Andrews will officially announce his retirement via a press conference next week. A former UDFA, Andrews spent 10 years in the league, all of which came in Foxborough. He started 121 games and won two Super Bowls as a Patriot. Andrews was surprisingly released by New England earlier this offseason in a move that only saved them $2.7 million in cap space. Instead of looking for work elsewhere, the veteran lineman chose to hang up the cleats for good.

As Reiss points out, Andrews is an eight-time captain for the Patriots. The veteran center is recovering from a shoulder surgery that limited him to just four games last season and could opt for retirement rather than continuing his career elsewhere. A pillar of the Patriots’ franchise for several years, Andrews has started 121 of the 124 games he’s appeared in and has spent his entire career in New England. We’ll see where things go from here, but the two-time Super Bowl champ is now free to sign with any team interested in his services.

Andrews will undergo surgery and is done for the season. He sustained the shoulder injury in Week 4’s loss to the 49ers and reportedly considered playing through the ailment before opting for surgery. New England’s offensive line, graded by PFF as the NFL’s third worst pass blocking unit, could get even worse with Andrews out.

Andrews’ injury has yet to be disclosed but he was seen walking to the locker room accompanied by the Patriots training staff. The stalwart center is a critical player for the Patriots’ offense. Any missed time is an issue.