The New England Patriots have started the 2024 NFL season off rough, as the team is currently 1-3, and looks like they may not be able to compete with the upper-echelon talent in the AFC. To make matters worse, the team might also be losing starting center David Andrews.
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Andrews has been dealing with a shoulder injury that might require season-ending surgery. If this were to happen, the team would be without one of their cornerstones on the offensive line.
According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, “New England Patriots center David Andrews will undergo shoulder surgery and likely miss the rest of the season, coach Jerod Mayo announced Wednesday, adding that he is considering starting running back Antonio Gibson over Rhamondre Stevenson against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday after Stevenson’s early-season fumbling issues.”
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo announced to reporters that Andrews is likely to miss the rest of the 2024 NFL season after receiving season-ending surgery.
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According to the team’s depth chart, the Patriots now only have one healthy center on the team, Nick Leverett.
Leverett has been the main backup for Andrews, and will likely be called to start in Week 5 when the Patriots take on the Miami Dolphins. Leverett spent his four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and signed with the Patriots in March.
Mayo did announce that Andrews will still be around the team and is planning on providing a more “coaching” type of presence. This should certainly do wonders for the morale of the Patriots.
Current starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett commented on the loss of Andrews, stating, “It’s tough when a guy like that goes down because you know he’s not going down for anything minor,” Brissett said. “He means so much to this team.”
Andrews was apparently set to play through the injury but has opted for the season-ending surgery instead. Though there had been rumblings that the Patriots would eventually start Drake Maye, losing Andrews might cause that not to happen.
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The last thing the Patriots need is for Maye to be hurt behind an offensive line that is using a backup center. That’s not to say Leverett is not up to the task of protecting the quarterback, but Andrews is just on a different level.
The Patriots are also 1-3 and could be facing a reality where a couple more losses means the team will be looking toward the 2025 season instead. Maye might get some reps down the stretch, but to put him out right now might be a bit too risky.
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