When the New England Patriots wrapped up the preseason, one of the surprising moves was cutting interior offensive lineman Cole Strange. Strange had been a fixture of the Patriots' offensive line in his first two seasons before a knee injury caused him to miss a significant amount of time the past two years. The Patriots invested multiple draft picks over the past few seasons in an attempt to bolster their protection, and this year, the addition of C/G Jared Wilson, along with last year's selection of G Caedan Wallace, made Strange and his injury history expendable.
That didn't mean that Strange's journey was over. Although he was seen as a reach when he was drafted by the Patriots (fans may remember Sean McVay's reaction to the selection), the first two seasons in Foxborough were productive. It was not a great sign when the Patriots declined Strange's fifth-year option, but there was a chance for him to make the roster this year. While that didn't pan out, Strange quickly found himself snatched up by the Cleveland Browns, heading to their practice squad.
Cole Strange Signs with the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday
It was a quick stop in Cleveland as Strange was signed by the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. The Dolphins faced the injury bug early in Week One with injuries to G James Daniels and T Austin Jackson. Daniels is reportedly going to miss several weeks, and the Dolphins were already without G Liam Eichenberg. Replacing Daniels was G Kion Smith, and the reports were not necessarily glowing.
Head coach Mike McDaniel had this to say when referencing Kion Smith's play:
"There were some details like really every player had where they can very much improve which is why they employ coaches, is to find those things and then improve them and count on their guys to lean into all those things and get our game ready for Sundays like it should be."Mike McDaniel
That may mean there is an opportunity for Strange to get some playing time in the near future. While it may not be in Week 2 against the Patriots, Strange had been in the meeting rooms to understand coaching philosophy and strategy, in addition to potentially facing off against the Patriots' defensive line. Even if Strange doesn't play a snap, he may be able to provide intel to help the Dolphins this week.
Teams make moves like this all the time early in the season, where they pick up a discarded former player from a Week 1 or 2 opponent. While it may provide some intel, it typically doesn't sway the result of the game all that much. If Strange does make it onto the field against the Patriots this week, it means the offensive line woes in Miami have worsened.
Long term, Strange may find himself on the field for the Dolphins sooner rather than later. Strange may be a good fit for the Dolphins, considering his positional flexibility and the injury history that tends to plague the Dolphins. While he may not face off against the Patriots on the field this week, Strange should offer enough to be on the team when they play again in Week 18.