Cole Strange could miss multiple games with knee injury: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots will need to find a new starting left guard to begin the 2024 season.
Offensive lineman Cole Strange is expected to miss the start of the 2024 NFL season and “may be out until the middle of the season” as he recovers from a “significant” knee injury, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday.
The Patriots’ first-round pick (No. 29 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft, Strange started all 17 games at left guard as a rookie and made 10 starts in 2023 before missing the final three games due to injury.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Monday that Strange is more “week-by-week” or “month-by-month” than day-to-day at this point.
Strange’s injury may explain why New England invested a 2024 fourth-round pick in Texas A&M’s Layden Robinson, who is almost exclusively a guard.
Second-year guard Sidy Sow took starting left guard reps at Day 1 of the Patriots’ organized team activities on Monday, per Patriots Insider Phil Perry, with veteran Nick Leverett manning the right guard spot. But Robinson and 2023 draft pick Atonio Mafi could factor into the guard conversation as well with Strange sidelined.
Not a shock based on Jerod Mayo calling Strange’s injury “month to month” yesterday. Tough break for a player who spent most of last year banged up.
Second-year guard Sidy Sow played left guard with Jacoby Brissett’s group yesterday. Nick Leverett was at right guard. https://t.co/xCoxedg9Yz
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) May 21, 2024