6 Patriots on the Chopping Block After Alex Van Pelt Hiring

4. Cole Strange, Guard

Throughout his historic career, Bill Belichick became known for going against the grain. Early on, it seemed to work but as he got older, the moves made less and less sense. And the results weren't as good as they once were.

A prime example of this was in 2022 when he decided to reach for a guard that no one saw coming in the NFL Draft. At pick No. 29 overall, Belichick brought in Cole Strange from Tennessee at Chattanooga. The move was questioned from the start and even now it's confusing. Matt Geagan of CBS looked at this pick, as well as the rest of that class, which he said is shaping up to be a disaster.

"Only Bill Belichick would draft an offensive lineman out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Day 1 of the draft. Strange was projected as maybe a late pick on Day 2. Surprisingly, he hasn't lived up to his draft spot, either. Strange has missed time with injury and been benched in the middle of games for looking more like a turnstile." — Matt Geagan, CBS

Oddly enough, the best pick they might have made was when they added Pierre Strong but then they sent him to Cleveland where he worked under Alex Van Pelt last season.

As for Strange, he has a lot of growing to do as a player. He also no longer has a staff that cares where he was selected in the draft. That means his status won't keep him on the field, so it's time to prove he deserves a spot.