Former Patriots First Rounder Cut Before Rookie Deal Ends Nesn

The New England Patriots moved on from a recent first-round draft choice on Tuesday. The team released offensive lineman Cole Strange as part of roster cutdowns to 53 players. The decision came despite thin depth up front, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Strange, who was drafted 29th overall in 2022 out of Tennessee-Chattanooga, made 29 starts across three seasons with the Patriots. He had opened this summer as a starter under new coach Mike Vrabel but quickly slid to reserve work at both guard and center. Injuries factored into his decline.

After suffering a significant knee injury in late 2023, Strange was limited to three games last year, as noted by the New York Post. Though healthy entering camp, he could not hold off rookie Jared Wilson, a third-round pick from Georgia, now projected to step in at left guard. Ben Brown will serve as a primary backup. There might not be a better change of scenery candidate on the New England Patriots roster than offensive lineman Cole Strange. The former first-round pick has struggled to stay healthy in his three NFL seasons, and he hasn't been especially effective when he plays. Despite his status as a first-round pick, it wouldn't be surprising to see New England cut bait sooner than later.

NFL.com's Eric Edholm believes Strange is an obvious cut candidate as the league's roster cutdown deadline approaches. "Strange was a curious first-round selection in 2022, viewed primarily as a developmental Day 2 prospect then, and his NFL journey has been rife with setbacks, injuries and struggles," Ehholm wrote for NFL.com. "The Patriots have tried him at guard and center, and Strange really hasn't stuck at either spot. And it's not as if the offensive line is completely sorted out either. It just feels like Strange is in need of a fresh start." Several players showed out for the Patriots in the preseason opener against the Commanders.

The team rolled to a dominant 48-18 win and looked efficient and prepared in all phases. One of the players who DID NOT come out of preseason Week 1 in good standing is former first-round pick Cole Strange. Strange began the offseason program as the favorite to start at left guard but ended up ceding that spot to rookie Jared Wilson. It was thought that, as a former top pick, Strange would have a chance to bounce back and earn his spot again. Instead, it now seems most likely that Strange is playing elsewhere come Week 1. After the preseason opener, Karen Guregian of MassLive and Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston both published updated 53-man roster projections, and neither had Strange making the team.

And, as Sara Marshall of Musket Fire put it, “It’s not looking good for Cole Strange to make the Patriots’ 2025 roster.” Against the Commanders, Strange tied for the team lead in snaps among guards, with 25. It’s probably not a good sign that Strange played more snaps than Wilson, Tyrese Robinson, and Garrett Bradbury. The New England Patriots have released former starting guard Cole Strange ahead of the roster cut deadline, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero on Tuesday. Strange was the Patriots' first-round draft pick in 2022. He started in all 17 games as a rookie, taking 984 total offensive snaps.

The former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga offensive lineman followed that effort up by starting in 10 games in 2023, before going down with a serious knee injury. He returned last December and made two starts in the 2024 season. The Patriots had a wide open competition at left guard throughout training camp. However, Strange was surpassed by rookie Jared Wilson and Ben Brown on the depth chart. Even second-year offensive tackle Caedan Wallace started getting reps at guard. A change of scenery might be good for Strange, as injuries and coaching changes hampered his time in New England.

He was a polarizing draft pick, but he showed signs of promise throughout his career. He could still provide value for a team in need of offensive line help. With this release, cornerback Marcus Jones is now the only remaining player from the Patriots' 2022 NFL draft. It was only three years ago when the New England Patriots selected Cole Strange with the 29th overall pick during the 2022 NFL Draft. Now, according to Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski, the 27-year-old guard’s relationship has a chance of ending this summer. The NFL analyst wrote an article titled “Biggest Names on 2025 NFL Roster Bubble Who Could Be Cut” on Tuesday, including Strange among the seven candidates.

“Three years (after being drafted), Strange is on the roster bubble after a third-round rookie seemingly took his spot in the lineup,” Sobleski said. “Jared Wilson, who was a collegiate center, has regularly gotten reps at left guard with the Patriots’ first-team offense in training camp.” Strange started all 17 games for New England during his rookie campaign and picked up 10 more starts in 2023, before suffering a season-ending torn patellar tendon in Week 15 against the Kansas City... He missed most of the 2024 campaign due to the injury but was eventually activated off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in December. Strange played three games last season and made two starts.

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