It really is Mike Vrabel's team now.
Just a few months into the job as the New England Patriots' head coach, Vrabel's wasted no time remaking the roster in the way he thinks his team should be built. The latest move, however, may be one of the most dramatic yet.
RELATED: Patriots listed as good fit for impressive yet often controversial receiver
According to ESPN's Patriots reporter Mike Reiss, the team plans to release longtime captain and center David Andrews on Thursday afternoon. Andrews, who's still working back from a shoulder surgery that cost him most of the season, has apparently not decided on whether or not he'll return to the NFL next season anyways.
Patriots plan to release longtime team captain and center David Andrews
It’s a bit of a stunner given how important he’s been but charting a course forward has never been east.
"David Andrews, an eight-time captain and two-time Super Bowl champion, will be released by the Patriots on Thursday, multiple sources told ESPN," Reiss reported. "Andrews, 32, is rehabilitating from shoulder surgery that limited him to four games last season. 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's actually it for Andrews, he leaves New England/the NFL with one of the most prolific Patriot careers in team history. After going undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft, Andrews signed as a UDFA with the team and immediately made and impact, appearing in 14 games and starting 11. Over the next nine years, he would proceed to start 121 of the 124 games he appeared in, winning two Super Bowls along the way. He was also named to the Patriots' All-2010's team.