Patriots former first-round pick expected to miss start of season

While the rest of the league seems to be optimistic about their 2024 squads heading into OTAs this week, the Patriots received some unfortunate news.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, starting guard Cole Strange is expected to miss the start of the 2024 season and may be out until the middle of the season.

New England's first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is still dealing with a significant knee injury suffered late last season and it will be a big blow to the team's offensive line.

Once debated as a reach, Strange has quickly proved his doubters wrong. In 2023, the 25-year-old allowed just three sacks on 564 offensive snaps played, per Pro Football Focus.

However, the Patriots must turn to someone else in the meantime. It's not a scenario new head coach Jerod Mayo hoped would play out, but he seemed to hint it was coming on Monday.

"He's more of a, let's say, week-by-week or you can go month-by-month if you want to," Mayo told reporters. "But he is working hard, he is doing his rehab. Here every day. He is in the meeting room, so I am happy where he is."

New England will likely turn to veteran Nick Leverett, who just joined the team in free agency, or Layden Robinson, its 2024 fourth-round selection.

The shuffling of the Patriots offensive line doesn't stop there either. They also signed former Steelers offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor as their new left tackle, which has been held by Trent Brown the past three years.

New England's No. 1 priority should be protecting rookie QB Drake Maye and surrounding him with has much talent as possible to make him successful. 

The Patriots early movement on their offensive line may force them to make fans wait a little longer to see the No. 3 overall pick and lean on veteran QB Jacoby Brissett early on.