According to a report this morning from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, David Andrews will have season-ending shoulder surgery after suffering an injury in San Francisco. Andrews left the 49ers game after just nine snaps and did not return. Earlier reports indicated that Andrews was considering whether or not to try to make it through the season before having surgery, but it now appears the decision has been made.
"One thing about Dave, the first word I would say is just toughness," said Jerod Mayo during his Wednesday press conference after confirming Andrews would be shut down. "He's a guy who, he's been a captain here, he has great leadership ability, he's tough, he's able to communicate across the front, and it's definitely a huge loss. With that being said, we've got to – next man up. Next man up, and I know that sounds very cliché, but that's the mentality. We fully expect him to still be around the building, and maybe he'll be a future coach at some point in time, but we'll see."
For an offensive line that has been hit hard by injuries this year, losing Andrews might be the most devastating blow of all. Throughout the summer the team managed Andrews snaps in an attempt to keep down the wear and tear on him, but now, just four weeks into the season, the veteran captain is done after just four games.
"Captain of this team, well-spoken," said Davon Godchaux of Andrews. "I remember competing against David when I was in Miami. Always respected him as a hard worker. That's going to be tough to replace but like I said same techniques we do next guy up, if you're second string, you should prepare like a starter. There should be no drop-off, we're moving forward, but it's definitely going to be tough to replace him."
"One of the key reasons why I wanted to come back here is because of my past relationship with him," said Jacoby Brissett. "It's tough when a guy like that goes down because he's not going down for anything minor. I talked to him this morning and he's like, 'I think I'm going to try.' I'm like, 'Dave, come on man. As much as I would love for you to.' He means so much to this team. Not only just on the field but off the field. His presence in the locker room, and obviously in this community. He's been here for so long and you wish you had 53 David Andrews'."
Veteran Nick Leverett did a capable job filling in for Andrews against the 49ers. Some of the snap issues that were present during the summer for the backup centers did not rear their ugly head, although pressure continues to be a factor no matter who is in there. Leverett's an experienced veteran who seems ready to have his number called.
"Keep it going man," said Leverett in the locker room of his mentality. "Doing my job, doing what I can to help my team gain the success and everything we need to win. Just staying humble more than anything, literally whatever it takes to win and push this team towards success."
"I thought Nick did a decent job stepping in there this past game, and now that he'll get more reps during practice, you expect him to continue to get better every single day. So, that's our expectation," said Mayo, adding of the center position, "I always say, you want to see the same picture, and it starts with the center and the quarterback. So, it's definitely important as far as being on the same page, ID'ing the mike points and all those things. So, with that being said, Nick, he can do it. He's proved that he can do it, and hopefully, he continues to get better."
Reports: Dugger will "miss some time"
On the defensive side of the ball, Kyle Dugger also left the game against the 49ers and did not return after playing 18 defensive snaps.
Though initial reports indicated that Dugger avoided a major season-ending injury, Karen Guregian of MassLive reported today that Dugger is expected to miss some time. Dugger was not spotted at practice, nor was the team's other starting safety Jabrill Peppers.
Jaylinn Hawkins is the top candidate to see an increase in snaps. The veteran free agent was signed after a year with the Chargers this offseason and had a strong training camp, fitting right into the Patriots multiple-safety looks. Thus far, through four games, Hawkins has played a little over half the defensive snaps and has seven solo tackles. He recovered a fumble against the Bengals on special teams in Week 1.
Undrafted rookie Dell Pettus could also see a bump in playtime in Dugger's absence. He's played 15 defensive snaps over the last two games while being a significant contributor on special teams. Second-year safety Marte Mapu remains on Injured Reserve with no indications he'll be ready to return anytime soon, though he is now eligible to do so once he's healthy.
