The 1-3 New England Patriots host their divisional rival, the 1-3 Miami Dolphins, at Gillette Stadium for their fifth regular-season game. The Patriots are coming off a frustrating 13-30 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers did an exceptional job pressuring Jacoby Brissett all game, recording 31 pressures, 17 hurries, six QB hits, and six sacks per PFF.
To make matters worse, two offensive linemen exited that game, including their Super Bowl champion.
The New England Patriots center exited the first half with an injury
David Andrews exited their first offensive drive with an apparent shoulder injury and did not return for the rest of the game. Tests determined that Andrews suffered a significant injury and was seeking multiple medical opinions before making a decision, according to Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. He also had a tough decision to make: either play through the injury but possibly reinjure his shoulder, which could jeopardize his chances of playing in 2025, or undergo season-ending surgery.
He chose the latter
Jerod Mayo told the media Wednesday, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, that David Andrews will undergo shoulder surgery. As a result, the New England Patriots will likely place Andrews on injured reserve, effectively ending his 2024 season, a devastating blow to the Patriots’ already weak offensive line. They’re not only losing a starter but a captain and a leader in the locker room.
Coach Jerod Mayo now confirms that C David Andrews is going to have surgery and is done for the season.
“First word I would say is toughness.” Mayo called it a “huge loss.” https://t.co/C5DPnTJKpz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 2, 2024
Who replaces him at center?
The New England Patriots expect Nick Leverett to start at center for the foreseeable future. Leverett signed with the Patriots to serve as David Andrews’ backup. He filled and played their final 55 snaps of the game and did a decent job. Jerod Mayo has confidence in their backup center.
“I thought Nick did a decent job stepping in there. Now that he’ll get more reps during practice, you expect him to continue to get better every day,” Mayo said.
