FOXBORO -- Slowly but surely, the Patriots are doing what they can to ensure they have a nurturing environment to provide for their rookie quarterback as he develops.
Before they even knew for certain they'd be able to land Drake Maye, they re-signed Mike Onwenu and Hunter Henry to multi-year deals. They acquired veteran free agent quarterback Jacoby Brissett to be a mentor and a stopgap as Maye learns behind the scenes.
Then, soon after taking Maye at No. 3 overall in the draft, the Patriots selected two receivers and two offensive linemen. All four could play critical roles in Maye's rookie season.
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The latest move to buttress the offensive huddle around Maye, whenever he's leading it?
Re-upping center and longtime captain David Andrews.
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Per ESPN, the contract extension will keep Andrews in New England through 2025 and will pay him $8 million fully guaranteed. The soon-to-be 32-year-old was scheduled to be a free agent after the upcoming season.
The deal for Andrews means that at least three of the team's projected starters on the offensive line for 2024 -- Andrews, Onwenu, and second-year guard Sidy Sow -- are all under contract for multiple seasons. Third-round tackle Caedan Wallace and fourth-round guard Layden Robinson are about to embark on the first year of what will be four-year contracts.
"I think he's a staple in the Patriot Way," Brissett said of Andrews. "He's somebody that, when I think about the culture, I think he is that. Somebody that's a worker. A guy that's fought through his career to get to where he is now.
"I think a lot of players on our team can look up to him. Not just guys on the o-line. Shoot, Drake can look up to him as somebody that built a career in one place but with a lot of hard work, through a lot of trials and tribulations... I'm glad he's here and he's our center because I understand and I know what he brings to the team."
Have the Patriots provided a perfect situation for a young quarterback? No. But it's improving. And by making Andrews the latest in a long line of offensive players receiving multi-year commitments, the Patriots have ensured that Maye will have a respected veteran voice upon which he can rely through the early portion of his professional career.
