Cole Strange's actual injury kept secret by Patriots until now

When Cole Strange went down with a serious injury late last season in the game against the Chiefs, it was a massive blow to an already shaky offensive line. Although the Patriots were having a less-than-mediocre season and weren't making the playoffs anyway, the guard had mostly been a solid addition since he was drafted in 2022.

Given how poorly the offensive line was performing, it was the absolute worst-case scenario to see Strange carted off the field, signaling the injury was more severe than anyone could have imagined.

The specifics of the knee injury have remained a question for the past six months, with the only updates coming from Jerod Mayo during spring practices. The head coach shared that Strange was considered "month-to-month" with his rehab, leaving doubt surrounding his status for the start of the regular season.

Based on how seemingly hush-hush the details were, it was clear that Strange was dealing with a severe injury, but how serious it might be hadn't been known until now.

Patriots kept Cole Strange's specific injury under wraps until now

In his weekly Sunday column this past weekend, ESPN's Mike Reiss wrote about Strange's injury and revealed what exactly he was healing from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.

It's an incredibly serious injury that takes a long time to heal, which Mayo knows firsthand as he dealt with the same issue late in his career, as noted by Reiss.

"The injury that Patriots 2022 first-round draft pick Cole Strange is rehabilitating from -- a torn patellar tendon in his left knee sustained last December -- is something that Mayo endured as a player late in his career in 2014.

So when Mayo previously said that Strange was in the "month-to-month" category, and that every player other than Strange is tracking to be available health-wise by the first few weeks of training camp, he was speaking from first-hand experience of the challenging comeback Strange hopes to make."

It's heartbreaking news for the young lineman, who might have a longer road ahead of him than initially believed.

It's also a significant loss for the Patriots offensive line as they deal with the loss of Trent Brown and the addition of two rookies and free agents, who appear to have more on their plate now with the uncertain future of Strange.

Given the extent of his rehab, it's fair to assume he won't be back before Week 1 and might not make it back to the field until late in the season, if at all.

Surely, now that his injury has been made public, we'll gain more clarity on the situation over the next several weeks. Mayo will have to plan accordingly regarding the state of the offensive line, which has already been seen with moving Sidy Sow to left guard at minicamp. However, how else Mayo will have to adjust is yet to be seen.

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