Patriots Notes: Andrews, Thomas, Harris, Roberts
We learned earlier this evening that Patriots center David Andrews was hospitalized due to blood clots in his lungs. Fortunately, there’s some good news on that front, as Jim McBride of the Boston Globe tweets that the lineman has been released from the hospital.
Andrews is expected to miss a significant amount of time, with the initial report indicating that the lineman’s season is in jeopardy. This would be a significant loss to the Patriots’ line, as the 27-year-old has been the team’s primary center since 2015.
Some more notes out of New England…
- Wideout Demaryius Thomas told reporters (including ESPN’s Mike Reiss) that the Patriots were the only team to express interest in him this past offseason. After tearing his Achilles following a trade to the Texans, the 31-year-old ended up inking a one-year deal with New England this offseason. He finished last season with 59 receptions for 677 yards and five touchdowns.
- The Patriots waived both DE Keionta Davis and WR Maurice Harris this past weekend, and veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer tweets that the duo were cut with the injury designation. The two ended up clearing waivers are have now been placed on the injured reserve. Harris initially seemed like a lock to make the Patriots roster, but the team’s sudden receiver depth left him without a spot.
- Rookie running back Damien Harris was injured during the Patriots preseason win on Thursday, and the team is apparently eyeing some reinforcement at the position. NESN.com’s Doug Kyed tweets that the team worked out former Washington State running back James Williams today. The undrafted free agent has already had stints with the Chiefs and Colts.
- Reiss points to linebacker Elandon Roberts as a potential trade chip, noting that the fourth-year player has only played 14 defensive snaps this preseason. While the 25-year-old normally doesn’t cover kickoffs, the team may show him off for potential suitors during the team’s preseason finale. Reiss wonders if the Lions and former Pats defensive coordinator Matt Patricia could be a fit.
Patriots C David Andrews Hospitalized
Patriots center David Andrews was hospitalized due to blood clots in his lungs, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports (subscription required). He is expected to miss a significant amount of time, with Howe adding the fifth-year blocker’s season is in jeopardy.
It is unclear at this point how much time Andrews will miss, but due to the nature of the hospitalization, the 27-year-old center may not play football again for a while. Andrews has been New England’s primary center since 2015, going from UDFA to Tom Brady‘s snapper in four AFC championship games and three Super Bowls.
The Patriots struck quickly to re-sign Andrews, inking a new deal with their snapper in early 2017. He is attached to a team-friendly pact, worth $9MM over three years. Two seasons remain on that contract. Andrews allowed only four quarterback pressures last season, fewest among Patriots linemen. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 7 center in 2018.
In Andrews’ absence, the Patriots are expected to turn to Ted Karras, Howe adds. The 2016 sixth-round pick has been with the Patriots throughout his career and has played in 45 games (five starts). The Pats return three other O-line starters — guards Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason and right tackle Marcus Cannon — but are breaking in left tackle Isaiah Wynn, who only recently resumed practicing after a torn Achilles erased his rookie season.
While the team has consistently deploys top-flight offensive lines, due in no small part to highly regarded position coach Dante Scarnecchia, this will obviously be a setback for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/19
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Claimed off waivers from Cardinals: LB/DE Jeff Holland
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: C Kirk Barron
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: CB Jhavonte Dean
Detroit Lions
- Signed: QB Luis Perez, RB Justin Stockton
- Waived: WR Deontez Alexander
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: RB Lamar Miller, T David Steinmetz
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Micah Abernathy, S Jacob Thieneman
- Waived: S Matthias Farley
Miami Dolphins
- Released: OL Will Holden
New England Patriots
- Waived: RB Robert Martin
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: TE Garrett Griffin
New York Jets
- Signed: S Santos Ramirez
- Waived: CB Dee Delaney
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Jordan Holland
- Placed on IR: CB Tim Harris Jr.
Patriots’ Patrick Chung Pleads Not Guilty
The lawyer for Patrick Chung entered a not guilty plea on his client’s behalf, according to The Associated Press. Chung was indicted for felony cocaine possession on August 8 and details on the case remain sparse. 
Here’s what we do know – New Hampshire cops were called to Chung’s home in late June on “on a call for service.” While at his residence, police obtained evidence leading to the felony drug charge.
Chung, 32, is scheduled to appear in court on November 8. No NFL discipline will come for a while – if at all – but head coach Bill Belichick has remained characteristically quiet about the safety’s status.
In 2018, the longtime Patriots safety played in 15 games and started 14, registering one interception and 84 tackles. Still operating at a high level, he rated as the No. 30 safety according to Pro Football Focus, with an above-average grade of 72.7.
Patriots To Release Mike Pennel
The Patriots are releasing defensive tackle Mike Pennel, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter). It’s an unexpected move, especially since Pennel was inked to a two-year deal just a few months back.
This year, Pennel was in line to see significant time on the interior, and perhaps even occupy a starting role. Now, it appears that Danny Shelton will roll with the first-string group alongside Lawrence Guy. Meanwhile, fringe DTs like David Parry and Nick Thurman now have improved odds of surviving the 53-man cuts over Labor Day Weekend.
Pennel was a staple of the Jets’ defense in recent years, appearing in every game over the last two seasons. His Jets stint, which included ten starts, yielded an average of 31 tackles per season with zero sacks. His traditional stats did not jump off of the page, but the advanced metrics were very high on his work in 2018. Pennel was tied as the 14th best defensive tackle in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus, though his 358 snaps were the lowest sum of anyone in the top 40.
Despite his productivity, the Jets turned down Pennel’s option for 2019. Now, the Patriots have passed on him, leaving him in limbo with days to go before the start of the season.
Patriots Add RB Robert Martin, Make Other Minor Moves
The Patriots have signed RB Robert Martin and LB Scooby Wright, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss (Twitter links). Both players practiced with the team today.
Martin, who spent 2014-17 at Rutgers, will add depth for New England, as Damien Harris is dealing with minor injuries and the team isn’t likely to play any of its top running backs in its fourth preseason contest. The franchise worked out former Washington State running back James Williams before signing Martin, as Doug Kyed of NESN relays.
Wright was a seventh-round pick in the 2016 draft. He’s played for the Browns and Cardinals in addition to briefly playing in the failed AAF league.
New England waived DE/OLB Keionta Davis and placed special teamer Brandon King on injured reserve to accommodate the signings.
Patriots To Cut WR Maurice Harris
After some initially encouraging signs Maurice Harris would make the Patriots’ 53-man roster, the veteran wide receiver received word he will be released. The Pats are cutting another recent addition, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).
Harris has dealt with a recent leg injury, and the Patriots have seen both Josh Gordon and Demaryius Thomas re-emerge in their plans. Gordon returned to practice on Sunday; Thomas is now off the Pats’ active/PUP list. An injury settlement may well be how this ends, with Harris being limited in recent days.
A former Redskins UDFA out of Cal, the 26-year-old wideout signed a one-year Pats deal for the league minimum. He caught 28 passes for 304 yards last season in Washington, his first campaign with north of 100 receiving yards. But the Pats subsequently added promising UDFA Jakobi Meyers and received word of another Gordon reinstatement. The team also re-signed Phillip Dorsett, making Harris’ roster path more complicated.
The Pats have a much higher-profile receiving corps now than they did to start the offseason, with two Pro Bowlers, a Super Bowl MVP and two first-round picks set to make the team. Harris joins Bruce Ellington and Dontrelle Inman as 2019 UFA wideout additions (Dorsett and N’Keal Harry) the defending Super Bowl champions jettisoned before Week 1.
Patriots TE Lance Kendricks Suspended
Another Patriots tight end will not be available to start the season. Lance Kendricks drew a one-game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Kendricks will join Ben Watson in being shelved for Week 1. The latter will be out four games with a suspension. In December 2017, Kendricks was charged with marijuana possession, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) the veteran tight end was given probation in July for it. This short ban will not help Kendricks as he attempts to make the Patriots’ 53-man roster.
The Patriots only guaranteed Kendricks $50K, and although they are thin at tight end, they have not hesitated to cut veteran pass catchers in the recent past. As for tight ends set to be available in Week 1, the Pats have Matt LaCosse, recently acquired Eric Saubert, former Texan Stephen Anderson, 2018 seventh-round pick Ryan Izzo and rookie UDFA Andrew Beck. Barring a trade or a veteran pickup, Week 1 will feature the Pats’ least recognizable tight end group in decades.
New England signed Kendricks just before training camp, and he was on track to make the team. That decision becomes slightly more complicated, though the Pats’ issues at tight end may ensure the 31-year-old veteran will be in uniform for Week 2. The ninth-year tight end caught 37 passes for 370 yards in two Packers seasons.
Justin Hunter Working Out For Four Teams
Former Steelers wide receiver Justin Hunter has healed up from a torn labrum and will work out for four NFL teams, a source tells ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). The Jets, Redskins, Texans, Patriots, and Ravens will all kick the tires on Hunter, giving the former Steelers wideout an opportunity to get on the field for 2019.
Hunter, a freakish athlete, has yet to really make his mark at the pro level. He seemed to hold serious promise when he entered the league as a second round pick of the Titans in 2013. but he has spent time with three other teams in his young career.
Hunter managed just 14 catches with the Bills, Dolphins, and Steelers between 2017 and 2018. His most productive season came in 2014 when he had 28 catches for 498 yards and three scores with the Titans, though he did manage four TDs with Buffalo in 2016.
The Patriots auditioned Hunter before the start of training camp, but he left New England without a deal.
Demaryius Thomas Off Pats' PUP List
- More good news for the Patriots‘ wide receiver situation. Demaryius Thomas came off the active/PUP list, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. This marks a key step for the former Pro Bowler. Thomas is not a lock to make New England’s 53-man roster and can no longer be stashed on the team’s reserve/PUP list to start the season. With Thomas unlikely to play in New England’s fourth preseason game, he has a short time to prove he belongs on the final roster. But the Pats taking him off their PUP list leads NESN.com’s Doug Kyed to project the 31-year-old target will be one of the 53-man unit’s receivers.
- Josh Gordon‘s return obviously strengthens the Pats’ receiving corps, but it will make their roster crunch more difficult. Gordon, Thomas, Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, rookie Jakobi Meyers, Phillip Dorsett and Maurice Harris will not all be on the Pats’ 53-man roster, and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe looks to have Harris on the wrong side of the bubble (Twitter link). The former Redskins auxiliary cog signed with the Pats in free agency and impressed early in camp, but he’s dealing with a leg injury presently. The recent developments involving higher-profile players may push him back to free agency.