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

[DaBruinz]

I think Strange has similar issues - only signed for 1 year and injury prone. It’s wiser to start him at guard where things are far less disrupted if he gets hurt. He can be an emergency 3rd center.

How is Strange "injury prone" because he had ONE injury that he played through and required a good portion of the next year to recover from?

 

[DaBruinz]

Agreed is why I believe Vrabel identifying him and choosing to extend him is telling... one thing of note Vrabel was saying during combine week is that he has been watching tape on the entire roster...pharms, Austin, Eliss, brown, jacobs have been extended... why not Jones?... just interesting.

Which Jones? You need to be more specific..

 

[Ring 6]

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.

Eliminate Jenkins or Dalman because we have strange and this is solid.

 

[Real fan 02]

Which Jones? You need to be more specific..

Figure it out. Jonathan Jones.

 

[Real fan 02]

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.

There's no reputable sources that have mentioned anything of his release.

 

[upstater1]

There's no reputable sources that have mentioned anything of his release.

Also, the Patriots don't need to invest in a big FA signing at Center.

They already have 5 centers on the roster.

You can't have an entire team of big signings.

One of Jake Andrews, Cole Strange, Ben Brown is going to take that position.

 

[Real fan 02]

Also, the Patriots don't need to invest in a big FA signing at Center.

They already have 5 centers on the roster.

You can't have an entire team of big signings.

One of Jake Andrews, Cole Strange, Ben Brown is going to take that position.

Yes, your right although I'd rather strange at LG.. prior to him getting hurt he was solid there. I know he has position versatility.. my money is on Benny brown being C.

 

[Ross12]

Eliminate Jenkins or Dalman because we have strange and this is solid.

Yeah I am on the fence with Dalman due to Strange. You could easily pencil in Strange at center for 1 year, draft a center, and see how things shake out by next year. If Strange looks good in the role then extend him. At the same time, center is a position you don't really want to be worrying about - if Strange doesn't work out, you probably just have an unproven rookie and Ben Brown.

If you make Strange the left guard again instead, that's fine, but do you want to count on him or do you want to sign a solid vet? I think if they knew he could be counted on he'd be extended already, or had his 5th year option picked up. $17M isn't cheap, but that's not a ton more than the going rate for good guards now.

 

[upstater1]

Yes, your right although I'd rather strange at LG.. prior to him getting hurt he was solid there. I know he has position versatility.. my money is on Benny brown being C.

Jake Andrews started 2 games at the end of 2023 and he looked really good, better than Brown.

I'm hoping they can work with Robinson to helm the LG position for many many years.

Between those 3, I beleieve we might have center and LG already covered.

I know people are pinning long-term hopes on Onwenu over at RG, but consider this: he has 5 years under his belt with a lot of starts and a lot of injuries.

Given his contract, you can bet the Patriots are thinking ahead to 2 years from now when he is going to start to degrade as he approaches 30 and as his massive contract looms over him.

It's important for the Patriots to really develop all these young guards for the forseeable future: Robinson, Jake Andrews, Strange, Sow and Wallace.

 

[Real fan 02]

Jake Andrews started 2 games at the end of 2023 and he looked really good, better than Brown.

I'm hoping they can work with Robinson to helm the LG position for many many years.

Between those 3, I beleieve we might have center and LG already covered.

I know people are pinning long-term hopes on Onwenu over at RG, but consider this: he has 5 years under his belt with a lot of starts and a lot of injuries.

Given his contract, you can bet the Patriots are thinking ahead to 2 years from now when he is going to start to degrade as he approaches 30 and as his massive contract looms over him.

It's important for the Patriots to really develop all these young guards for the forseeable future: Robinson, Jake Andrews, Strange, Sow and Wallace.

Well said.

Jake Andrews started 2 games at the end of 2023 and he looked really good, better than Brown.

I'm hoping they can work with Robinson to helm the LG position for many many years.

Between those 3, I beleieve we might have center and LG already covered.

I know people are pinning long-term hopes on Onwenu over at RG, but consider this: he has 5 years under his belt with a lot of starts and a lot of injuries.

Given his contract, you can bet the Patriots are thinking ahead to 2 years from now when he is going to start to degrade as he approaches 30 and as his massive contract looms over him.

It's important for the Patriots to really develop all these young guards for the forseeable future: Robinson, Jake Andrews, Strange, Sow and Wallace.

As currently ownenu is our best OL.. unless we bring in Campbell at LT??

 

[Ring 6]

Yeah I am on the fence with Dalman due to Strange. You could easily pencil in Strange at center for 1 year, draft a center, and see how things shake out by next year. If Strange looks good in the role then extend him. At the same time, center is a position you don't really want to be worrying about - if Strange doesn't work out, you probably just have an unproven rookie and Ben Brown.

If you make Strange the left guard again instead, that's fine, but do you want to count on him or do you want to sign a solid vet? I think if they knew he could be counted on he'd be extended already, or had his 5th year option picked up. $17M isn't cheap, but that's not a ton more than the going rate for good guards now.

Why wouldn’t you be able to count on him?
He was a 1st round pick who was playing very well when he was injured and has only had one injury

 

[Ring 6]

Jake Andrews started 2 games at the end of 2023 and he looked really good, better than Brown.

I'm hoping they can work with Robinson to helm the LG position for many many years.

Between those 3, I beleieve we might have center and LG already covered.

I know people are pinning long-term hopes on Onwenu over at RG, but consider this: he has 5 years under his belt with a lot of starts and a lot of injuries.

Given his contract, you can bet the Patriots are thinking ahead to 2 years from now when he is going to start to degrade as he approaches 30 and as his massive contract looms over him.

It's important for the Patriots to really develop all these young guards for the forseeable future: Robinson, Jake Andrews, Strange, Sow and Wallace.

We would be worse than last years league worst OL.

I don’t know how anyone could have watched this team last year and still want an OL of castoffs, terrible players and never weres.

There is no way Vrabel is going into the season counting on Robinson who may have been the worst OG in the NFL last year, Andrews who is made of glass, and waiver wire Brown. If more than 1 of them is on the roster as a backup something went very wrong.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Yeah I am on the fence with Dalman due to Strange. You could easily pencil in Strange at center for 1 year, draft a center, and see how things shake out by next year. If Strange looks good in the role then extend him. At the same time, center is a position you don't really want to be worrying about - if Strange doesn't work out, you probably just have an unproven rookie and Ben Brown.

If you make Strange the left guard again instead, that's fine, but do you want to count on him or do you want to sign a solid vet? I think if they knew he could be counted on he'd be extended already, or had his 5th year option picked up. $17M isn't cheap, but that's not a ton more than the going rate for good guards now.

If they like Dalman or another center I wouldn't F around with it trying Strange there. It'd be different if Strange was coming off his second year vs. his third because then contract status would give you a benefit to the experiment.

But with Strange set to hit free agency next year, you'd be passing on signing Dalman or another center you like just to give Strange a year to prove to them he's a center they like just so they can pay to retain him in free agency next year. With globs of cap space and a desperate need to start filling in positions with viable long term starters, just cut out all the middle steps and uncertainty and add the center you like now vs. a year of uncertainty with Strange and then having to pay him as a FA center next year instead of one this year.

The downside is that maybe Strange ends up better than Dalman or whoever and could be had cheaper because of the lack of track record but I'm fine locking in the solution because center's not a spot you want to be worried about, like you said.

 

[Ring 6]

If they like Dalman or another center I wouldn't F around with it trying Strange there. It'd be different if Strange was coming off his second year vs. his third because then contract status would give you a benefit to the experiment.

But with Strange set to hit free agency next year, you'd be passing on signing Dalman or another center you like just to give Strange a year to prove to them he's a center they like just so they can pay to retain him in free agency next year. With globs of cap space and a desperate need to start filling in positions with viable long term starters, just cut out all the middle steps and uncertainty and add the center you like now vs. a year of uncertainty with Strange and then having to pay him as a FA center next year instead of one this year.

The downside is that maybe Strange ends up better than Dalman or whoever and could be had cheaper because of the lack of track record but I'm fine locking in the solution because center's not a spot you want to be worried about, like you said.

There is enough history and film on strange to not have prove he can play the position. OL change positions all the time, there isn’t that big a difference.

 

[Ross12]

Why wouldn’t you be able to count on him?
He was a 1st round pick who was playing very well when he was injured and has only had one injury

IMO, mainly due to how long his recovery time took and then when he came back, it was only for a couple games and playing in a different position. Our last time seeing him play at guard was a very long time ago, so I am a little hesitant. Easy to assume he's still good but I can understand wanting more of a sure bet. That said, I'm sure Marrone and company know a hell of a lot more than I do.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

We would be worse than last years league worst OL.

I don’t know how anyone could have watched this team last year and still want an OL of castoffs, terrible players and never weres.

There is no way Vrabel is going into the season counting on Robinson who may have been the worst OG in the NFL last year, Andrews who is made of glass, and waiver wire Brown. If more than 1 of them is on the roster as a backup something went very wrong.

I'm less harsh on our young IOL than you are, but ultimately agree with you that they need to get real solutions. Look, I see some developmental potential in all of JAndrews, Sow, Robinson, Brown (and Wallace/Jacobs/Lowe if you expand to OT)... but have to put the team ahead of loyalty/dedication to individual players. Maybe some of them get cut and end up good players somewhere else... so be it. You only can roster 10 OL and it's hard to have 6, 7 or 8 of them be unproven guys who haven't played wlel yet but you think it was tough coaching and bad overall line and maybe with better system/support they could be ok players or backups maybe starts... blah blah blah. If you keep rostering an entire OL of those guys you're going to stay having a bad OL.

Onwenu is a good starting RG but probably gone next year due to contract structure unless they remain so STARVED for OL that they just keep him. Strange has been ok when healthy but struggled with nagging injuries and obviously last year's serious time missed and also a FA after the year. There's not a single player I can say with confidence will be a quality starter on the OL in week 1 2026 for us. Get as many of those guys as you can, and let everyone else figure it out around them.

 

[Brotherblues]

Jake Andrews started 2 games at the end of 2023 and he looked really good, better than Brown.

I'm hoping they can work with Robinson to helm the LG position for many many years.

Between those 3, I beleieve we might have center and LG already covered.

I know people are pinning long-term hopes on Onwenu over at RG, but consider this: he has 5 years under his belt with a lot of starts and a lot of injuries.

Given his contract, you can bet the Patriots are thinking ahead to 2 years from now when he is going to start to degrade as he approaches 30 and as his massive contract looms over him.

It's important for the Patriots to really develop all these young guards for the forseeable future: Robinson, Jake Andrews, Strange, Sow and Wallace.

I want money spent on sure starters. I believe Strange will be solid at either LG or C. So I hope they go out and sign either the best LG or C they can, and put Strange in the other position.

Jake Andrews and Layden Robinson will get their chance whenever there is an injury, which is always the case. If they look like starters when opportunity knocks, then it's a nice problem to have. It simply cannot be the "plan" to expect that of them.

It's important to develop a lot of the younger linemen but that doesn't mean gifting them starting spots and hoping for the best. Especially when we have so much unallocated cap that needs to be allocated by league rules.

 

[Froob]

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.

I don't know why we would get rid of one of the few good IOL we have and a team captain unless he is retiring.

 

[DaBruinz]

Jake Andrews started 2 games at the end of 2023 and he looked really good, better than Brown.

I'm hoping they can work with Robinson to helm the LG position for many many years.

Between those 3, I beleieve we might have center and LG already covered.

I know people are pinning long-term hopes on Onwenu over at RG, but consider this: he has 5 years under his belt with a lot of starts and a lot of injuries.

Given his contract, you can bet the Patriots are thinking ahead to 2 years from now when he is going to start to degrade as he approaches 30 and as his massive contract looms over him.

It's important for the Patriots to really develop all these young guards for the forseeable future: Robinson, Jake Andrews, Strange, Sow and Wallace.

I really hope that Layden Robinson is GONE. He was a horrible pick at the time and proved he didn't belong on the field. He was just terrible. He made Ben Brown look like an All-Pro.

Where do you get that Onwenu has had a lot of injuries? Guy has only missed 2 games in 5 years.

 

[captain stone]

Eliminate Jenkins or Dalman because we have strange and this is solid.

Replace Dan Moore with Cam Robinson and it's even better.