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Cole Strange

Patriots Activate Cole Strange From PUP List

December 10th, 2024 at 6:14pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots are activating offensive lineman Cole Strange from the Physically Unable to Perform list, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Strange suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee last December, sidelining him for almost a year. He returned to practice on November 20, so his 21-day practice window was set to close this week. Rather than allow him to revert to the PUP list for the rest of the season, the Patriots will move their 2022 first-round pick to the active roster as they determine his immediate playing future.

New England has shuffled their offensive line a number of times this season. Chukwuma Okorafor left the team in September while David Andrews, Jake Andrews, and Caedan Wallace all landed on injured reserve with long-term injuries. Andrews is out for the season, while Wallace was designated to return on Monday. Mike Onwenu has also played 329 snaps at right tackle and 522 at right guard.

Strange’s return will give the Patriots another option along the interior for the rest of the year. At 3-10, they’re no longer fighting for a playoff spot, but rookie quarterback Drake Maye could still take crucial developmental steps over their last four games. Making sure he can get the most out of his rookie year – and ensuring he’s healthy going into his first full NFL offseason – are top priorities for the a rebuilding New England franchise.

All 27 of Strange’s starts over his first two seasons came at left guard, but he could also land at right guard or center upon his return. Left guard still seems like the most likely spot; Onwenu and Ben Brown have both started at right guard and center for the team’s last six games, while Layden Robinson just moved to left guard in Week 13.

Evaluating Strange’s effectiveness coming off of last year’s injury and a lengthy recovery will be crucial to New England’s upcoming fifth-year option decision. Strange’s fully-guaranteed fifth-year option is projected to be $17.4MM after this offseason’s explosion in the guard market, per OverTheCap. That would rank eighth in average annual value among current guard contracts, a hefty sum for a player who has yet to prove that he is one of the best at his position.

Patriots Rumors: Strange, Robinson, Peppers

December 1st, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Patriots interior offensive lineman Cole Strange has yet to make his 2024 season debut, but when he does, it may not be in the same position he has been playing for New England in the early years of his career. Though the team designated Strange to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list back on November 20, he has been unable to be activated to date. Despite the delay, head coach Jerod Mayo claims that “the plan remains for Strange to play this season,” per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

The 2022 first-round pick has started 27 games in his first two seasons with the team, all at left guard. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has insisted that upon his return, Strange will get looks at all three interior positions. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald provided the report that Strange would be tried at left guard, center, and right guard over the next few weeks. Kyed later provided an update that the focus will be moving Strange to center.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of New England:

  • The Patriots have been starting Michael Jordan at left guard, but after waiving the veteran lineman and signing him to the practice squad this week, it became apparent that a change was in the works. Reiss was the first to report early this morning that replacing Jordan in the starting lineup today would be fourth-round rookie Layden Robinson. The Texas A&M-product played only right guard in college and in the first six starts of his career this year, but Jordan’s demotion opened the door for Robinson to make a move on the left guard position. With little to play for in the rest of this season, New England will have a chance to evaluate whether or not Robinson has a future on the left side of the line.
  • The latest on the domestic violence charges facing Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers came last week. Per Reiss, the hearing for the case was completed on November 22. The next key date for the case will reportedly be a jury trial set for January 22.

Patriots Designate Cole Strange For Return

November 20th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Sam Robinson

It looks like the Patriots will work Cole Strange back into action during Drake Maye‘s rookie season. The team’s 2022 first-round pick is set to practice Wednesday, Jerod Mayo said.

This will mark the start of Strange’s 21-day activation window from the reserve/PUP list, which the veteran guard has resided on throughout the season. Strange has been working his way back from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. This comes after a Mike Reiss ESPN.com offering indicated the third-year lineman is indeed in the homestretch of his recovery, pointing to an activation coming soon.

Playing exclusively at left guard during his first two seasons with the Pats, Strange has not yet justified his higher-than-expected draft slot. The Patriots chose Strange 29th overall and used him as a 17-game starter in 2022, but injury trouble surfaced last year. Strange missed four of New England’s first six games last season and then ended up shut down for their final three due to the severe knee malady he sustained.

Mayo had said Strange could see center work previously, and the rookie HC again did not rule this out. The Patriots have been without David Andrews for most of this season; the Tom Brady-era blocker is down for the rest of the year. Though, Mayo said (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the team wants to see Strange go through some practices before determining his position.

Not logging a snap anywhere else up front during his first two seasons, the young left guard returning would certainly boost a Pats line that has experienced staffing issues — particularly at center and left tackle — this season. The Patriots have given Michael Jordan the bulk of the work at LG this season; Pro Football Focus has rated both he and rookie Layden Robinson among the worst guard regulars this season. The team has also tried Michael Onwenu at left guard in recent practices, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. Onwenu has moved around the Pats’ O-line during his career but has concentrated on the right side, splitting his time between RG and RT in games this season.

Strange’s return should help the Pats settle on an Onwenu position, at long last. Although Mayo said third-round rookie Caedan Wallace was not yet ready to practice, a return before season’s end is expected. Wallace is eligible to come off IR, where he has resided since early October due to an ankle injury.

Patriots Notes: Belichick, Barmore, OL Changes, QB, Osborn

October 23rd, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Ben Levine

When the Patriots parted ways with Bill Belichick following the 2023 campaign, the divorce was described as an “amicable” and “mutual” decision. However, during a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club podcast, owner Robert Kraft made it pretty clear that it was his decision to move on from the iconic head coach.

“I kept him for 24 years,” Kraft said (via Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe). “I didn’t enjoy having to fire him, but I tried to do it – if you look at the press conference and how it happened, tried to do it in a classy way.”

“What he did for us was great. People need to adapt. People need to adapt and if they don’t, things can change. In life, it’s about getting good chemistry and trust and I feel that our record the last three or four years wasn’t what I wanted.”

Belichick generally drew much of the blame for the organization’s post-Tom Brady decline. The team didn’t bottom out right away; in fact, they won 10 games and made the postseason with a rookie Mac Jones during the 2021 campaign. However, following a 4-13 showing in 2023 (the team’s worst showing since 1992), Kraft decided to make Belichick the scapegoat and move on from the franchise stalwart.

With Belichick now hitting the media circuit, the former coach has generally been pretty reserved when discussing his former club. That changed this past week, when Belichick appeared on Jim Gray’s Let’s Go! podcast alongside Brady. The future Hall of Fame coach was especially critical of new head coach Jerod Mayo‘s assertion that his 1-6 squad was “soft,” and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald wonders if Belichick may be changing his tune following Kraft’s aforementioned quotes.

More notes out of New England…

  • After Christian Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots in July, the Patriots had been bracing for a potential full-season absence for the starting defensive lineman. Fortunately, there may be some good news on that front, with Mayo telling reporters that the former second-round pick was “progressing” in his recovery (via Kyed). Mayo even admitted that he’s changed his stance on Barmore’s 2024 availability, with the head coach stating that the DT could end up seeing the field at some point this season.
  • Michael Onwenu started the season as the Patriots right tackle but has seen an uptick in playing time at right guard in recent weeks. Offensive line coach Scott
    Peters said he hopes the change is permanent, although the former sixth-round pick’s position will continue to be dependent on his teammates’ availability (per ESPN’s Mike Reiss). The team is bracing for another position change on their OL, as former first-round guard Cole Strange could see snaps at center when he’s activated from PUP (via Kyed). The lineman has missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from a knee injury.
  • While the Patriots always seemed to hint that Drake Maye would eventually take over for veteran seat warmer Jacoby Brissett, the staff hastily made the change ahead of the team’s Week 6 contest. Brissett told reporters that he wasn’t told of the team’s definitive 2024 plans at the position (via Kyed), although he did seem to hint that he knew he’d eventually hit the bench for his rookie teammate. Brissett tossed a pair of touchdowns in his five starts, while Maye has already found the end zone five times in two starts.
  • Mayo admitted to reporters that offseason acquisition K.J. Osborn was likely frustrated with his role in New England, per Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal. The former Vikings draft pick led the position in snaps for the first four weeks of the season, but after returning in Week 7 following a two-game absence, the veteran found himself behind all of Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, and Ja’Lynn Polk (Osborn had two more snaps than fellow wideout Demario Douglas). In five games this season, Osborn has hauled in seven catches for 57 yards and one touchdown.

Patriots Injury Updates: Ximines, Barmore, Strange

September 29th, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots started the season with a crowded injured list. In addition to seven players on injured reserve, New England has one player on the reserve/non-football injury list and three players on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Here are some updates on three of those eleven players, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Oshane Ximines didn’t start the season on injured reserve, but due to an injury suffered on punt coverage in Week 2, he has found his way there. Ximines, a reserve outside linebacker and key special teamer, is in his first year with the Patriots after five seasons with the Giants.

A former third-round pick out of Old Dominion, Ximines flashed potential in his rookie season with sack (4.5), tackle for loss (5), and quarterback hit (9) numbers that have stood to this point as career highs. Since then, his role has varied greatly from year to year. Fellow New England defender Jonathan Jones predicted a big season for Ximines in 2024, but a torn ACL has put that prediction to bed as the 27-year-old will miss the remainder of the season.

Another injured defender is defensive lineman Christian Barmore, the sole player on the NFI list. Barmore has been on the injured list since being diagnosed with blood clots in July. The team has braced for a potential full-season absence for Barmore, and there doesn’t seem to be any improvement on that prognosis. While Barmore has been spending more time around the team as of late, he hasn’t been cleared by doctors and likely won’t be any time soon.

Lastly, usual starting guard Cole Strange started the season on PUP after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee in December last year. Around the NFL, players on NFI, PUP, and IR-designated to return lists will be eligible to start practicing. While the other two players on PUP — wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and linebacker Sione Takitaki — and the lone IR-designated to return player — safety Marte Mapu — are likely to begin their practice periods this week, Reiss does not believe Strange is ready to take that step quite yet.

Patriots Set 53-Man Roster

August 27th, 2024 at 9:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots have set their first 53-man roster in a post-Bill Belichick era. The team announced the following moves:

Released:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Placed on reserve/NFI list:

Placed on IR:

Atonio Mafi was a fifth-round pick by the Patriots just last year, and he ended up starting five of his 17 appearances as a rookie. It wasn’t pretty for the UCLA alumni, as Pro Football Focus ultimately graded Mafi as the second-worst qualifying guard in the NFL (among 79 qualifying players).

Kevin Harris was a sixth-round pick by New England in 2022, but the running back struggled to carve out a role through his two seasons with the squad. The South Carolina product was ultimately limited to nine appearances (one start), collecting 175 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.

Patriots Eyeing OT Depth?

August 10th, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Ben Levine

With the Patriots now out of the Brandon Aiyuk sweepstakes, the team will pivot to improving other offensive positions. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Patriots are expected to “turn their full attention” to acquiring offensive tackle depth. The organization could consider a number of different routes as they seek reinforcement, including a trade, a veteran free agent, or an inexperienced tryout player.

[RELATED: Latest On Patriots G Cole Strange’s Knee Injury]

With Trent Brown now out of the picture, the Patriots lack experience at both offensive tackle spots. At the moment, there are four clear candidates for the two starting gigs (per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald): Chukwuma Okorafor, Vederian Lowe, Calvin Anderson, and rookie third-round pick Caedan Wallace. One team source told Kyed that Okorafor and Lowe are likely in the lead at the moment, although Anderson was recently playing with the starters while Okorafor nursed an undisclosed injury.

As Kyed notes, Jerod Mayo is hoping to have his Week 1 starters locked in before the team’s third preseason game. So, if the Patriots plan to bring in another option at the position, the acquisition will only have a couple of weeks to make a good impression.

The current free agent market includes the likes of Donovan Smith, David Bakhtiari, D.J. Humphries, and Jason Peters. If the rebuilding Patriots intended to bring in one of these veterans, they probably would have already done so. More likely, the Patriots will continue to explore the trade market for some depth, and they could also hold out for players who shake loose at the end of the preseason (although that won’t help their starting lineup uncertainty).

Whatever combination of players the Patriots settle on for their offensive line, it’s unlikely to stick throughout the entire regular season. Former first-round guard Cole Strange will eventually return from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. Whenever Strange comes back, the Patriots could consider moving Michael Onwenu back to offensive tackle, although the recent extension recipient has exclusively played guard throughout training camp.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/24

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OT Julién Davenport

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reverted to IR: WR Jared Wayne
  • Released from IR: WR Jaxon Janke

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Latest On Patriots G Cole Strange’s Knee Injury

June 19th, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard last month that Cole Strange was expected to miss the start of the 2024 campaign as he recovered from a knee injury. We’ve now got more details on the injury that ended the former first-round pick’s 2023 campaign. ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes that Strange suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.

[RELATED: Patriots G Cole Strange Could Miss Start Of 2024 Season]

This helps provide some context to head coach Jerod Mayo‘s “month-to-month” comment from May. As Reiss notes, Mayo suffered the same injury towards the end of his playing career, so the coach’s estimated timeline is based on first-hand experience.

The Patriots raised some eyebrows when they selected the former UT-Chattanooga standout in the first round of the 2022 draft. While Strange managed to start all 17 of his appearances as a rookie, his Pro Football Focus grade still only ranked 61st among qualifying guards. He did take a slight step forward in 2023; in his 10 games, Strange was slotted in as the 26-best offensive guard in the NFL.

The Patriots were surely counting on Strange to take another step forward during his third year in the league, but his season debut will surely be delayed. Reiss notes that 2023 fourth-round pick Sidy Sow got the majority of the reps at left guard during spring practices. Sow started 13 games on the opposite side of the line as a rookie. Fortunately, the second-year player has plenty of experience playing on the left side of the line thanks to his time in college, and the lineman told Reiss that he’s appreciated his growing chemistry with expected starting LT Chukwuma Okorafor.

Patriots G Cole Strange Could Miss Start Of 2024 Season

May 21st, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cole Strange saw his second season with the Patriots come to an abrupt end in December. The knee injury which forced him to end the campaign on injured reserve is threatening to keep him sidelined into the fall.

New England’s starting left guard is expected to miss the beginning of the 2024 campaign, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He adds Strange could be unavailable until the middle of the coming season, something which would deal a considerable blow to the team’s offensive front. The 2022 first-rounder has started all 27 of his appearances to date.

“He’s more of a, let’s say, week-by-week or you can go month-by-month if you want to,” head coach Jerod Mayo said when speaking about Strange’s health status (via Rapoport). “But he is working hard, he is doing his rehab. Here every day. He is in the meeting room, so I am happy where he is.”

Eyebrows were raised when the Patriots selected Strange on Day 1, as many expected him to be a mid-round prospect. His rookie season produced a PFF grade of only 54.6, which ranked 61st amongst qualifying guards. The UT-Chattanooga product took a step forward in his 10-game follow-up season, though. Strange earned a 64.6 mark, slotting him 26th at his position.

The Patriots – a team which is set to use free agent addition Chukwuma Okorafor on the blindside after he previously worked at right tackle during his Steelers tenure – will have a notably different left side of the line if Strange is unable to start the season. As Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes, 2023 fourth-rounder Sidy Sow took first-team left guard reps when the team’s OTAs began yesterday. The 25-year-old Canadian logged 13 starts as a rookie, all of which came at right guard. He would thus represent one of the top options to replace Strange this fall if he is unable to suit up.

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