On Thursday morning, the Patriots announced the release of two-time Super Bowl champion David Andrews.
ESPN's Mike Reiss reported this news a few hours prior, posting on X.com that Andrews is recovering from shoulder surgery, and if he does intend to retire, “the expectation is that the team would host a ceremony for him to honor his widespread contributions over the last decade.”
An eight-time captain, Andrews had been a fixture as the team’s starting center since his rookie season in 2015. After going undrafted, Andrews had a standout preseason, leading to his first career start in Week 1 when Bryan Stork was placed on injured reserve. His contributions on the line were felt immediately, finishing second in fan voting for the Pro Bowl at his position that season.
Andrews never looked back, quickly becoming one of the leaders on a talented offensive line. As the years went on and the mainstay pieces from the second leg of the dynasty began moving on, it felt like Andrews became the elder statesman in the locker room almost overnight. Heading into 2024, he was one of only a handful of players still remaining from the Tom Brady era in New England.
As the head of a unit that struggled from the jump, Andrews suffered an injury to his shoulder in Week 4 against the 49ers, eventually ending his season as he opted for surgery after being given the option to play through the pain. With the Patriots losing their most consistent lineman, things went from bad to worse for the O-line as they worked to find Andrews’ replacement midseason.
With this news Thursday, the organization will now look for a permanent replacement for Andrews. Two options are currently on the roster, as midseason pickup Ben Brown ended up starting a majority of the games last season in that spot, as well as guard-by-trade Cole Strange, who played center once returning from injury late in 2024.
The Patriots could also turn to the draft for support at the position, with players like Eli Cox from Kentucky and Drew Kendall from Boston College standing out at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. It’s not a position they’d look to be shoring up on day one or day two, but be on the lookout for center possibly being addressed on day three in April.
It’s also worth noting that the Patriots are planning to hold a press conference at 1:00 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium - the first time the team has hosted media availability at the stadium since Mike Vrabel’s introductory press conference in January.
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