The New England Patriots' biggest roster weakness might be getting even weaker.
Starting center David Andrews is getting "multiple medical opinions" on the shoulder injury he suffered during Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, MassLive's Mark Daniels reported Tuesday.
Daniels also noted (rather ominously) that Andrews "is trying to make the best decision for now, as well as the future," adding that the Patriots "should find out relatively soon" what the veteran center chooses to do.
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Considering there was speculation that Andrews might retire this past offseason before he signed a new deal with New England, it's not unreasonable to think the 32-year-old might be pondering his playing future, especially if he determines he needs surgery.
Andrews retiring midseason would be a disaster scenario for the Patriots. But him missing any amount of time would still be a significant setback.
New England has dealt with a rash of injuries on its offensive line, with tackles Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace and guard Michael Jordan all battling ailments. Its Week 1 starting left tackle, Chukwuma Okorafor, left the team after just two games, and the Patriots have started four different left tackles in four games.
Still, center might be the o-line position with the least depth.
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Behind Andrews, the only other center on the active roster is Nick Leverett, who replaced the veteran against the 49ers on Sunday. Leverett does have 20 games of NFL experience but looked shaky at center during the preseason. Second-year center Jake Andrews, the Patriots' fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is on season-ending injured reserve with a torn meniscus.
That puts plenty of pressure on Leverett to step up if David Andrews misses extended time. And apart from the on-field component, losing a team captain like Andrews -- who is the Patriots' longest-tenured player and one of just three players remaining from the 2018 Super Bowl team -- would be another tough blow for a squad that's already lost Matthew Judon (trade), Christian Barmore (blood clots) and Ja'Whaun Bentley (injury) for the season.
No matter who starts at center against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett will have his work cut out for him working behind an offensive line that's allowed the highest pressure rate in the NFL (47.4 percent) through four games.