Patriots reportedly keeping Cole Strange on the shelf to start the season
The New England Patriots could use all the help they can get on the offensive line, but one of their key young linemen will have to remain shelved to begin the 2024 season.
According to MassLive’s Mark Daniels, the Patriots are keeping guard Cole Strange on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Strange must now miss at least the first four games of the regular season. He’s recovering from a serious knee injury, but according to Daniels, Strange is “trending in the right direction and it looks like he should be back at some point” in 2024.
Strange, 26, started 27 games over his first two NFL seasons with the Patriots, after being drafted 29th overall in the 2022 draft. Strange has started all 27 games for the Patriots at left guard.
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The news is pertinent in the wake of the Patriots’ preseason finale against the Washington Commanders, after the offensive line struggled immensely with execution and penalties. Starting left guard Sidy Sow suffered an injury during the game, and was spotted leaving the locker room in a walking boot, according to the Boston Globe’s Chris Price.
Injuries along the line have caused severe shuffling in recent days. In the absence of left tackle Vederian Lowe, the Patriots moved Chukwuma Okorafor to his spot, and kicked Mike Onwenu out to right tackle, bringing rookie Layden Robinson into the lineup at right guard.
If that lineup remains the same, and Sow has to miss time, the remaining candidates on the Patriots’ roster, as of Tuesday, to play left guard are Nick Leverett, Michael Jordan, Atonio Mafi, and Liam Fornadel.
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The Patriots have to cut their roster down to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET. on Tuesday.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
