The New England Patriots have been one of the most active teams in free agency. After going into the new league year with the most cap space available in the league, the Pats made sure to make some splashy moves.
They are looking to change the culture around the organization with Mike Vrabel at the helm, but as they do that, New England parted ways with a long-time player.
According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, the Patriots will be releasing center David Andrews on Thursday.
News story: Patriots making a change at center, with plans to release franchise pillar and 8-time captain David Andrews today, per sources.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 13, 2025
Andrews is recovering from shoulder surgery. If he decides to retire, the expectation is that the team would host a ceremony for him to…
Patriots Will Release Center David Andrews
Andrews was on the books for the 2025 season at $6.6 million but only had $1.75 million guaranteed. Regardless, the Pats wanted to head in a different direction. Andrews is currently rehabbing from shoulder surgery, which limited him to four games in 2024.
Reiss wrote that New England would hold a retirement ceremony for Andrews if he decides to hang it up, similar to what they did for WR Julian Edelman.
"If he chooses not to pursue extending his career elsewhere, the expectation is that the Patriots would hold a retirement ceremony for him to honor his widespread contributions to the franchise. If that is the way things unfold, it would mirror what happened with receiver Julian Edelman, who had a chronic knee injury and was released as a procedural move before he announced his retirement in 2021."
Andrews came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and developed into a reliable lineman upfront for New England. He secured two Super Bowl titles (LI, LIII) and is a member of the Patriots' All-2010s Team.
Before going down with the injury in 2024, Andrews was a consistent force. He's notched 124 regular-season games with 121 starts. He added 12 playoff games (10 starts).
The 32-year-old was a true professional during his time with the Pats, but with a new regime taking over, they believed it was in their best interest to move on.