Patriots offensive player begins the season with a PUP rule and will miss at least 4 games

The deadline for reducing the NFL roster is approaching and the New England Patriots have already begun taking appropriate measures.

New England will free up a roster spot without waiving or releasing a player as they plan to keep offensive lineman Cole Strange on the PUP list to start the season, according to MassLive’s Mark Daniels. That means Strange will miss at least the first four games of the 2024 season.

Strange, 26, suffered a torn patellar tendon in December that cost him the end of last season. In his first two seasons, the 2022 first-round pick appeared in 27 games for the Patriots, starting.

This news is no surprise to New England, as Strange has not practiced with the team or played in any preseason games. They even planned for this scenario by using their fourth-round pick on Layden Robinson and signing veteran guard Nick Leverett, who could step in if needed.

New England has used Sidy Sow at left guard and Michael Onwenu at right guard throughout the preseason. However, with Sow and left tackle Vederian Lowe injured in recent weeks, it is unclear which team will line up for the Patriots in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Head coach Jerod Mayo also hinted on Monday that Strange could be the team’s backup center upon his return, as New England has already lost Jake Andrews for the season and Strange went a bit crazy during his time at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

For now, they have to find a way to get by without him.

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