The Patriots received a much-needed boost up front.
Cole Strange, who has not taken the field in more than a year, will be active when the New England Patriots face the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The 2022 first-round pick spent the last year recovering from a torn patellar tendon injury and was activated to the 53-man roster two weeks ago.
It’s unknown how much Strange will play, or even where he’ll play along the offensive line. Strange could contribute at his typical left guard position, but he’s also worked center. If Strange does play the latter, he would do so in place of Ben Brown.
The Patriots, however, will be without a starting safety Jabrill Peppers, who was initially questionable with a hamstring injury. Fellow Patriots defenders Kyle Dugger (ankle/illness) and Keion White (groin) both are active after they were listed as questionable.
The Bills will be without four defensive starters including cornerback Rasul Douglas, linebacker Matt Milano as well as safeties Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp.
Here are the inactives for the Patriots:
S Jabrill Peppers
QB Joe Milton III
CB Marcus Jones
RB JaMycal Hasty
G Tyrese Robinson
G Lecitus Smith
And the inactives for the Bills:
WR Curtis Samuel
S Damar Hamlin
S Taylor Rapp
CB Rasul Douglas
LB Matt Milano
OT Tylan Grable
DT DeWayne Carter
Kickoff from Highmark Stadium is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.
