FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots starting center David Andrews returned to practice Thursday with a heavy black wrap over his right thumb and wrist.
Andrews did not participate in practice Wednesday with a listed hand injury. He took part in individual drills open to the media Thursday.
Running back James White (family matter) and practice squad tight end Jake Burt (undisclosed) were absent from Thursday’s session as the Patriots get ready to play the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
If Andrews can’t play Sunday, the Patriots have the following options for their starting offensive line:
Option 1:
LT Isaiah Wynn
LG Joe Thuney
C Hjalte Froholdt
RG Shaq Mason
RT Jermaine Eluemunor/Michael Onwenu
Option 2:
LT Isaiah Wynn
LG Jermaine Eluemunor
C Joe Thuney
RG Shaq Mason
RT Michael Onwenu
Option 3:
LT Isaiah Wynn
LG Michael Onwenu
C Joe Thuney
RG Shaq Mason
RT Jermaine Eluemunor
Option 4:
LT Isaiah Wynn
LG Joe Thuney
C James Ferentz (practice squad)
RG Shaq Mason
RT Jermaine Eluemunor/Michael Onwenu
Options 1 and 4 would be the easiest fixes since it would just be subbing one player in for another. Retired Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia typically preferred not to move around multiple players to account for one injury. We’ll see if his replacements, Carmen Bricillo and Cole Popovich, subscribe to the same notion.
Options 2 and 3 would keep the best five offensive linemen on the field. Eluemunor and Onwenu already have rotated as starters on the Patriots’ offensive line. That would require Thuney to move to a position he hasn’t played in a game since the 2016 preseason, however.
