The New England Patriots may have not made a pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but they did receive some good news Thursday night. Center David Andrews announced on Instagram that he was cleared to play football again.
Andrews sat out the 2019 campaign due to blood clots in his lungs. It was an unfortunate setback for a player that has meant so much to the New England offensive line. Starting in 57 regular-season games, he has also been a three-time captain for New England. He also has proven his durability in the playoffs, starting nine playoff games and appearing in 11 in total.
An undrafted free agent, Andrews has certainly been another classic Bill Belichick success story. With a new quarterback under center for 2020, Andrews’ contributions will undoubtedly be key in keeping the quarterback upright. With the Patriots priding themselves on having a stellar offensive line over the years, Andrews has been a big part of that.
Heading into the 2019 season, Andrews was the highest-graded center in the National Football League according to Pro football Focus. Boasting a 70.8 overall rating, that was around nine points higher than the next person on the list, Russell Bodine, who was playing for the Buffalo Bills at the time.
Having Andrews back will undoubtedly help the offensive line and his veteran presents will certainly be beneficial to a young offense. More importantly, the fact that he is back healthy is an encouraging sign for a player that has meant so much to the organization. He will undoubtedly give the Patriots a much-needed boost.
