PATRIOTS TRAINING CAMP Training Camp Day 7 - July 30

[Family]

To declare Wilson the permanent LG is somewhat of an overreaction. However, to say that he is at the front of the line is an overreaction is simply untrue. He has been getting more and more reps each practice, has seemed to have the best performance out of all LG candidates, and now got first crack with the 1s while his main competitor was sent off to 2nd team center. There's a pretty clear trend line here.

It's fair to say IMO that it's his job to lose.

 

[Sect140]

He had 1 full year at the starter at Center. But he was the back-up Center for 3 years.

There have been a total of 2 dropped snaps.. One by Wilson. One by Bradbury.

I chalk them both up to new Center

I believe Wilson has had two, according to the Patriots post practice show and two other podcasts of reporters attending practices he’s had two and and Bradbury one. Like you mentioned new centers working with Drake.

 

[Ian]

For them to play him there and have him ahead of the Former First Rounder speaks volumes to me. 2022 was an abysmal Draft year for us a lot of BB Specials.

In fairness to Strange, his gamble to be a good soldier in 2023 was pivotal, and not in a good way. The knee injury he suffered in camp that year needed surgery and he decided to soldier through it, and he ultimately got knocked out in Week 15 after it finally failed him.

He missed most of the offseason ahead of 2024 and there were reports he might not have made it back at all. As it was, he didn't come back until late in the year and wasn't activated until just before Week 16, playing 3 snaps on special teams before starting at center the last two weeks.

My guess is that the knee is still bothering him in some capacity, even though he's been medically cleared. But that decision took him from a starting player to a guy who is now battling to earn a roster spot. I actually feel bad for him, because they were so bereft of talent up front that year in 2023 that I'm sure that played a role in him trying to play through it, and it seems like it might have been a career-altering decision.

 

[upstater1]

In fairness to Strange, his gamble to be a good soldier in 2023 was pivotal, and not in a good way. The knee injury he suffered in camp that year needed surgery and he decided to soldier through it, and he ultimately got knocked out in Week 15 after it finally failed him.

He missed most of the offseason ahead of 2024 and there were reports he might not have made it back at all. As it was, he didn't come back until late in the year and wasn't activated until just before Week 16, playing 3 snaps on special teams before starting at center the last two weeks.

My guess is that the knee is still bothering him in some capacity, even though he's been medically cleared. But that decision took him from a starting player to a guy who is now battling to earn a roster spot. I actually feel bad for him, because they were so bereft of talent up front that year in 2023 that I'm sure that played a role in him trying to play through it, and it seems like it might have been a career-altering decision.

I'm not sure about this Ian. It could very well be that he should not have been playing at all, but the torn patellar tendon/meniscus happened after a leg whip in a game. I remember the replay was clearly a freak play where a defender's leg came across at speed and got him in the knee. You could see Strange's knee crumple from the leg whip.

It very well might be however that he had done permanent damage prior to the leg whip.

 

[upstater1]

For them to play him there and have him ahead of the Former First Rounder speaks volumes to me. 2022 was an abysmal Draft year for us a lot of BB Specials.

Go back and look at that entire draft. Especially the mid first round and second round. It was a horrible draft PERIOD.

I can't remember so many busts in the premium rounds. More than half of the first 2 rounds busted.

Cole Strange has had more of an impact than 21 of the first 64 players taken!

 

[upstater1]

I am not sure we should resign Strange beyond his rookie contract. I think Strange is OK, not the 10th OLmen some are now claiming, but we need to upgrade going forward. I was hopeful Wallace could transition to OG but that does not look good either. And we have to wait because Campbell might be a better LG than LT which means Wilson is the Center and we redraft a LT in 2026. Lots of moving pieces. Do we keep Onwenu next year at RG at $19M? Who is the RT in 2026. Moses's knee looks like it will not hold up for 2 years, maybe not for this year. Marrone doing miracles with Jacobs is BS Boston Sports reporter stuff.

The problem with this is that Wilson was picked as a center, and while we have a whole bunch of guys at guard, we really have not been stocking the center position, other than Wilson.

We have Wilson, Strange, Onwenu, Sow, Wallace and Robinson for 2 guard positions.

When it comes to center for the future, we have Wilson. If Strange plays center this year, I doubt he sticks around into his next contract.

Which means, we're looking for a center again.

Meanwhile we just drafted 5 guards and have a surplus of them.

 

[Ian]

I'm not sure about this Ian. It could very well be that he should not have been playing at all, but the torn patellar tendon/meniscus happened after a leg whip in a game. I remember the replay was clearly a freak play where a defender's leg came across at speed and got him in the knee. You could see Strange's knee crumple from the leg whip.

It very well might be however that he had done permanent damage prior to the leg whip.

I think that was what ended up being the case. By all accounts, it was the same leg. The report by Curran about the fact that he should have had surgery in the summer, but that he opted to play through it, obviously meant it wasn't 100%, and the play you mentioned seemed to be what pushed it over the edge. Bedard said last year that he had doubts Strange would play at all in 2024, and given that we didn't see him until that late in the season, he was clearly in rough shape coming off the surgery.

 

[PatsFan2]

Go back and look at that entire draft. Especially the mid first round and second round. It was a horrible draft PERIOD.

I can't remember so many busts in the premium rounds. More than half of the first 2 rounds busted.

Cole Strange has had more of an impact than 21 of the first 64 players taken!

Yeah...Purdy was a real Gem for the 49ers later on. That Jack Jones could have been a player if wasn't a knucklehead.

 

[Ian]

Yeah...Purdy was a real Gem for the 49ers later on. That Jack Jones could have been a player if wasn't a knucklehead.

He's in Miami now. We'll see him again this year if he sticks.

Decent piece about him here:

Why Jack Jones Is Thankful for His Opportunity

New Miami Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones earned a roster spot on the New England Patriots as a fourth-round rookie in 2022, but three seasons later he understan

www.si.com

 

[upstater1]

Yeah...Purdy was a real Gem for the 49ers later on. That Jack Jones could have been a player if wasn't a knucklehead.

I meant the NFL draft

 

[mgteich]

The problem with this is that Wilson was picked as a center, and while we have a whole bunch of guys at guard, we really have not been stocking the center position, other than Wilson.

We have Wilson, Strange, Onwenu, Sow, Wallace and Robinson for 2 guard positions.

When it comes to center for the future, we have Wilson. If Strange plays center this year, I doubt he sticks around into his next contract.

Which means, we're looking for a center again.

Meanwhile we just drafted 5 guards and have a surplus of them.

The GOOD news is that Wilson is our best LG for 2025 and the future.
The BAD news is that Wilson our best LG for 2025 and for the future.
===========
I guess that the BOTTOM LINE is that we have added two good OL rookie starters.

 

[signbabybrady]

The GOOD news is that Wilson is our best LG for 2025 and the future.
The BAD news is that Wilson our best LG for 2025 and for the future.
===========
I guess that the BOTTOM LINE is that we have added two good OL rookie starters.

I think Vrabel likes Bradbury more than Strange so far. Assuming Bradbury gets healthy I think Wilson very well could be starting LG for 2025 but I think the long-term plan would probably still be to give him a good chance to be the center for the future.

Also if Bradbury is hurt Wilson will get another chance to be the starting center now. I just don't buy Brown being better than Strange.