Cole Strange Activated for Cards Game... but wasn't active... Cuz We Can't Have Nice Things...

[Huckleberry1]

I think people would see him for what he is. An average offensive lineman.

I think he’s a good OL, but you are supposed to be great if you are a first round pick, and he hasn’t been great.

 

[Huckleberry1]

They could be doing this to get a look in case there are contract negotiations. Strange himself might be of a similar mind.

Agree. If he looks good they should look at a short extension.

 

[AQPE]

Good to see he got on the field. It can only help them, he’s decent when healthy and thst puts him above Jordan and Sow. I’m still hoping he can convert to center, or at least be able to play decently there in addition to guard.

I would love to know what the hell happened to Sidy Sow this year. I really thought he’d blossom into their LG1 based in playing more than OK last season at RG and having experience on the left side in college. Based on this season he’s iffy to stay on the team at all. What happened??

 

[203Pat]

I think he’s a good OL, but you are supposed to be great if you are a first round pick, and he hasn’t been great.

This is what I mean. People say he's "good" when outside of a game here and there he has really never been good. He gets beat by good d-linemen and holds his own against average ones. To me, that makes him average.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

This is what I mean. People say he's "good" when outside of a game here and there he has really never been good. He gets beat by good d-linemen and holds his own against average ones. To me, that makes him average.

I think you have to be more or less patient with draft picks. My patience meter is dependent on what conference they played in college and how they are progressing in the NFL. Strange came from a low level school so I think we have to give him a year extra to adjust, if he shows even marginal improvement over Y1 and Y2 (same provision applies to all draft picks). I agree Strange was regularly beaten by high end DTs, but that was only in Y1 and Y2. In Strange's case I think he was getting better as Y2 progressed before he was hurt. Because Strange was improving, even in Y2, I think we have to be patient, even though as you note he was still getting beat sometimes.

Comparing to T Thornton, I was ready to give Tyquan a chance because he was from Baylor, but after he was still absent in Y3 I agree with releasing him. Comparing to Polk, Wallace, or Robinson who are in Y1, I see no improvement in those guys over Y1, so if they fail to improve greatly in Y2, I am OK cutting them. In evaluating a draft pick, it is a combination of athleticism, college competition level, and their rate of progress. Strange was improving in Y2, still not great as you note, but improving after demonstrating great athleticism and coming from a lower level college program, so I say let's be patient. I was ready to move on from Thornton but the coaches said he improved in Y3 training camp so I was hopeful. Our coaches can not evaluate sh!t. For the 2024 draft picks, they need to show something early in 2025 because none of them improved over 2024.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I think he’s a good OL, but you are supposed to be great if you are a first round pick, and he hasn’t been great.

WHO Gives A **** where he was drafted, you clowns keep mashing this notion because it makes you feel good.
He's a Decent LG When healthy, that injury was SERIOUS, LOOK AT THE PLAY..
Fkn clowns, he was a decent player for us, IDGAS where he was drafted.
He's trying to get back. Stop trying to move him.

 

[yukon cornelius]

They could be doing this to get a look in case there are contract negotiations. Strange himself might be of a similar mind.

then they would have done this later in the year - they opened his window now because he's going to play

 

[yukon cornelius]

and strange is a regular NFL starter at G when healthy........his ceiling could be higher, but at the very least he's a no-doubt starter in the league on a majority of teams........unless he was a top 10 pick, that's a solid draft pick at any point in the draft

at #29, if you get a regular, every down starter.....that's a win

 

[borg]

and strange is a regular NFL starter at G when healthy........his ceiling could be higher, but at the very least he's a no-doubt starter in the league on a majority of teams........unless he was a top 10 pick, that's a solid draft pick at any point in the draft

at #29, if you get a regular, every down starter.....that's a win

64 starting guards in NFL
Approximately, 1.5 Guards are drafted in the 1st round each year
Assuming a 5 year NFL career for G's, approximately 90% of starting G's are drafted (or signed as UFA's) outside of the 1st round assuming all 1st round drafted G's start.

Drafting an average G with the 29th pick is not a win.
Especially when this player was rated a 3rd round (or lower talent).
Spending such high draft capital at a position normally filled using middle round picks should provide far better than "average".

DraftHistory.com

www.drafthistory.com

 

[203Pat]

I think you have to be more or less patient with draft picks. My patience meter is dependent on what conference they played in college and how they are progressing in the NFL. Strange came from a low level school so I think we have to give him a year extra to adjust, if he shows even marginal improvement over Y1 and Y2 (same provision applies to all draft picks). I agree Strange was regularly beaten by high end DTs, but that was only in Y1 and Y2. In Strange's case I think he was getting better as Y2 progressed before he was hurt. Because Strange was improving, even in Y2, I think we have to be patient, even though as you note he was still getting beat sometimes.

Comparing to T Thornton, I was ready to give Tyquan a chance because he was from Baylor, but after he was still absent in Y3 I agree with releasing him. Comparing to Polk, Wallace, or Robinson who are in Y1, I see no improvement in those guys over Y1, so if they fail to improve greatly in Y2, I am OK cutting them. In evaluating a draft pick, it is a combination of athleticism, college competition level, and their rate of progress. Strange was improving in Y2, still not great as you note, but improving after demonstrating great athleticism and coming from a lower level college program, so I say let's be patient. I was ready to move on from Thornton but the coaches said he improved in Y3 training camp so I was hopeful. Our coaches can not evaluate sh!t. For the 2024 draft picks, they need to show something early in 2025 because none of them improved over 2024.

I agree in adjusting for a longer learning curve for small school guys like Strange. While I do think there was some gradual improvement from year one to year two I am worried that this major injury will have him back at square one or worse. He was already up and down and just when he started to string together a couple solid games he tears his patellar tendon. For a guy who had a high round pedigree because of his athleticism to potentially lose some/a lot of that athletic ability could really put the nail in the coffin.

As for some other guys in recent classes, I would be shocked if Polk is cut next offseason but it really wouldn't surprise me if one of the two linemen we took last year are cut. I get that there have been injuries but for Wallace and Robinson to not be able to beat out guys like Michael Jordan and Demontre Jacobs for stating reps it is a bad sign. Kind of reminds me of a few years ago when we would go into a game with one healthy JAG TE like Matt Lacosse while our two third round pick rookies were healthy scratches.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I agree in adjusting for a longer learning curve for small school guys like Strange. While I do think there was some gradual improvement from year one to year two I am worried that this major injury will have him back at square one or worse. He was already up and down and just when he started to string together a couple solid games he tears his patellar tendon. For a guy who had a high round pedigree because of his athleticism to potentially lose some/a lot of that athletic ability could really put the nail in the coffin.

As for some other guys in recent classes, I would be shocked if Polk is cut next offseason but it really wouldn't surprise me if one of the two linemen we took last year are cut. I get that there have been injuries but for Wallace and Robinson to not be able to beat out guys like Michael Jordan and Demontre Jacobs for stating reps it is a bad sign. Kind of reminds me of a few years ago when we would go into a game with one healthy JAG TE like Matt Lacosse while our two third round pick rookies were healthy scratches.

I agree with all of this.

Who knows if Strange can recover? I wish him all the best.

The Pats tried the OLmen over and over, even inserting Robinson to start when they should not have and that led to Robinson being benched in the first half. Awful coaching, I assume it was management pressure to play the rookies which is a really bad sign.

 

[Toofy]

I agree with all of this.

Who knows if Strange can recover? I wish him all the best.

The Pats tried the OLmen over and over, even inserting Robinson to start when they should not have and that led to Robinson being benched in the first half. Awful coaching, I assume it was management pressure to play the rookies which is a really bad sign.

I think players should also not declare for draft if they are not ready. It's a cut throat world now. Better to stay an extra year and home your fundamentals and strength before declaring for draft.

 

[rkarp1]

regardless of draft pedigree, I found Stange adequate to a little better than adequate, when he has been healthy. the team has played 45 games since Strange has been in the league, and he has played in 27 of them.
I think the same of Jordan to date this season. adequate to a little more than adequate.
my main issues with the OL play is not that the OL men are getting beat. most every OL man does. the miscommunication is what bothers me.
take the Maye strip sack. that DL came right by Brown untouched (Brown blocked someone else) and Onwenu was late getting to the DL man coming thru on Maye
Would D Andrews have changed the blocking assignments at the LOS? Would a more experienced QB have changed the blocking assignments?

 

[203Pat]

I agree with all of this.

Who knows if Strange can recover? I wish him all the best.

The Pats tried the OLmen over and over, even inserting Robinson to start when they should not have and that led to Robinson being benched in the first half. Awful coaching, I assume it was management pressure to play the rookies which is a really bad sign.

The biggest misstep by the new regime has been neglecting the tackle spot. I don't count Okorafor, as he was a bargain bin guy and not any real answer at tackle. Right now this line basically has Onwenu and even he hasn't been playing all that well likely in part to the fact he is in a new spot every week. If they do something goofy like take a receiver instead of a tackle in round 1 then they better find a way to get a starting tackle and ideally a starting guard in free agency or via trade.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The biggest misstep by the new regime has been neglecting the tackle spot. I don't count Okorafor, as he was a bargain bin guy and not any real answer at tackle. Right now this line basically has Onwenu and even he hasn't been playing all that well likely in part to the fact he is in a new spot every week. If they do something goofy like take a receiver instead of a tackle in round 1 then they better find a way to get a starting tackle and ideally a starting guard in free agency or via trade.

Might be able to get a guard in FA. I remain hopeful for J Andrews. He was good last year before the injury. Hopefully Strange. I would like to see a left tackle in R1 and a center in R2. We can try a bunch of guys at RT.

 

[Clonamery]

Would D Andrews have changed the blocking assignments at the LOS? Would a more experienced QB have changed the blocking assignments?

Of course.

 

[Huckleberry1]

jfc... i dont get some of you

scream to the heavens to play the rookie qb

we could be getting the best lineman we have under contract back, and its meh, why, we should just shut him down

put him in. let him play under the new scheme. see how he does

he cant do it all, but you're nuts and being deliberately obtuse if you think he wont help stabilize the line

bunch of warden nortons you are

As I understand it this scheme should suit him perfectly, as it calls for more athletic lineman, and that’s his strong suit.

 

[Huckleberry1]

The biggest misstep by the new regime has been neglecting the tackle spot. I don't count Okorafor, as he was a bargain bin guy and not any real answer at tackle. Right now this line basically has Onwenu and even he hasn't been playing all that well likely in part to the fact he is in a new spot every week. If they do something goofy like take a receiver instead of a tackle in round 1 then they better find a way to get a starting tackle and ideally a starting guard in free agency or via trade.

Ideally Wallace could take over at RT next season, with Onwenu kicking back inside. The address LT in the draft and Center in either free agency, the draft, or both. But if they don’t believe Wallace will be the answer then address RT in the offseason as well.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

Maybe they will plug him in at C and do much better like our friend Hjalte is....

 

[yukon cornelius]

my prediction is strange is your starting C soon, and it carries over into next season