5 free agent centers to know for the Patriots

After 10 excellent seasons, the David Andrews era has come to an end for the New England Patriots. So, what's next?

The Patriots have internal options to replace Andrews in the short-term, including Ben Brown, who filled in admirably after Andrews went down with a major shoulder injury. But with new head coach Mike Vrabel in the fold and Josh McDaniels back as offensive coordinator, they may want to go in an entirely new direction at the position.

McDaniels has traditionally run a power/gap-based run scheme, so he'd likely prefer a center that can execute that effectively. Meanwhile, the Patriots' early free-agent activity has been marked by players with connections to the coaching staff or front office, that they know would fall in line with Vrabel's vision for the culture inside Gillette Stadium.

With that in mind, here are five free agent centers to know about, as the Patriots forge ahead to the next phase of roster-building in the post-Andrews era...

Of all the free-agent centers still on the market, James would seem to make the most sense. He played the past five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, including 23 starts under McDaniels when he was their head coach. (UPDATE: James is staying with the Raiders on a three-year deal.)

James entered the league as a low-level tackle prospect that scouting reports said needed to add weight, but his transition to center seems to have taken care of those size concerns. It was McDaniels that gave him that vote of confidence as the Raiders' starting center. His best season came in 2023, when he earned a run-blocking grade of 75.0 and a pass-blocking grade of 71.2 at Pro Football Focus, with only four sacks allowed in 16 games and 97.9% pass-blocking efficiency.

A fit for McDaniels' scheme with his pure power, James is still just 27 years old and represents the Patriots' best chance at a long-term answer among free agent centers.

Not to be confused with the other Connor McGovern who plays center in the AFC East, for the Buffalo Bills (which is kind of unbelievable), the free-agent McGovern played two separate stints for the Jets in 2023 and 2024, with a stop at the Saints in-between. Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing was the Jets' pass game coordinator during McGovern's time there.

If you prefer the Patriots select their interior offensive linemen based on mustache, McGovern is your guy:

But beyond the facial hair, McGovern was a waiver claim for the Jets in November 2024, and lasted less than a month before he was released. He may be a longshot as a full-time starter at this stage of his career, but the 31-year-old has been described as a "scrappy and highly competitive technician" with the kind of football character that may be desirable to Vrabel, who is trying to build a winning culture in short order.

Versatility is Brunskill's calling card, and he's put it on display throughout his career, which included a year with Vrabel for the 2023 Titans. He played every position on the offensive line at some point. For Vrabel, he played right guard, and in 2024 he played eight games at center.

Brunskill's game is more about athleticism than play strength, which may make him a better fit for a zone-based scheme - and possibly redundant with Cole Strange. But his versatility and familiarity with Vrabel make him a realistic option for the Patriots.

Mainly a reserve offensive lineman in his career, Levin has played 71 games with five starts. The Titans drafted him in 2017, and he's spent his entire career there, so Vrabel is certainly familiar with his work. Levin played 10 games for the post-Vrabel Titans in 2024, three at center for the offense.

Levin may not be more than a backup interior lineman for the Patriots, should he sign with them. But the familiarity is certainly there.

Unlike the other players listed here, Deiter doesn't have any direct connections to the Patriots coaching staff in the NFL. But he played three games as the full-time center for the Commanders in 2024, and 218 snaps overall.

A big boy at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, and known for his football acumen and experience in different schemes, Deiter could be a solid depth piece with a chance to compete for the job.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.