Patriots Get More O-Line Help From IR

The New England Patriots are getting a massive boost ahead of their Week 15 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.
Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots guard Cole Strange (69) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots guard Cole Strange (69) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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The New England Patriots are in desperate need of offensive line help, and it appears that a major reinforcement is on the way.

Adam Schefter of ESPN has reported that the Patriots are activating guard Cole Strange from injured reserve, which indicates that the former first-round pick is preparing to make his 2024 debut.

Strange played in 10 games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He has been sidelined ever since.

The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Chattanooga, was selected by New England with the 29th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

He immediately became a starter during his rookie campaign, appearing in all 17 contests.

While Strange is not a Pro Bowler, he has been an impressive force in the trenches for the Pats when he has been healthy, and there is no doubt that his return will represent a massive boost for a Patriots offensive line that has been beyond porous this season.

Of course, Strange being back on the field won't suddenly solve all of New England's problems at the position.

The Pats have issues up and down the offensive line and will have to properly address the problems during the offseason both via free agency and the NFL Draft.

Still, given how horrendous the Patriots have been in that department this season, Strange's return is unquestionably a welcomed sight.

New England is just 3-10 on the year and is coming off of a bye week. The Pats will head on the road to face the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday.

The rest of the Patriots' schedule is brutal, as they have two meetings with the Buffalo Bills on tap plus a clash with the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17.

We'll see how much Strange's comeback helps New England the rest of the way.

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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.