Patriots make expected $16.7M decision on former 1st-round pick

The New England Patriots are not picking up the fifth-year option for offensive lineman Cole Strange, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

The fifth-year option for Strange would have paid him around $16.7 million in the 2026 season. With the Patriots declining his option, he is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season.

Strange was a surprising selection by the Patriots with the No. 29 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and the pick even drew reactions from Les Snead and Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams. This was back when Bill Belichick was still overseeing the draft, so it is not a huge surprise to see the Patriots decline the option for Strange with Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel overseeing things now.

The Patriots have done significant work on their offensive line this offseason, bringing in Garrett Bradbury and Morgan Moses in Free Agency, while bringing in first-round pick Will Campbell and third-round pick Jared Wilson. Still, Strange is the projected starter at left guard, according to Ourlads’ depth chart. Strange will look to turn in a strong season protecting Drake Maye before hitting free agency, where he could sign with any team. A quality season would maximize what he could potentially get in free agency next offseason.

One of the main priorities for the Patriots this offseason has been to better protect Maye. The young quarterback showed promise in his rookie season, despite playing for a team that had one of, if not the worst offensive lines, and a weapons group that goes not have much to write home about.

It will be interesting to see how things come together this season on the offensive side of the ball. The Strange pick has not worked out, and usually declining the fifth-year option leads to the player walking in free agency the following year. Maybe Strange can change the narrative if he surprises with his play this season.