Among the top units that need to be addressed in the upcoming draft remains the offensive line. It was one of the weakest groups of the 2024 season and remains so even after the flurry of free agency activity last month.
The Patriots made a slight adjustment to the group by signing starting right tackle Morgan Moses and guard Wes Schweitzer, but these additions are not enough to drastically improve the production needed for the 2025 season.
That has shifted the focus to the upcoming draft, leading to the increasing premise that LSU left tackle Will Campbell will inevitably be the Patriots' first-round pick. He would be a massive addition to the most problematic side of the offensive line, but Mike Vrabel might be looking to make even more adjustments for the season ahead.
They are a group in need of a lot of help, with the unexpected release of longtime starting center David Andrews dominating the most troublesome moves of the offseason thus far. It puts the Patriots in a deeper hole than they were when the offseason started, so Vrabel is now hinting at how they will address it.
David Andrews' departure could mean Cole Strange is the next starting center for the 2025 season
Andrews' exit has prompted Vrabel to consider moving guard Cole Strange into that role for next year, a move we saw a bit of from him upon his return from injury late last season.
Although he wasn't able to get many reps at center, Vrabel shared he felt Strange impressed enough to compete for the role in 2025. Considering their other current options, it doesn't seem like a bad idea to give it a try.
Mike Vrabel says Cole Strange was impressive at center late last season considering he hadn’t played there before in the NFL and will compete with veteran signing Garrett Bradbury
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) March 31, 2025
Also says Strange has three-position versatility inside
If Strange works out at center, that takes a lot of pressure off New England to fill out the offensive line through the draft. They can still take multiple players from the group, but it won't be as urgent as if they didn't have Strange waiting in the wings.
They might not know definitively before the draft, however, which makes for a trickier task. However, if Vrabel was impressed with the limited snaps Strange took at center last season, then it might not be too risky to pass on the position altogether or wait until a late round to select a player.
It would be nice to see the former first-rounder make an impact in some way on the offensive line, as it remains one of the weakest parts of the entire roster. If he can move around to three positions, as Vrabel said, they might be in a better spot than most thought they were. Regardless, bolstering the offensive line through the draft is a must, especially if they can secure a starter in the early rounds.