The New England Patriots are placing veteran center David Andrews and rookie right tackle Caedan Wallace on injured reserve, coach Jerod Mayo said Friday.
The news for Andrews was expected after Mayo announced Wednesday that Andrews will have shoulder surgery and go on the IR. Wallace is dealing with an ankle injury.
“Obviously, David is a huge loss as well as Caedan,” Mayo said on Friday, adding that he expects Wallace to return this season.
Andrews, 32, was injured on the first offensive drive for the Patriots last Sunday at San Francisco and replaced by veteran Nick Leverett in the 30-13 loss to the 49ers.
Wallace, a reserve, was listed as questionable for the 49ers game because of a knee issue and then injured his ankle during the contest.
The Patriots selected Wallace in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Penn State. The 24-year-old has played in all four games, starting one, for 28 percent of the offensive snaps (70) and 10 percent on special teams (10).
The starter in the first four games, Andrews has played 78 percent (194) of the offensive snaps this season after playing 100 percent (1,051 snaps) in starting all 17 games last season.
Mayo said Friday that tight end Hunter Henry, 29, a nine-year veteran in his fourth season with New England, has replaced Andrews as team captain. The Patriots (1-3) play host to the Miami Dolphins (1-3) on Sunday.
Andrews has won two Super Bowl rings since joining the Patriots as an undrafted rookie out of Georgia in 2015. He spent the 2019 season on injured reserve.
He has started 121 of his 124 regular-season games for New England. He also has 10 starts in 12 playoff games.
In May, he agreed to a contract extension through 2025, earning a base salary of $12 million in each season with a max value of $13 million, plus a total of $8 million fully guaranteed, according to reports.
–Field Level Media
