Patriots Fill Major Need On Offensive Line, Sign Journeyman

The Patriots are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to finding a replacement for David Andrews.

New England signed interior offensive lineman Ben Brown off the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad, as announced Wednesday by his agency, SportsTrust Advisors. The Patriots now have filled all spots on their active roster.

The 26-year-old has been on an interesting journey throughout his short NFL career, spending time with the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and Raiders in the last three seasons. Brown, who stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 312 pounds, exclusively played center this past preseason and re-signed to the practice squad in Las Vegas after being part of the club’s initial cutdowns.

Nick Leverett started at center in last weekend’s loss to the Miami Dolphins, and his performance was bad enough for Brown to be added as a third option to possibly replace him moving forward. Bryan Hudson and Sincere Haynesworth are both on the practice squad, with the former being elevated last week. Andrews is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to shoulder surgery.

New England needs as much depth as possible along the offensive line, and Brown’s addition could soon prove to be more than just that.