Finalized rosters across the NFL are due next Tuesday, August 26th. That leaves the New England Patriots with eight days to figure out what to do with the team’s former first round pick, offensive guard Cole Strange.
Strange was drafted 29th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. The new coaching staff had the opportunity to pick up his fifth-year option this offseason, but declined. This means that after the conclusion of this year, he will no longer be under contract.
Declining a fifth-year option serves as the first red flag that the relationship may be deteriorating. Now, just 20 days away from the team’s first regular season game, Patriots insider Phil Perry predicts the team may move forward without him.
Perry predicts the team will carry eight lineman into the season, none named Cole Strange.
On the interior offensive line, Perry has the team keeping $57 million veteran Mike Onwenu at guard and veteran newcomer Garrett Bradbury at center. NFL journeyman Ben Brown also landed on the team, alongside no-brainer rookie Jared Wilson.
The other four lineman Perry predicts the team will keep are tackles, most notably bubble player Vederian Lowe.
He provided no expansion on his decision to cut Strange, but he did elaborate on the reason he likes Brown.
“Brown isn’t the long-term answer over Wilson, but for right now? That feels like the choice,” Phil Perry writes. “Wilson has had some trouble of late. Allowing Brown to get top reps could give Wilson time to get his feet back underneath him. Brown also needs to work at guard if he’s ultimately going to be the interior substitute.”
“Lowe makes it here for now, but it’d come as little surprise if the Patriots were on the lookout for a moldable depth tackle who shakes free during league-wide roster cuts.”
Insider Alex Barth Has The Team Keeping Cole Strange
While Phil Perry does have a good reputation for these kinds of things around Boston, 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Alex Barth thinks the team will go in a different direction at guard.
Barth has the team keeping ten lineman, adding Caedan Wallace and Cole Strange to the mix.
“Yes, 10 offensive linemen is a lot. But with just a handful of competitive practices to go, the Patriots look to still be figuring out starters at both left guard and center. It’s possible those battles could continue into the regular season,” Barth writes.
Barth admits that he could probably lose two players off of this list of ten, providing insight on the guard battle.
“One spot the Patriots could cut down here is on the interior offensive line. Keeping Strange and Brown would be redundant, unless the plan is to have their competition continue into the regular season and/or there’s an injury ahead of them on the depth chart. Brown clearly looks to be ahead between the two on the depth chart,” Barth concludes.
Does The Team Need A Fourth Tackle?
Having a fourth tackle feels like a waste of a roster spot. This feels especially true when you have an experienced player like Mike Onwenu on the team, who has extensive snap share at the position.
This opens a spot for a versatile lineman like Cole Strange or Caedan Wallace, and places the controversial former starter Vederian Lowe back on the bubble.
“Wallace had been one of the top backup guards for most of camp, and his tackle versatility adds to his value,” Barth wrote. “While Lowe is more in the mix he still looks like a bubble player. If the Patriots want to keep a fourth tackle, a waiver wire addition could still certainly be in play.”
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