The New England Patriots will kick off the 2025 preseason at home versus the Washington Commanders on Friday. Mike Vrabel's new-look squad also had a joint practice with Washington in preparation for Friday night's contest.
There are a ton of storylines to look out for during New England's first preseason game, including the center position. Garrett Bradbury has taken most of the first-team reps at the position in camp, but Ben Brown is giving him some serious competition.
Bradbury signed a two-year deal worth up to $12 million with New England this offseason after getting cut by the Minnesota Vikings. The former first-round pick was expected to be a solid replacement for David Andrews, who retired after being released by the Patriots in March. However, Bradbury has been underwhelming in camp, and his spot on the roster isn't even secure.
After an uninspiring first series as the starting center during Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders, Bradbury seemed to be benched for Brown on the ensuing drive.
"I don't know if it was planned but C Garrett Bradbury, who had a leg injury last week, was put on 2nd team after a bad first series," Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal said on X. "Ben Brown was the center for Maye after that."
Additionally, Keagan Stiefel of NESN stated that he wouldn't be shocked at all if Bradbury gets cut due to his lackluster performance in camp.
"I'd be wholly unsurprised if Garrett Bradbury ends up getting cut," Stiefel said on X.
Bradbury's case for a spot on the roster seems to be getting worse and worse by every practice. The veteran must turn in a promising performance against Washington to get back on track.
Since entering the league in 2018, Bradbury has started 88 games and has shown flashes of excellence play. However, he hasn't been able to put it all together and is in danger of being back on the free agency market ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
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