Trade Cole Strange to a Team That Runs A lot of Outside Zone

[State]

Like the LA Rams for their starting TE Tyler Higbee and a late draft pick.

They dealt with Higbee being injured for a season and drafted Terrance Ferguson from Oregon in the second round this year. And they have two quality backups.

That way the Patriots have better depth at that critical position and won’t be held hostage if and when Hunter Henry is injured.

Plus, Strange was broken by Quinnen Williams. No need to have him face that monster twice a season.

His apex athleticism is uniquely suited to outside zone runs. The Rams had researched him thoroughly but could only laugh in an unguarded moment when BB took him in the first round, which was going against the grain to put it mildly.

 

[Pape]

cole strange missed the first 14 games of 2024... when he came back, he played out of position, partly because they weren't sure his knee could handle the requirements of the guard position... the front office went out and added a lot of moving pieces to the line this year... all of that means he is a speculative camp cut... he has no trade value

 

[gobesmug]

That's a Strange idea.

 

[Water Boy]

My understanding is that the BB JMCD offense likes having a more athletic left guard. (think Mankins and Thuney) and a stouter right guard ( Onwenu, Mason). Strange was drafted at the time when BB was looking to run more zone. 69 has not proven himself in a gap heavy scheme. He does have a nice ability to get to the second level, but he needs to be more stout in pass pro and gap. Now that we have an insanely athletic center who can get down field and pull, maybe its better to have a big gap mauler at LG? Will JMCD run a decent amount of zone?

I posted a thread about possible trades. I think most people assume that Strange has literally zero trade value.

 

[Triumph]

McVay literally laughed out loud when BB picked him.

Strange has had one foot on a banana peel ever since. There is no way that the Rams would give anything for him. I suppose Higbee, but he is 31 and missed 14 games last season. Nothing plus nothing = nothing.

 

[Wozzy]

Strange has to prove he’s healthy to all 32 teams. In the meantime he or Sow are the best options at left guard for us now.

Do you guys want to win games or not?

 

[State]

My understanding is that the BB JMCD offense likes having a more athletic left guard.

We already got that in Sidy Sow, who could have a big year coming up. Big time talent.

 

[State]

That's a Strange idea.

Or, Strange69, to borrow from resident genius Captain Stone.

 

[VJCPatriot]

McVay literally laughed out loud when BB picked him.

Strange has had one foot on a banana peel ever since. There is no way that the Rams would give anything for him. I suppose Higbee, but he is 31 and missed 14 games last season. Nothing plus nothing = nothing.

That's because they considered Strange a 4th round talent, not even remotely close to a 1st round guy. Strange is still one of BB's worst reaches in a history rife with reach picks.

When you keep consistently doing that, you end up bottoming out the talent, which is what happened near the end of the BB era. They couldn't compete because BB the GM had sabotaged BB the coach with bad grocery shopping over the years.

I don't think we even get a 4th round pick back for Strange. At this point would anyone offer anything of value for Strange in a trade? Probably only one of their own castoff draft failures is the most we could hope for.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Boooofknhoooo, Billy made some mistakes...he only got us 6 Superbowl wins ..he fkn sux, we should have had 9! Fk that dude, he sux balls... we'd have won more if we had Rod Rust in there!

 

[rkarp1]

My understanding is that the BB JMCD offense likes having a more athletic left guard. (think Mankins and Thuney) and a stouter right guard ( Onwenu, Mason). Strange was drafted at the time when BB was looking to run more zone. 69 has not proven himself in a gap heavy scheme. He does have a nice ability to get to the second level, but he needs to be more stout in pass pro and gap. Now that we have an insanely athletic center who can get down field and pull, maybe its better to have a big gap mauler at LG? Will JMCD run a decent amount of zone?

I posted a thread about possible trades. I think most people assume that Strange has literally zero trade value.

I happen to agree with most everything you posted here. I see the issue being is that maybe Strange is no longer the guy to get to the 2nd level, given his injury. and he has never been the size/strength player that excels in pass pro/bully ball.
Bradbury is that 2nd level type OC, and he is a cerebral OC. might Wilson be that athletic, 2nd level LG that McD has favored in the past

 

[WhatJustHappened]

What?

 

[Wozzy]

Check Coles Strange’s RAS score, then take note of his 31 bench press reps leaving college. The notion he can’t play any system is silly fan speak.

If healthy he’s a high end starting guard in this league. All the Patriots have to do this season is determine if he’s healthy and if they want to pay him.

 

[farn]

As others have stated : I think his value to the team outweighs his trade value. Let’s see how he does this summer / early Fall.

 

[Wozzy]

Belichick absolutely embarrassed McVay in Super Bowl LIII, stole his lunch money… maybe we shouldn’t hold him and his one ring up as some paragon of competency.

 

[Huckleberry1]

As others have stated : I think his value to the team outweighs his trade value. Let’s see how he does this summer / early Fall.

I agree with this. They aren’t going to get his value in a trade so just have him play out his contract and go on from there. Strange isn’t stupid, he knows he has to have a good season to get a good contract after this season, so he should be highly motivated.

 

[upstater1]

cole strange missed the first 14 games of 2024... when he came back, he played out of position, partly because they weren't sure his knee could handle the requirements of the guard position... the front office went out and added a lot of moving pieces to the line this year... all of that means he is a speculative camp cut... he has no trade value

Struggling trying to remember who we signed. We brought in tackles in Moses and Campbell. We brought in a center in Bradbury to take over for Andrews.

As far as I know, we're going into the season with 4 guards. Onwenu, Sow, Robinson and Strange. While the new coaches seem to have elevated Sow in their estimations, they've downgraded Robinson. This tells me that Strange is easily in the best position to grab that left guard spot.

 

[upstater1]

That's because they considered Strange a 4th round talent, not even remotely close to a 1st round guy. Strange is still one of BB's worst reaches in a history rife with reach picks.

When you keep consistently doing that, you end up bottoming out the talent, which is what happened near the end of the BB era. They couldn't compete because BB the GM had sabotaged BB the coach with bad grocery shopping over the years.

I don't think we even get a 4th round pick back for Strange. At this point would anyone offer anything of value for Strange in a trade? Probably only one of their own castoff draft failures is the most we could hope for.

Rams wanted him in the 3rd, and they had a pick in the top of the round.

Belichick knew he reached because he is on record as saying he was trying to trade down with the pick, so they took the guy that was highest on the board.

Now go look at that draft and realize why that is. Entire second round has had a huge number of flameouts.

The big mistake in that draft was passing on McDuffie. But other than McDuffie, the latter third of that first round was also a nightmare. It was one of the weakest drafts in history.

I continue to believe they wanted to draft a tackle, but when the 6th tackle was taken right before the Patriots pick, they bailed and traded down.

Ironically, most of these tackles taken ahead of the Patriots pick have sucked badly: Ekwonu, Neal, Cross, Green, Penning and even Zion Johnson.

 

[upstater1]

I happen to agree with most everything you posted here. I see the issue being is that maybe Strange is no longer the guy to get to the 2nd level, given his injury. and he has never been the size/strength player that excels in pass pro/bully ball.
Bradbury is that 2nd level type OC, and he is a cerebral OC. might Wilson be that athletic, 2nd level LG that McD has favored in the past

Wilson, I've read, is coming along as a rookie. Don't expect much from him this year.

 

[upstater1]

If this year doesn't pan out with Campbell and Wilson, we need to go back and reevaluate whoever has been making the determinations at OL over the last few years.

And that includes free agent signings and trades, not only the draft.

Because we have expended a lot of picks.