Really interesting.
There were only six centers taken in the draft, so there were numerous centers available as undrafted free agents.
How would that affect demand for centers in rookie free agency - a wealth of good players available to select, or 20+ teams who didn't take one competing for those remaining?
The Patriots drafted a center relatively high last year. That player was their strongest contributor from the rookie class and seems to have the clearest hold on an offensive line position over the long term of any player on the team.
They added a player generally slotted as a center in Shaq Mason - although he played mostly guard, his stature made teams see him more as a center.
Last year the Patriots tried playing several players that were tackles at guard. Cannon, Devey, Fleming - all players in the 6-5 to 6-7 range, 320 to 350 pounds. That really didn't work in their system. Then they reversed course and played three centers in the interior - Connolly, Stork, Wendell, all shorter, lighter, more agile. That worked better.
The Patriots have now added Mason as a C/G, and seemed to have targeted C Andrews as their top udfa candidate. Add that to Tre Jackson, a pure guard. They avoided the tackle-to-guard conversion players like Poutasi, Marpet, Feliciano, Douglas.
