The Patriots received some positive injury news on Wednesday.
Another week, another starting member of the New England Patriots returning to practice. After getting defensive tackle Christian Barmore back last week, the team welcomed offensive lineman Cole Strange to practice on Wednesday.
Strange, a first-round draft pick in 2022 and 27-game starter at left guard, had started the year on the physically unable to perform list after suffering a torn patellar tendon last December. With him trending in a positive direction throughout his recent recovery, however, it was only a question of “when” rather than “if” Strange would return.
On Wednesday, that question was answered. Here is what it means for the Patriots.
The clock starts ticking
Time will tell how quickly Strange can return to a shape worthy of being activated to the Patriots’ 53-man roster, but he has now taken a major step toward that goal. Returning to practice at the very least opens the door for him to rejoin the team in full capacity.
For that to happen, however, the Patriots need to abide by the NFL’s return timeline. This means that the team has 21 days to move him from PUP to the active roster. If they decide against that next and final step, he will revert to PUP and miss the remainder of the season.
This means that the latest Strange will come back is December 11, right before the Patriots’ Week 15 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
More talent along the offensive line
Even though he is one of the most scrutinized Patriots first-round draft picks in recent memory, Strange’s talent and ability to positively impact the team’s offensive line also cannot be underestimated. He may or may not have been a reach at No. 29 overall in 2022, but he is a starter-caliber guard who played the best football of his career before his season-ending knee injury in December.
Adding a player of that caliber and upside — especially in a zone-based scheme like offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s — is a definitive plus for New England. Frankly, the team needs all the talent it can get; outside of Michael Onwenu there is currently no O-lineman on the roster coming close to Strange in that regard.
Whether or not that will actually translate to improved play up front, or Strange being able to live up to his first-round label, will be seen. But there is no denying New England’s offensive line is better with him at practice, and eventually the game day roster.
Increased competition at two positions
Strange is a 27-game starter at left guard, as noted above, but the UT Chattanooga product might not actually fill that spot once back on the team. The Patriots, after all, have questions at both left guard and center: neither Michael Jordan nor Ben Brown have solidified themselves as the top options at their respective positions.
It is therefore no surprise the team is open to trying him out in multiple spots.
“He does have the flexibility to play center and play guard,” said head coach Jerod Mayo on Wednesday. “He’s been getting extra work at center. Dave Andrews has done a good job with him as well. Going back to a guy that — he’s on IR for the year, but just his leadership remains in the building. One of those tasks has been to help Cole understand the center position while he wasn’t able to be on the practice field.”
At the very least, Strange’s return and the potential of him rejoining the 53-man squad further down the line increases the competition up front. Both Jordan and Brown are under pressure now, or else they run risk of losing their starting jobs once Strange is back.
The door for a quick return is open
If the Patriots decide to move Strange from PUP to the 53 within the return window, they need to have a spot on their roster available. As things currently stand, they actually do: as part of their Tuesday transactions — signing Titus Leo, releasing Ochaun Mathis, moving Curtis Jacobs to injured reserve — they are left with one vacancy.
Could Strange end up filling it and take the field on Sunday versus the Miami Dolphins? In theory, yes, but it seems more likely the team will go in a different direction. New England is in need of special teams help after losing Jacobs, and Joe Giles-Harris looks like a candidate to be permanently elevated from the practice squad.
A logjam along the interior
One can question the quality of the Patriots’ interior O-line personnel. There is no questioning the quantity, though: with Strange back, the team now has nine players at guard and center between its active roster, practice squad and PUP return designation.
The full group looks as follows:
53-man roster (7): Michael Jordan (74 | LG), Ben Brown (77 | C), Michael Onwenu (71 | RG), Layden Robinson (64), Sidy Sow (62), Lecitus Smith (68), Tyrese Robinson (65)
Practice squad (1): Liam Fornadel (63)
PUP return (1): Cole Strange (69)
Unless Strange really fills the open spot created when Curtis Jacobs was moved to IR — again, that seems unlikely — it would not be a surprise if the team decides to look at one of the players listed here to create the opening needed to bring him to the 53.
Among the backups currently on the roster, Robinson seems like the likeliest candidate to be let go at this point in time. He was a healthy scratch for both games since joining the club, and his three-week salary commitment as a player poached from an opposing practice squad is set to expire after Week 12.