David Andrews was at Patriots practice Tuesday, but he was not in uniform and isn’t expected to be in uniform anytime soon as he deals with blood clots in his lungs.
With Andrews out of the lineup, the Patriots have Ted Karras as their first-team center and it’s a role he’s filled before. Karras stepped in for Andrews for two games during the 2017 season and has been around the team as a reserve on the interior since 2016, which leaves him comfortable with the change in circumstances.
“You have to make the calls, but I’ve been doing it. I’ve been around here for a while,” Karras said, via MassLive.com. “It’s not that much different. You’ve got to snap the ball.”
Communication with other linemen is a key part of the center’s job and right guard Shaq Mason said everyone’s on the same page on that front as the team moves forward with a new player in the middle of the line.