is retired.

The Patriots’ offensive line, a place that has seen so much stability over the last decade or so, looks very different these days, changing from day to day and sometimes series to series.

With Light now yakking on television and Vollmer rehabbing a back injury, second-year tackles Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon have been manning the left and right ends of the line, respectively.

The frequent shuffling has been in the interior. Dan Connolly, who signed a multiyear extension to be the presumed starter at center, has again showed his versatility, taking the majority of his snaps at guard. Free agent pickup Robert Gallery has also seen time at both guard spots, Ryan Wendell has taken snaps at guard and center with the first unit, and Dan Koppen has spent time as the first-team center.

At the center of all the changes is the constant: Dante Scarnecchia. New England’s offensive line guru and assistant head coach is so good he’s worked with six Patriots head coaches, from Ron Meyer through Bill Belichick, with just a two-year stint in Indianapolis (1989-90) breaking up his three-decade affiliation with the franchise.

In his 14 seasons overseeing the offensive line, he’s tutored first-round picks Mankins and Solder and crafted them into standouts (or a budding one, as Solder is perceived), and molded undrafted or castoff players such as Stephen Neal, Joe Andruzzi, and Russ Hochstein into solid starters and respected backups.

Despite all the changes, having Scarnecchia means there is no need to worry.

“He’s awesome. He’s awesome,” said Belichick, who doesn’t throw that word around too often. “Dante’s a great coach, on every level. He’s real good with X’s and O’s. He does a great job with the veteran players. He’s brought along and developed so many of our young players, rookie players, draft choices, free agents; taken guys off the practice squad and built them into starters or contributors on the line. He’s invaluable.

“I think not only myself, but a lot of other people on the staff as well, other coaching staff members, rely on him for advice or ask him questions, take advantage of his experience. He’s had not only experience on the offensive line, but he’s coached special teams, he’s coached defense. He’s really got a great breadth in his coaching career and experience level as well as great proficiency in the offensive line and how well he’s done with that group since I’ve been here and before that. He does a tremendous job.”