Patriots: David Andrews confirms he never wanted to say goodbye to New England
By Mike Luciano
One of the surest moves many assumed the New England Patriots would make over the course of the offseason was parting ways with center David Andrews due to his recent health issues.
Shockingly, despite the signing of Ted Karras, the Pats decided to bring No. 60 back.
After joining the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia, Andrews has become one of the most reliable centers in the league, helping keep both Tom Brady and Cam Newton upright in the pocket.
Andrews started 12 games last season, and bringing Karras back from the Miami Dolphins prompted speculation that the former Bulldog was finished as a Patriot.
Ultimately, Andrews and the Patriots mutually agreed that Foxborough was the best spot for him, and he agreed to a new deal that made that move a reality.
Andrews confirmed to reporters that the only spot that made sense for him was his old team in New England. A poor offense might’ve crippled the Patriots last year, but Andrews could be a huge factor in Belichick getting things turned around in a very winnable AFC East.
"We're super excited to be back, super excited to see all the new faces we've added...this is home."
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 4, 2021
After re-signing with the Patriots in free agency, @dandrews61 is ready to get to work: https://t.co/5Him7ZvHwr
"We knew we wanted to be back here if it all made sense,” Andrews told reporters on a conference call. “This is home…this is a special place to me.”"
David Andrews is back with the Patriots, and he loves it.
The biggest addition that New England made in the offseason, which affects Andrews directly, was taking Mac Jones 15th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft with the expectation that he will eventually become the next franchise quarterback in Massachusetts.
Andrews, who makes it sound like he’s going to return to the team even if Belichick himself was taking the snaps under center, is very excited to suit up with Newton and the plethora of new offensive talent that New England added over the offseason.
David Andrews, answering questions from reporters for the first time since his re-signing, smiles while recalling his favorite Ernie Adams story. He said “this is home” when describing re-signing with the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/FmTpSRFg6a
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 4, 2021
"“We made a lot of improvement on paper,” Andrews noted. “Now we have to become a football team…just excited to get the whole ball rolling here.”"
Sounds like Andrews is ready to rock with Jones as his new QB, whenever the switch ends up getting made. Now in Year 2 without Tom Brady, the whole franchise should feel a bit more comfortable.
Andrews is an above-average center, but having a veteran that has been to hell and back with the Patriots should be an invaluable asset for a Belichick team that’s coming off of its worst season in a decade. Newton and Jones will both need a clean pocket to throw from, and Andrews should help provide that once again for the foreseeable future.
