Patriots offensive tackle Calvin Anderson ‘super grateful’ to be part of New England’s offensive line room

After signing with the New England Patriots in free agency this offseason, offensive tackle Calvin Anderson has not been with the team long. However, through the early stages of the offseason program, he is enjoying his time within the Patriots’ offensive line room, specifically with new O-Line coach Adrian Klemm.

“I love AK so far,” Anderson said Thursday at Gillette Stadium. “You can tell he played. You can tell he understands the positions we’re in, that we’re put in on the field. And I always have appreciation for guys who’ve understood first-hand what it’s like to be playing. So, got a good knowledge of the game.

“He’s one of those coaches who can understand how you learn, all the different guys and the different ways they learn. And just how you learn to tailor the teaching to that. So, I have an appreciation for that.”

Beyond working with Klemm, Anderson is excited to be reunited with veteran David Andrews. Anderson briefly met Andrews during his 11-day stint with New England back in 2019, but has always appreciated the center’s career from afar.

“It’s super exciting,” Anderson said of being back in Foxboro. “I was talking to David [Andrews] - I remember David probably more than he probably remembers me - but he’s one of the guys I look up too in the league, obviously undrafted and you look at his career - it’s special.

“We got a couple special guys in the room and then obviously the younger guys just got here. And we got AK in the room now and Billy [Yates]… it’s cool getting to know him, another former player. So, I’m super grateful to be apart of the room.”

Signing a two-year deal worth $7 million in free agency, Anderson is expected to compete for a starting tackle job or serve as a top backup for the Patriots this season. His ability to make an impact was part of the reason he agreed to terms with New England back in March.

“It was attractive to come to a place where I felt like I had something to offer,” he said. “And I still feel like that. I’ll leave it to the coaches to decide where that is and how that looks, but I want to be apart of helping the team win.”

Throughout his career, Anderson has experience playing both left and right tackle. Last season, he started seven of 14 games played for the Denver Broncos, with all of his starts came on the left side.

“I think one of the benefits I had being coached by Mike Munchak, real early in my career he started me playing both sides and learning how to play both. Developing both of those tool boxes,” Anderson explained. “They’re both positions that are very different, a lot of people will tell you that too. Its not as easy as just flipping your feet and you can just play if you can play one side. There’s different skills that you got to develop to play both and I’m working to continue to develop both of those. So, wherever that looks like on the field the coaches will decide, but I’m happy to do either.”

Beyond signing Anderson in free agency, New England also added veteran tackle Riley Reiff, who also has experience playing both tackle spots. The first-look at the how the Patriots will line up up-front will come at OTAs, where the media will be in attendance on Thursday, May 25th.