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.
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