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Mike ReissAug 26, 2025, 05:16 PM ET<\/p>\n
Close<\/a>Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.<\/p>\n FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots<\/a> cut 2022 first-round draft choice Cole Strange<\/a> despite significant depth concerns along their offensive line, which was one of the team’s notable moves Tuesday in trimming the roster to the league-mandated 53 players.<\/p>\n Strange, a guard from Tennessee-Chattanooga, started 29 games in New England since former coach Bill Belichick made him a surprise selection at 29th overall in the 2022 draft. He had opened 2025 training camp under new coach Mike Vrabel as the starter, only to slip down the depth chart after one week, when he began working more as a second- and third-unit center.<\/p>\n The Patriots project to start 2025 third-round pick Jared Wilson<\/a>, of the University of Georgia, at left guard, with four-year veteran Ben Brown<\/a> a top backup.<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks Strange had sustained a serious knee injury late in the 2023 season that limited him to just three games in 2024. But he had a clean bill of health this season, having earned one of the Patriots’ four offseason awards.<\/p>\n In addition to Strange, the Patriots placed wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk<\/a> (2024 second-round pick) and veteran linebacker Jahlani Tavai<\/a> on injured reserve. Polk will miss the 2025 season, while Tavai has been designated to return from IR and thus is still eligible to play in 2025.<\/p>\n The Patriots also waived 2025 fifth-round pick Bradyn Swinson<\/a>, an outside linebacker from LSU who was tabbed with the 146th pick of the draft. Swinson was one of two members of the team’s 11-player draft class — along with seventh-round cornerback Kobee Minor<\/a>, the last pick as Mr. Irrelevant — who were cut.<\/p>\n Vrabel has said the next few days are expected to be fluid with the roster, so more moves are expected in New England, where an eye-opening eight receivers are on the initial 53-man roster — a group headlined by Stefon Diggs<\/a>. In moving on from Strange, the team kept nine offensive linemen, with 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace<\/a> earning one of the backup spots at guard for now.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/r1124519_3_1296x1296_1-1.jpg&w=130&h=130&scale=crop&location=center.jpeg\")
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