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David Andrews Addresses Patriots Release; C Unsure Of Playing Future

March 22nd, 2025 at 9:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

After David Andrews was limited to four games last season, the possibility of a release was raised this spring. New head coach Mike Vrabel and the Patriots did indeed elect to cut the veteran center with one year remaining on his deal.

Andrews spoke about the decision on his Quick Snap podcast (video link). The 32-year-old acknowledged being released was on the table in the wake of his missed time in 2024 – due to a shoulder injury – along with the changes brought about by Vrabel’s arrival. He added that he was nevertheless “a little shocked” by the move.

“I knew that offense really well,” Andrews said (via NFL.com). “I’ve had a lot of success in that offense. It fits my play style well, how I like to play, what I like to do. So, I’ve had a lot of success. And was excited for that reunion [with OC Josh McDaniels]. “I’ve had a great relationship with Josh, and, you know, I was excited to see Vrabel and what he brought to the table as a football coach.

“I thought I could have the surgery and see what happens. And obviously, the team made a decision that they’re trying to do what’s best for the football team… Obviously, I thought there were some things I could do to help and provide value. But I understand their decision at some level.”

Upgrading along the offensive line was universally seen as a major priority for the Patriots entering the offseason. The early stages of free agency saw a deal worked out with veteran Morgan Moses, and interest was shown in top center free agent Drew Dalman. The latter took a lucrative Bears pact, though, a move which initially seemed to leave New England in need of waiting until the draft to find an Andrews replacement. The Patriots have instead since inked ex-Viking Garrett Bradbury to a two-year contract, giving them a starter for the short-term future.

Andrews did not play in 2019; aside from that campaign, however, he operated as New England’s full-time center starter since being drafted in 2015. The Georgia product’s PFF evaluations were consistent for much of his career, although his 2024 grade (58.7) was the lowest of his career. Improved play in the middle – and elsewhere along the O-line – will be critical for the Pats moving forward. That effort will not include Andrews, though.

The former UDFA is free to sign with an interested team at any time (although his market might not pick up until after his surgery takes place). Andrews neither committed to continuing his career in 2025 nor to retiring, however, so his future is uncertain at this point. Suitors could emerge if he eyes a short-term pact with a new team, something which will depend on his health and his willingness to play elsewhere for the first time in his pro tenure.

Patriots To Release C David Andrews

March 13th, 2025 at 8:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

TODAY, 8:55pm: The Patriots officially released David Andrews, with the move coming with a failed physical designation, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.

TODAY, 8:25am: After 10 years and nine seasons with the Patriots, David Andrews‘ tenure in the organization is coming to an end. New England will release the veteran center, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports.

The move will take place today, Reiss adds. Andrews is rehabbing the shoulder injury which kept him out of the lineup for all but four contests this past season. If today’s news winds up being followed by a retirement decision, this situation will come to a close in the same fashion as Julian Edelman‘s in 2021.

Indeed, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes it is not currently known if Andrews intends to continue his playing career. The two-time Super Bowl winner had one year remaining on his contract, with part of his scheduled base salary guaranteed. This release will yield $2.68MM in cap savings for New England while generating a dead money charge of $4MM.

Andrews has made 136 combined regular and postseason appearances in his career, starting all but five of them. The 32-year-old has remained a mainstay along the offensive line during his Pats run, consistently drawing positive PFF evaluations. Even if the final remaining holdover among offensive players from New England’s most recent Super Bowl suits up in 2025, though, the team will move in a different direction under center.

Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal recently reported Andrews was seen as a cut candidate during the Combine. Upgrading along the offensive line is known to be a major priority for the team, and that effort will now include finding a replacement center. The likes of Drew Dalman (Bears), Ryan Kelly (Colts) and Josh Myers (Jets) have found new teams in the early stages of free agency. The Patriots may need to wait until next month’s draft as a result to find a new starter in the middle.

New England’s right guard spot is accounted for with Michael Onwenu, and the team worked out a deal with veteran right tackle Morgan Moses on Monday. The left tackle and guard positions are still unaccounted for at this point in the offseason, and the same is now true at center as well.

Patriots To Place C David Andrews, T Caedan Wallace On IR

October 4th, 2024 at 10:39am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots’ offensive line has dealt with a number of injuries this year, and a pair of expected transactions related to those ailments will take place. Head coach Jerod Mayo said on Friday both center David Andrews and offensive tackle Caedan Wallace are headed to injured reserve.

The decision comes as no surprise in either case. Andrews is set to undergo shoulder surgery which will shut him down for the remainder of the campaign. That makes an IR designation a formality which will open up a roster spot allowing depth to be added. Missing Andrews will weaken a unit which already faced questions before and during the young season, however.

Wallace is dealing with an ankle injury, and today’s news means he will miss at least four games. Mayo did say (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) he could return at some point this season, though. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes a recovery timeline of at least six weeks could be in store for Wallace. Regardless of how long the third-round rookie is out, his absence will leave New England short on tackle depth while attempting to find a suitable combination up front.

The Patriots are of course without Chukwuma Okorafor after he departed the team following Week 1. It remains to be seen when (or if) the former Steeler will be available later this season, and his ongoing absence has left the team without its projected left tackle starter. Wallace going down will leave that position particularly thin, especially since Vederian Lowe has missed the past two games.

Mayo said the Patriots do not have a firm plan in place with respect to filling their open roster spots. These moves will create extra openings for at least short-term additions, although Kendrick Bourne, Sione Takitaki and Marte Mapu all returned to practice earlier this week. Activating the members of that trio will use up roster spots, but it would still come as no surprise if New England brought in O-line depth over the coming days.

Patriots C David Andrews Mulling Season-Ending Surgery

October 2nd, 2024 at 9:56am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots have struggled to field a healthy offensive line this season, with Cole Strange, Sidy Sow, Vederian Lowe, and Caedan Wallace dealing with various injuries over the first four weeks.

Now, New England will lose starting center and team captain David Andrews for the remainder of the season after he injured his shoulder against the 49ers in Week 4. Andrews will undergo surgery to fix his shoulder, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, after briefly debating if he could play through the injury for the rest of the year. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed the season-ending surgery during a press conference on Wednesday, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.

Backup center Nick Leverett is expected to replace Andrews in the Patriots’ starting lineup. The majority of Leverett’s NFL experience has come at guard, but the Patriots gave him plenty of snaps at center in the preseason after projected backup center Jake Andrews suffered an offseason injury that required surgery and ended his season. The Patriots also have undrafted rookie center Bryan Hudson on their practice squad. He could see some gameday elevations or even a promotion to the active roster as New England figures out their center depth.

Known as one of the toughest players in the NFL, Andrews considered delaying his surgery until the offseason, explaining the process to former teammate Brian Hoyer on a recent episode of their co-hosted podcast, The Quick Snap.

“First of all, it’s frustrating. Being hurt is a very frustrating thing, especially when you want to be out there playing,” Andrews said. “As a player, sometimes you have to make decisions if you being out there is the best thing for the team, and if you can perform.”

But Andrews has both the Patriots’ and his own long-term plans to consider. The ninth-year center — in place as a starter since Tom Brady‘s age-38 season — signed a one-year extension with New England in May that keeps him on the team through 2025. Mayo opted to start veteran Jacoby Brissett over third overall pick Drake Maye partially due to the uncertain state of New England’s offensive line.

At 1-3, the Patriots are not expected to make a playoff push as they develop a young roster with a first-time head coach. With Maye expected to take over at quarterback in 2025 (or potentially later this season), Andrews and the Patriots would likely prefer that the veteran center be fully healthy for the prized prospect’s first full season as a starter.

NFL Contract Details: Rookies, Andrews, Shepard

June 15th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Normally, the details of rookie contract signings don’t draw much note from the media. Most facets of the rookie contract are not up for negotiation, so by the book numbers don’t tend to interest the NFL world. Lately, though, NFL teams have gotten creative with how they deal with rookie deals, usually rewarding first- and second-round picks with guaranteed money.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 noted three second-round picks whose deals were reported recently. New Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil out of Michigan’s rookie deal will see the base salaries of his 2024 and 2025 seasons fully guaranteed and $897K of $1.5MM guaranteed from his 2026 salary. Dolphins rookie offensive tackle Patrick Paul from Houston will see similar guarantees. All of his base salary for 2024 and 2025 will be guaranteed along with $413K of his 2026 salary worth $1.42MM. Lastly, Cowboys rookie pass rusher out of Western Michigan, Marshawn Kneeland, will see his first two years fully guaranteed, as well. Kneeland will also see $322K of his 2026 base salary (worth a total of $1.42MM) guaranteed.

Here are some other details from recent contracts around the NFL:

  • We recently saw the Patriots grant center David Andrews a raise in a new extension. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe gives us further details on the new contract. He notes that Andrews was guaranteed $1.75MM of his $5MM for 2024. He also reports that the deal will reduce Andrews’ cap impact next year from $8.43MM to $6.68MM.
  • The Buccaneers recently signed former Giants receiver Sterling Shepard to a one-year, $1.38MM deal. Wilson of KPRC2 tells us that Shepard will be able to earn a $50K roster bonus if he’s on the active roster by Week 1 of the season. He’ll also have the opportunity to earn an additional $6,911 per game in active roster bonuses for a potential season total of $117,500.

AFC East Rumors: Patriots OL, Saleh, Milano

May 26th, 2024 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

With veteran left tackle Trent Brown departing in free agency, the Patriots are looking to fill his old role this offseason. As organized team activities have opened, free agent addition Chukwuma Okorafor has been taking first-team snaps at the position, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.

Okorafor, a former third-round pick for the Steelers, has spent the first six years of his NFL career in Pittsburgh. His first two seasons only saw the Nigerian find starting time as an injury replacement. After Okorafor finished out his rookie contract with two straight seasons as a starter, the Steelers rewarded him with a three-year, $29.25MM extension. After losing his starting job to first-round rookie Broderick Jones last year, though, the Steelers released Okorafor to free agency.

Now in New England, Okorafor will have the opportunity to re-earn a starting job and fill in for the departed Brown. Okorafor’s competition for the job will be Vederian Lowe, who started eight games in injury relief for the Patriots last year, and third-round rookie Caedan Wallace out of Penn State.

In additional offensive line news out of New England OTAs, second-year lineman Atonio Mafi was seen taking snaps at center behind starter David Andrews. Mafi, a former fifth-round pick who converted from defensive line to guard at UCLA, had yet to seen time at center while making five starts at left guard as a rookie. New offensive line coach Scott Peters and assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler seem to have some interest in expanding his role on the line.

Here are some other rumors coming out of the AFC East:

  • We had reported previously that Jets head coach Robert Saleh had explored the idea of reducing the role of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. This exploration came after the seeing Hackett seemingly lost for options after the loss of starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the season. A more recent report from ESPN’s Rich Cimini claims that Saleh is now taking a deeper role in the offense himself. The former defensive coordinator seems to be keeping a close eye over the shoulder of Hackett as their jobs both heat up in 2024.
  • Long-time Bills starting linebacker Matt Milano missed 12 games after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year. The team is looking to pair Milano back up with last year’s emergent starter Terrel Bernard, but that won’t be happening in OTAs. According to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN, Milano is on schedule with his recovery, but “it’s probably going to be more closer to training camp until” he sees the field again.

Patriots, David Andrews Agree To Extension

May 16th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

David Andrews will remain in place with New England for at least the next two years. The Patriots’ longtime center has agreed to an extension keeping him on the books through 2025, ESPN’s Field Yates reports.

Yates adds that Andrews will receive $12MM in base compensation between this year and next. He can earn up to $13MM via incentives. This pact – the fourth of his career – will see the former UDFA collect $8MM in guaranteed money.

Andrews was scheduled to earn $5.5MM in 2024, the final year of his $19MM extension signed in 2021. The Georgia alum’s cap hit was set for $8.43MM, a figure which will likely change depending on the structure of this agreement. Andrews has served as New England’s starter at center for all but five regular season and playoff games in his rookie season, totaling 127 starts across his career to date. He will carry on in his current capacity with another multi-year agreement in hand.

Today’s Patriots investment comes not long after Andrews admitted to contemplating his future this offseason. The 31-year-old said in a press conference that he committed to continuing his career for 2024 (h/t ESPN’s Mike Reiss). Considering New England’s decision to add another year to his existing pact, the chances are high Andrews could continue playing through 2025 if he remains healthy.

Andrews has managed to play over 1,000 snaps four times in his career, including the 2023 campaign. His run blocking remained strong with respect to PFF evaluation, but his pass protection took a notable step back compared to recent seasons. He was charged with six sacks and 30 pressures allowed, which resulted in a career-worst PFF grade of 51.2 in that department. A rebound this season would be welcomed by team and player.

New England has committed to retaining a number of in-house players this offseason. Along the offensive line, that effort has seen tackle/guard Michael Onwenu sign a three-year, $57MM deal, one which will keep him at the RT spot moving forward. Questions are in place regarding the Patriots’ blindside protection with free agent addition Chukwuma Okorafor the likely left tackle starter as things stand. Regardless of what happens on that front, Andrews will continue as a mainstay in the middle.

AFC East Notes: Hyde, Wilson, Patriots

November 26th, 2022 at 11:53am CST by Ben Levine

Bills safety Micah Hyde was expected to miss the rest of the season while he continued to recover from his neck injury. As Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic writes, there could be a glimmer of hope that Hyde is back on the field during the 2022 season.

Hyde’s recent neck surgery helped eliminate the lingering pain that the veteran had been dealing with, and the safety has been active with the Bills for the past month. This includes work (alongside other inactive players) with the strength and conditioning staff, with Buscaglia writing that the safety was spotted running drills with injured members of the 53-man roster. Hyde later told the reporter that he’s taking his rehab one day at a time, but he left the door open for a return this season.

“I would love to. I would love to. We’ll see,” Hyde said. “It’s not really up to me. It’s kind of up to the doctors. Historically, no. But I’m not dealing with… those are other people, other situations. So, we’ll see what happens.”

At the very least, it’s encouraging that Hyde didn’t definitively reject the idea of a 2022 return. Now in his sixth season in Buffalo, it wouldn’t be shocking if the veteran makes a push to play as the Bills pursue a Super Bowl ring.

Some more notes out of the AFC East…

  • Despite Zach Wilson‘s disastrous Week 11 performance (and, later, his inability to take responsibility for the loss to the Patriots), the Jets continue to support the now-benched quarterback, with Robert Saleh previously indicating that this isn’t the end of the former first-round pick’s career in New York. Following the fallout from Wilson’s post-game presser, the QB still needed to win back his locker room. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Wilson apologized to teammates for his post-game remarks, and while he supported fill-in Mike White, the quarterback also made it clear that he’ll be back under center before long. “It was the only thing I could think of the last couple of days,” Wilson said (via Cimini). “I wanted the opportunity to talk to those guys and really make it from the heart.”
  • Speaking of Wilson’s Jets teammates, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Jets players have been concerned about their starting QB’s performance for some time. Whether Wilson’s struggles were mental or fundamental, Rapoport notes that the organization hope Wilson’s mental break will help the QB both for this season and beyond.
  • Some good news on the injury front for the Patriots. Center David Andrews suffered what was thought to be a serious thigh injury during New England’s win over the Jets in Week 11, but Rapoport tweets that the lineman escaped a serious injury and could return for the end of the season or the playoffs. Jeff Howe of The Athletic adds (on Twitter) that while there’s no clear timeline on Andrews’ return, the veteran will do everything in his power to get back on the field.
  • The Patriots saved a chunk of money recently. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter), the Patriots reworked safety Cody Davis‘ contract. The move saved the organization about $250K against the cap. The veteran inked a two-year, $4.5MM deal with the Patriots prior to the 2021 season and is set to hit free agency following the 2022 campaign.

Patriots OL David Andrews, Isaiah Wynn To Miss Time

November 20th, 2022 at 7:36pm CST by Ely Allen

New England’s interior offensive line took some hits in today’s win over the Jets. Both starting center David Andrews and left guard Isaiah Wynn left today’s game with injuries that could force the Patriots to reconfigure their men upfront for the remainder of the year.

Andrews has been the longtime center in New England since signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2015. While he’s missed his fair share of games in the past with injuries, a seven-game season would easily be a career-low for the 30-year-old out of Georgia. Andrews left today’s game with a thigh injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He’ll undergo more testing to determine the severity of the injury, but the Patriots are reportedly not expecting good news as they fear the injury may end his season.

Wynn has also been a consistent starting presence on the Patriots offensive line since being selected in the first-round four years ago. Wynn was originally intended to contribute as a tackle but was moved inside in 2020 and has continued in that role this season. Wynn is, unfortunately, a bit more accustomed to missing extended periods of time than Andrews. Wynn tore his Achilles tendon in 2018, forcing him to miss his entire rookie season. He spent stretches of time on injured reserve in each of the following two seasons for a toe injury and a knee injury. Wynn left today’s game “with a foot injury,” according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, and could also miss extended time due to the ailment. He, too, will undergo further testing in order to determine the extent of the injury.

Rookie Cole Strange is expected to fill in for Wynn during any time he may miss. The two have been jostling in recent weeks for a starting spot, despite both holding starting roles for most of the season. With Wynn out, New England will have little choice but to let Strange take the opportunity. Andrew’s backup is James Ferentz, who started at center for each of the past two games that Andrews has missed lately.

These injuries seem to pile onto similar blows to the team’s offensive line this season. Andrews could be joining Chasen Hines and Marcus Cannon on IR, and, even if Wynn doesn’t get assigned to IR, he may be sitting out like Andrew Stueber has done recently due to injury.

Before today’s win over their division-opponents, the Patriots were fourth in the AFC East. They now sit at third with a 6-4 record, one win behind current division leaders Miami (7-3) and Buffalo (7-3). The injuries will certainly make it difficult for New England to stay in what has turned into a very intriguing division race.

Matthew Stafford Cleared For Week 11 Return

November 18th, 2022 at 6:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Rams were on the losing end of an all-backup quarterback battle last week, but they are set to have their starter available under center on Sunday. Matthew Stafford has been removed from the team’s injury report and is in line to play against the Saints.

Stafford had missed Los Angeles’ loss to the Cardinals in Week 10 due to a concussion. He made steady progress in recent days, though, lining him up to be cleared in time for Sunday’s game. The Rams turned to backup John Wolford in Stafford’s absence, with the exception of a handful of snaps given to rookie Bryce Perkins.

Stafford being back at the helm will be a welcomed sight, despite that fact that his second season with the Rams has not gone as smoothly as his first. The 34-year-old has an 8:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio (after throwing five in the first two games, and one in three consecutive contests between Weeks 4 and 6) while averaging 46 fewer passing yards per game than 2021.

Overall, the Rams rank 17th in the league in that regard, as they have struggled mightily on offense. The run game has fared even worse, of course, but a healthy Stafford could especially be needed moving forward given the fact the the team’s most consistent contributor is now out of the picture.

Cooper Kupp‘s high ankle sprain required surgery and has landed him on IR, leaving him sidelined for at least four games. With the Rams sitting at 3-6, that has led to questions about whether the the reigning Offensive Player of the Year will see the field again in 2022. An offensive resurgence will be needed to bring the team back into playoff contention.

Stafford – who like Kupp and Aaron Donald – signed a big-ticket extension this offseason – entered the campaign with concerns over his throwing elbow, though the more significant concern has become the offensive line in front of him. On that note, ESPN’s Sarah Barshop reports that neither guard David Andrews nor center Brian Allen will be available against the Saints (Twitter links). That will induce even more alterations to the injury-ravaged unit, while the Rams look to end their three-game skid with the No. 1 QB back in the fold.

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