Monday, May 20, marked the start of voluntary offseason programs for 21 NFL teams, including the New England Patriots, who began organized team activities (OTAs). Kevin Patra of NFL.com explains the significance of OTAs:

“OTAs kickstart Phase Three of the offseason program, which lasts four weeks. Clubs may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team activities. Live contact is prohibited but teams can run 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. The OTAs portion of the offseason calendar is when things start to look closer to actual practices than we’ve seen during offseason workouts.”

The Patriots had eight players absent from Monday’s OTAs, including their offensive lineman Cole Strange.

Cole Strange Injury Update

Cole Strange suffered a knee injury during training camp, causing him to miss four of the first six games of the 2023 season. He reinjured his knee in Week 15, leading to his placement on season-ending injured reserve. Due to this knee injury, Strange missed the start of OTAs.

Head Coach Jerod Mayo’s Update

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo provided an update on Strange’s condition.

“That’s an interesting one,” Mayo told reporters on Monday when asked about Strange’s status. “Cole’s another guy; normally we’d say ‘day by day.’ He’s more of a ‘week by week’ or you could go ‘month by month’ if you want to. He is working hard, he’s doing his rehab, he’s here every day. He’s in the meeting room, so I’m happy where he is.”

Who Filled in for Cole Strange?

In Strange’s absence, Sidy Sow filled in at left guard (LG) on Monday. Sow, in his rookie season, played 15 games and started 13 at right guard (RG), recording 27 pressures, 18 hurries, four hits, five sacks allowed, a 46.3 pass block grade, a 71.3 run block grade, and a 64.4 PFF grade.

Meanwhile, free-agent acquisition Nick Leverett took over at right guard (RG).

As the offseason progresses, the Patriots will continue to monitor Strange’s recovery and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the offensive line remains solid.