FOXBORO, Mass. -- David Andrews was back at practice Tuesday but only in a spectator role after the New England Patriots center was hospitalized earlier this week for blood clots in his lungs.
For his teammates, it was great to see one of the group's captains and leaders on the field again as they prepared for Thursday night's preseason finale against the New York Giants.
"It's great. Obviously he's a big part of the team. He's been a leader for us for a long time now," Patriots center Ted Karras said after Tuesday's practice.
"Having him around is a big plus for (the offensive line) and our team. We're the same age, but I've learned a lot from him. He came in a year earlier. I can't say enough good things about Dave Andrews. A dear friend of mine and a guy who I've been privileged to play for a long time with."
Karras played with the second unit in last Thursday's preseason game versus the Carolina Panthers, but he figures to be the starting center in Andrews' absence, which could last for a significant amount of time.
Karras is entering his fourth season with the Patriots and has appeared in 45 games, including five starts. One thing that should help Karras transition into a starting role is the reliability of the two guards he'll be in the middle of -- Shaq Mason and Joe Thuney. Mason was rated as the league's best offensive guard last season by Pro Football Focus.
"Ted is a hard working (guy)," Mason said. "Comes in every day ready to work, eager to learn more each and every day. He puts his head down and works."
New England Patriots
The Patriots offensive line was ranked as the sixth-best unit in the league entering the 2019 campaign, according to PFF. Losing a player of Andrews' caliber certainly is a setback, but Mason is confident the offensive line will continue to play at a high level.
"Communication-wise, I think we're all on the same page," Mason said. "That comes from just repetition at practice. David, Ted, any other center -- we all communicate the same because it comes from those reps. ... We have tremendous confidence in any guy that steps onto that field because we know we've went through situations before and repetition and things like that."
Observations from Tuesday's Patriots practice>>>
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.