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Patriots reportedly sign veteran center to replace David Andrews
Garrett Bradbury has started 88 games in his NFL career.
Less than a week after releasing longtime center David Andrews, the Patriots reportedly have a new starter in the middle of their offensive line.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Patriots are signing veteran center Garrett Bradbury to a 2-year deal worth up to $12 million, with $3.8 million set in guaranteed money.
The 29-year-old Bradbury is a former first-round pick (2019) by the Vikings out of NC State, having started all 88 games of his NFL career with Minnesota.
According to Mark Daniels of MassLive, the Patriots viewed Bradbury as “an upgrade to what they have on the roster,” and New England made the call to cut ties with Andrews last week after the 32-year-old center suffered a severe shoulder injury during the 2024 season.
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With Andrews out of the equation, New England’s depth chart at center likely turned to guard Cole Strange or Ben Brown before the Patriots reportedly signed Bradbury to a contract. While Strange and Brown could fight for a starting role during training camp, Bradbury offers some stability at the position moving forward.
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While Bradbury was a dependable presence during his tenure in Minnesota, his performance in pass protection has raised some eyebrows. Pro Football Focus had him graded as the 14th best center (out of 64) in run blocking (70.7) last season, but he also ranked 55th in that pool in pass blocking grade (48.2).
His play has dropped off some from the 2022 season, when he earned 10th-best overall grade among centers in PFF’s rankings. Still, New England clearly viewed him as a safer option over contingency plans like Strange or Brown.
With Bradbury in place, New England presumably has the right side of its offensive line set between Bradbury, right guard Mike Onwenu, and free-agent pickup Morgan Moses at right tackle.
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The left guard position could be determined in training camp between Strange, second-year pro Layden Robinson, and Sidy Sow. But there is still no clarity at left tackle, with New England potentially on the prowl for a solution at that critical area of the O-line during the 2025 NFL Draft.
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