Patriots Player Departure Mike Reiss: David Andrews to be released (3/13 update: released)

[Rob0729]

Except cutting David Andrews doesn't really save them much money according to Spotrac.

David Andrews | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

David Andrews signed a 2 year, $12,000,000 contract with the New England Patriots, including $8,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $6,000,000. In 2025, Andrews will earn a base salary of $4,000,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $6,676,470 and a...

www.spotrac.com

This would be almost a JuJu level dump.

Why would they do it unless Andrews was completely done?

If they are ready to move on from Andrews, it is the best thing to do for both parties. The Pats don't want the guy who has had the job for years and a team captain here competing for a job they want to give to someone else and potentially undermining that player's ability to take the spot. Andrews will be released while teams are looking for players and have plenty of cap money and he will find it easier to find a new team.

The Patriots are trying to build a team to compete for the next 5-10 years. Andrews at best has 1-2 years left. It isn't whether he is done or not, it is about building the offensive line that will be protecting Maye for more than just one year.

It happens all the time in regime changes. Veteran players are cut even if they are still impact guys because they do not fit the new system or they are old and won't be part of the future.

 

[Rob0729]

Convince him to retire or another team to trade for him? Either way a 2 million dollar savings is worth it if you think he won’t make the team.

They can plug Strange in there, slide Sow to guard and not skip a beat. Just find some tackles.

Doubtful any team would trade for a center who is going to be 33 at the start of the season coming off a season ending injury the year before. I doubt the Pats could even get a conditional seventh rounder for Andrews.

And maybe Andrews doesn't want to retire. Teams can't force a player to retire. I am sure they would happily give him the option to retire if he wanted whether they are actively looking to move on or not.

 

[Rob0729]

Alright OL weaker than before.

Is it? Do we know if Andrews will even come back close to the player he was before his injury? The guy is going to be 33 in July. Even without the injury, Andrews could hit the age wall.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I’ve been asking this for years. He was a liability.

 

[Wozzy]

Everyone is a JAG except owenu

The Patriots have injury concerns, all 32 teams have injury concerns.

Assuming they're all heathy Onwenu, Strange, Sow and Jake Andrews were all excellent prospects exiting college. Even Wallace, Robinson and Jacobs have good talent.

They need to add two starting tackles and stay healthy. Don't be depressed Pat's fan, there's reason for optimism with a new regime. Cheer up.

 

[Wozzy]

Doubtful any team would trade for a center who is going to be 33 at the start of the season coming off a season ending injury the year before. I doubt the Pats could even get a conditional seventh rounder for Andrews.

And maybe Andrews doesn't want to retire. Teams can't force a player to retire. I am sure they would happily give him the option to retire if he wanted whether they are actively looking to move on or not.

If nobody wants you, you're kind of forced to retire by default... or look desperate.

He could hang on in free agency until some team suffers an injury at center and sign then.

A late round pick swap for him is not a bad move for a team that needs a starting center.

 

[mgteich]

.

I’d rather sign a veteran starting C.

Yes, sign a veteran quality starting C and a veteran starting LT, RT, and LG.

 

[mgteich]

Right. Benny brown showed enough in his time as a starter that he's worth sticking around.

OK
He should stick around.
Brown was someone no one wanted and he showed that he might be able to make a roster.
==========
That doesn't make Brown a good choice as a starter or even as a #2. Yes, he will be given a chance to compete in camp. IMO, if Brown is the quality of our new starters to join Onwenu, we will have one of the very worst OL's in the NFL.
====
That being said, Brown is good camp competition and is a candidate to be one of our backups in our 10-man line.

 

[mgteich]

Everyone is a JAG except owenu

Strange is not what this board calls a JAG. Strange is a below average starter at LG or C. If we cut him, he will be signed somewhere else.

 

[palialka]

Who knows if this is true or not, butr no one really should be surprised by this. He’s a 10yr vet coming off a season long injury.

Honestly, he was a JAG Center his last few years so it’s not like he irreplaceable.

If true, Strange will be given every opportunity to be our C for the foreseeable future. I hope he’s fully healed and ready to go.

Overall, Andrews has been a good, not great, player for the Pats and I wish him the best of luck with whatever happens next.

 

[Hyped]

Longest tenured Patriots players in order:

Joe Cardona (drafted before Andrews, but had to fulfill his Navy committment)
David Andrews (technically practiced before Cardona and played a NFL snap before Cardona)
Jonahan Jones (Free agent, might return maybe)
Deatrich Wise, Jr. (Free agent, unlikely to return because of scheme difference)
Ja.Whaun Bentley (Injured last year)

And these are the only remaining Patriots players who were on the roster when Brady was still here in 2019.

I could be buying a Cardona jersey next! That would be my 3rd jersey change in 5 years! Prior to that: Drew Bledsoe from 1995-2001, Troy Brown 2001-2008, Tedy Bruschi 2008-2009, Kevin Faulk 2009-2012, Tom Brady 2012-2020, Matt Slater 2020-2024, & Dave Andrews 2024-??? For the Celtics, went from Pierce to Smart and now to Brown......hmmmm.....

 

[Zuma]

I see strange at the LG and Benny Brown as C...

They need someone with experience next to the LT if he’s going to be a rookie. Strange has that experience.

 

[Ross12]

Yes, sign a veteran quality starting C and a veteran starting LT, RT, and LG.

I actually would… although it sounds a little silly. But at the same time, this line is among the league’s worst so I guess why not?

LT - Dan Moore
LG - Teven Jenkins
C - Drew Dalman
RG - Mike Onwenu
RT - Morgan Moses

The neat thing here is that Onwenu and Jenkins have played tackle and guard in the NFL - so if you run into serious injuries again this year, you may be able to reshuffle and avoid disaster.

Morgan Moses is more of an insurance policy - ideally Caedan Wallace steps up and takes over the starting RT job, but if he can’t, Moses is solid at RT for a year.

This group also wouldn’t be exorbitantly expensive - Moses is probably a 1 year deal, Jenkins is one of several guards, centers aren’t usually very expensive, etc - so they can still make other splash signings and doesn’t tie up a lot of future cap.

I’d be interested in checking out Patrick Mekari as well - he can play all 5 positions, though he’s physically probably best at tackle.

 

[reflexblue]

Don’t shoot the messenger. I don’t know who this guy is, but he does have 15k followers. But he claims to have inside sources.

The last time you gave us rumours from grilled cheeze..... just syin

 

[mgteich]

I actually would… although it sounds a little silly. But at the same time, this line is among the league’s worst so I guess why not?

I would also.

HOWEVER

There are 32 teams and very, very few available starters. Why do you believe the New England is such a good choice that we would be able to sign or trade for four starters who even close to being average starters?

 

[Family]

Convince him to retire or another team to trade for him? Either way a 2 million dollar savings is worth it if you think he won’t make the team.

They can plug Strange in there, slide Sow to guard and not skip a beat. Just find some tackles.

If they are ready to move on from Andrews, it is the best thing to do for both parties. The Pats don't want the guy who has had the job for years and a team captain here competing for a job they want to give to someone else and potentially undermining that player's ability to take the spot. Andrews will be released while teams are looking for players and have plenty of cap money and he will find it easier to find a new team.

The Patriots are trying to build a team to compete for the next 5-10 years. Andrews at best has 1-2 years left. It isn't whether he is done or not, it is about building the offensive line that will be protecting Maye for more than just one year.

It happens all the time in regime changes. Veteran players are cut even if they are still impact guys because they do not fit the new system or they are old and won't be part of the future.

Meanwhile if you google "David Andrews released" this thread comes up on top.

 

[Ross12]

I would also.

HOWEVER

There are 32 teams and very, very few available starters. Why do you believe the New England is such a good choice that we would be able to sign or trade for four starters who even close to being average starters?

Would definitely be tricky. I think the difference is that not every team is looking for guards or centers vs tackles, and of those that are, very few would have even close to the amount of cap space NE has. So NE should be able to win most bidding wars. They can also try to “be in” on multiple guys - for instance, Jenkins + Fries + Becton at guard, Dalman + Myers at center, and try to sign Mekari who can play any position. With top dollars plus multiple relatively similar prospects they should be able to snag a few. The priorities though, IMO, should be Dan Moore Jr at LT and probably Dalman at center (if they are actually trying to sign a center - I could also see the case for just making Strange the center and drafting a center in the 4th)

 

[Patriot Missile]

Lucky for us for the 2nd year in a row there is a deep Center class. Let’s take advantage.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Would love to see us collect yet another 2026 7th for him to a team looking for center depth but coming off an injury at that age lowers his value.

"Let's own the 2026 7th round! FTW!" i.e. The UDFA market is ours!

 

[DaBruinz]

Except cutting David Andrews doesn't really save them much money according to Spotrac.

David Andrews | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

David Andrews signed a 2 year, $12,000,000 contract with the New England Patriots, including $8,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $6,000,000. In 2025, Andrews will earn a base salary of $4,000,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $6,676,470 and a...

www.spotrac.com

This would be almost a JuJu level dump.

Why would they do it unless Andrews was completely done?

Spotrac says that the Pats would save 2.6M.. The 2.25M SB proration and the 1.75M Guaranteed Salary is what the Pats would still have on the books.