David Andrews mulls Patriots future with shoulder surgery looming

This isn’t the first go-around for Andrews, who had off-season surgery on both shoulders despite starting every game in 2021 and began the 2022 off-season program on the PUP list. He should be ready for OTAs in 2025 if everything goes to plan.

However, the longtime offensive lineman added he won’t know what the future holds until the operation takes place, noting that the 2022 operation uncovered damage to his bicep as well as his shoulder that increased his recovery time.

“It’ll be tough if I get the surgery, wake up and then they tell me … ‘you’re done,’” he said. “That would be hard. Do I think that’s going to be the case? I don’t know. It’s obviously in the back of my mind as a human.”

Andrews has been a steady figure on the Patriots’ offensive line since coming to New England as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He’s also been durable despite the laundry list of maladies he’s endured.

But he’ll also be 33 years old next year with at least one shoulder that, by his own admission, likely won’t be 100 percent even when healed. Plus, Andrews will finish 2024 with the lowest Pro Football Focus grade of his career, though the team’s overall struggles on the offensive line may contribute to that.

Bottom line: Andrews seems to know his career is winding down and wants to maximize the bit he has left. Hopefully, he can be part of turning this operation around in 2025 with Drake Maye at the helm.

In the meantime, you can still catch him getting hyped up on the sideline whenever the Patriots make a big play on offense.