Cole Strange set to return for the Patriots…at center?

For the first time in over a year, Cole Strange could be back on the field for the Patriots offensive line Saturday night.

The 2022 first-round pick is on the mend for most of the 2024 NFL season after suffering a torn patella tendon on Dec. 17, 2023 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Strange was activated before New England’s road game against the Bills last Sunday, but did not record any offensive snaps in the Patriots’ 24-21 final loss at Highmark Stadium.

But with starting center Ben Brown in the concussion protocol ahead of Saturday’s game against the Chargers, Strange could be the next man up for New England.

“Honestly, I’m excited about this opportunity,” Strange told MassLive’s Karen Guregian on Thursday. “I feel like I’ve been working for this for a year now. And I’m really excited about this opportunity, really.

Brown’s timeline regarding concussion protocol is unclear, with Strange and Lecitus Smith being the only two centers remaining on the roster.

Although Strange has primarily played left guard throughout his tenure in Foxborough, he has primarily practiced this season at center as New England looks for more versatility (and a potential replacement for David Andrews in due time) .

“The position I’m in is really no different than a lot of guys around the league are in, coming back from injury,” Strange said. “Maybe they had about a week of training, I had several weeks.

“I’m in a new position, so I’m still figuring it out, but I’ve had a lot of time…I feel very prepared. We still have a few days left, but I feel good, I feel good physically, my knees are healthy.

Getting back on the field is already a step in the right direction for Strange, who admitted his rehabilitation from such a serious leg injury was an arduous process.

“It was crazy,” Strange said in November of his first steps after having his cast removed. “I felt like a baby deer. It was really embarrassing. The only thing that happens is just doing it. Walk with crutches then walk without. Force yourself not to limp – not to go on your right leg. It’s not the same, but it’s a bit the same with football. It’s just doing it.

Although New England still has a lot of work to do when it comes to strengthening a porous O-line this offseason, finding out if Strange can hold his own at center or guard in these final two games would at least help check a question. for the Patriots entering 2025.

Conor Ryan is a writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.