The New England Patriots made a somewhat unsurprising decision when they decided to not pick up interior offensive lineman, Cole Strange's fifth year option, which would have netted him over $16 million in 2026, according to projections made by Over The Cap.
This would have made the Chattanooga alum the 14th highest paid interior offensive lineman in the NFL by average/year - a ranking that is probably not accurate given the solid, but not elite quality of the Tennessee native's play.
With Strange's contract set to expire at the end of the season, there could well be a vacant spot on the offensive line come 2026 - if the team does not decide to bring in a big-ticket free agent to replace Strange - or indeed end up re-signing him.