While it quite literally took until the final moment, a starter along the New England Patriots' offensive line from the 2024 season has found a new home within the NFL as training camps open across the league.
With Cole Strange finally fully healthy after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee during a late-season matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023, he is ready to take control of the starting left guard position.
Strange being in the fold again shook up the needs along the offensive line, which led to a recent fifth-round pick being pushed out the door following the 2024 campaign. The wait for his next opportunity was probably longer than he'd hoped, but now he finds himself on the roster of a contender in the NFC.
Ex-Patriots OL Michael Jordan Lands Last-Minute Contract With Bucs
As much fun as it was to say, "starting at guard for the New England Patriots, Michael Jordan," the former Ohio State Buckeyes standout has taken his talents from New England to the Sunshine State, as the left guard has agreed to a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buccaneers today signed guard Michael Jordan.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2025
This past season, Jordan made 12 appearances for the Patriots, with 11 of those instances featuring the offensive guard as part of the starting lineup. With 87% of the snaps he was on the field for coming on offense, he was a key fixture up front for New England for the majority of the 2024 campaign.
Given the fact that Jordan was under contract for just $1.25 million this past season, getting 11 starts out of him up front was a win for the front office. His ability to block without committing penalties, being hit with two infractions in the 658 snaps he took on the offensive line, just makes that deal look better in retrospect.
The reality of Jordan's situation in New England was that he was brought in as a stop-gap solution to Strange being sidelined. Following the addition of veteran offensive guard Wes Schweitzer, a player who previously worked under Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing during their time with the New York Jets, the writing was on the wall.
With New England scheduled to face off against Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium in Week 10, Jordan will have an opportunity to show the Patriots what they're missing. On the other side of the spectrum, Mike Vrabel and the defensive coaching staff will be unleashing free agent signing Milton Williams on the Buccaneers' offensive line.
Either way, it will be a fun matchup, which should provide a better sense of where the Patriots are as a team at the midway point of Vrabel's first season at the helm in New England.