The Patriots' offensive line has been the subject of some criticism over the past 24 months, but it seems now they finally have a mostly viable group. Will Campbell and Morgan Moses will start at the bookends, Mike Onwenu at right guard, and rookie Jared Wilson seems the top candidate to play left guard for now.
Garrett Bradbury, initially signed to start at center, returned to practice only, and should he go down again, the Patriots would be scrambling for options.
Long-time center David Andrews was released this offseason after dealing with a season-ending shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for all but four games in '24, but that hasn't kept fans from hoping he might return.
The debate about needing a center has continued throughout training camp, prompting many fans to demand that Andrews come out of retirement. One fan even tweeted to the now-retired lineman and received an interesting response from the Patriots great.
— David Andrews (@dandrews61) August 7, 2025
The Patriots have a long way to before they determine David Andrews' successor
With Andrews ruling out any possibility of a return, the options for the Patriots generally remain the same. For one, a healthy Bradbury would be the top candidate - if injuries persist, Ben Brown has been playing with the first team, and Cole Strange seems the third option.
There also remains a handful of solid free agent additions the Patriots could make to the offensive line, with Dalton Risner being a particularly interesting option. New Jets backup Josh Myers could be a candidate for an intra-division trade if need be.
Rookie Jared Wilson initially looked poised to be the long-term option, but now it seems he may start at left guard, as previously mentioned. In that event, the Patriots may need to find a center in the 2026 draft, or a guard in the event Wilson makes the move to center next season.
The next few pre-season games will be key in determining the short-term and potentially long-term future of the Patriots' center position.