Getty Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
This spring, the New England Patriots surprised a few people when they chose offensive lineman Cole Strange with their first-round pick in 2022, the 29th selection overall. Some teams reportedly had later-round grades on Strange, but the Patriots saw him as the best player on the board for their needs.
Early in the season, it looked like they may have hit the nail on the head with the Strange selection. However, as of late, the rookie has looked mediocre by many accounts. According to the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan, one NFL executive says he doesn’t believe Strange has had a “good game” since the Patriots’ Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers when he flashed against the Steel Curtain’s Cameron Heyward.
The unnamed executive was asked their thoughts on the Patriots’ top-drafted rookies Tyquan Thornton and Strange. Thornton seemed to get an incomplete assessment, but the executive said the following about Strange.
“Strange had a really nice game against (Steelers defensive tackle) Cam Hayward, and that impressed me,” the executive said. “As far as how he’s progressed, I don’t think he’s had as good a game since.”
Cole Strange Struggles Potentially Connected to the Flawed Offense?
The Week 2 game against the Steelers happened on September 18, which means it has been nearly three months since Strange has played well, according to the executive. Pro Football Focus metrics would seemingly support this notion on Strange. He is currently the 73rd highest-graded guard in the NFL on the website.
The hope is for Strange to solidify a guard spot along with Michael Onwenu, who continues to shine when he is allowed to play his more natural position rather than tackle. Strange is still a rookie, so he has some time to clean up some of his issues, and his performance isn’t immune to what appears to be an unhealthy offensive scheme under Matt Patricia.
Hall-of-Fame quarterback Kurt Warner recently slammed the Patriots’ offense and called their overall approach a “crappy concept.”
With the current state of the Patriots’ attack, it is tough to levy a judgment on any player on the offense–especially a rookie. We’ll have to see if Strange can recapture the form that had some excited about his rookie season or if he will continue to struggle and perhaps even lose his starting spot on the Patriots offensive line.
Patriots Rookie Ranked Amongst Top-10 First-Year Players By ESPN
He didn’t get as much hoopla early on as Thornton or Strange, but as it has turned out, Patriots rookie Jack Jones has become the team’s top first-year player, at least according to ESPN, who ranked him as the 10th best in the NFL.
Jones has two interceptions and a defensive touchdown so far this season. Perhaps more importantly, he seemingly has the demeanor and confidence of a No. 1 corner. He has had some struggles this year too.
Jones and the rest of the Patriots’ secondary had a rough night against the Minnesota Vikings on Thanksgiving as all-world wide receiver Justin Jefferson feasted on them with nine receptions, 139 yards, and a TD. Still, Jones has shown some serious promise, and he could prove to be a major steal for New England after being selected in the fourth round with the 121st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Even if the Patriots fail to make the playoffs, Jones proving himself to be a player at corner would be one of the major positive takeaways from the 2022 season.