Andrews Return Huge for Pats Depth, Leadership

The New England Patriots reportedly agreed to terms to bring back center David Andrews

The center of the Patriots’ 2010s All-Decade Team is coming back to play well into the current decade.

Free agent David Andrews tested the market and decided to stay in Foxboro on a four-year deal, according to several reports Thursday night.

It’s a four-year deal for David Andrews to return to the Patriots. https://t.co/TrbfpgVYfJ

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 19, 2021

It was thought that Andrews was a goner, so much so that wide receiver Julian Edelman took to Instagram to say a fond farewell to Andrews.

Julian Edelman took to Instagram to shout out the newly retired Patrick Chung and David Andrews, who likely is moving on from the Patriots this offseason:https://t.co/T8e2PAqmgp

— NESN (@NESN) March 18, 2021

Considering Andrews went to free agency after failing to come to terms on a new deal with New England before Wednesday, and the fact that the Pats brought Ted Karras back from the Miami Dolphins as a free agent on a one-year deal this week, no one would blame Edelman or anyone that expected Andrews to wear another uniform in 2021.

But now it appears the Pats will have excellent depth at center, similar to how they were positioned 2016-19 when Andrews and Karras were in the fold.

Andrews has been voted a captain four times in his career, which started with him joining the Pats as an undrafted free agent. He has served at center for top-10 offenses in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018

He’s played in 83 games, starting 78 of them, in both the regular season and playoffs.

While all the focus has been on the Pats’ glamorous free agent additions this week, every successful team needs glue guys that battle in the trenches, quietly get their job done so the skill players can thrive, and lead in the locker room.

Andrews returning to the fold gives the Pats depth on their offensive line. But more importantly it ensures there’s another veteran New Englander around to help the new players get acclimated in the system and the new environment.