When the Patriots announced they were releasing David Andrews last week after ten seasons in New England, it was shocking to fans, given how integral he had become within the team's offense. The offensive line already needs massive improvements, so to see a longtime starter like Andrews gone seemed like a recipe for disaster.
They have already struggled to find a starting left tackle in free agency, and now they have to add a center into the equation, both of which need to be addressed before the 2025 season begins, or there will be a worse outcome for the offense than last year.
Because of the timing of the release, it seemed like the Patriots already missed out on the best successors for Andrews, but they might have just been gifted the right guy for the job, who they are reportedly interested in signing now that's been made available.
The Vikings releasing Garrett Bradbury makes the Patriots one of the leading contenders to sign him for 2025
In the days that followed the news about Andrews' departure, reporters like Mike Reiss discussed Mike Vrabel and Co.'s interest in some of the remaining free agents for the offensive line. When it came to a center, though, their options were far more limited, and they were said to be banking on the upcoming release of Garrett Bradbury from the Vikings.
That move became official on Monday, with NFL insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reporting Minnesota's latest move, giving the Patriots a prime candidate to be the offensive lineman they need for next season.
The #Vikings are releasing veteran center Garrett Bradbury with a post-June 1 designation, per me and @RapSheet.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 17, 2025
After trying to trade him, Minnesota now officially moves on from Bradbury, their former first-round pick. pic.twitter.com/P5QDQnXbo0
The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the Vikings and was a starter from day one. While he's not the greatest pass blocker, he is a legitimate run blocker, which the Patriots will likely rely on a lot with the kind of offense Mike Vrabel likes to run.
It's the opposite issue they had with Andrews, as he was a much better pass blocker, further highlighting the need for an impressive left tackle. But Bradbury could be a solid starter with far too many question marks surrounding the guys on the current roster who seemed to be the most eligible to replace Andrews.
Ben Brown and Cole Strange were the obvious choices, yet neither has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they should be the successor to Andrews just yet. That makes signing a proven starter like Bradbury make more sense, just to be safe rather than sorry.