COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- New England Patriots starting center David Andrews has been ruled out for Sunday’s road game against the Oakland Raiders with an illness, leaving a notable void at the heart of the line of scrimmage. Andrews, who had practiced Wednesday, has played 98.6 percent of the offensive snaps this season.
The Patriots have multiple options on how to fill the void. The most likely would be to insert 2016 sixth-round draft choice Ted Karras at center.
Karras drew a large media crowd after Friday's practice and said, "I just come to work every day and fill in where I’m told to go and that’s kind of been my M.O. since I got here. So I’m going to continue with that style.
Karras had played exclusively right guard at Illinois, but has been cross-trained at center since joining the Patriots.
“Ted works hard, he loves football,” coach Bill Belichick said, when asked about Karras’ development. “He gets there early. He stays late.”
Tom Brady delivers a pass during warmups at Friday's practice at Falcon Stadium at the Air Force Academy. A beautiful day for the team's final practice in Colorado Springs.
Belichick noted that the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Karras hasn’t played much in the regular season outside of the first two games of the 2016 season when he filled in for right guard Shaq Mason in a Week 1 win over Arizona and then split time with Mason the following week.
If the Patriots don’t turn to Karras, another possibility would be to slide left guard Joe Thuney to center and insert undrafted rookie Cole Croston at left guard. Belichick said Friday that Croston, an undrafted free agent from Iowa who has been inactive for all nine games this season, is making progress.
Another possibility would be to promote center James Ferentz from the practice squad.
Elsewhere on the injury front, special-teams captain Matthew Slater (hamstring), starting wide receiver Chris Hogan (shoulder) and starting right tackle Marcus Cannon (ankle) remain out of practice and won’t play Sunday.
The Patriots held their final practice of the week at Falcon Stadium on Friday and will depart for Mexico on Saturday.