Patriots could face off against their former 1st-round pick in Miami

The New England Patriots might be dealing with off in opposition to an previous good friend on Sunday afternoon in Miami.

With the Dolphins in want of reinforcements on the offensive line, Miami is signing former Patriots offensive lineman Cole Unusual off the Cleveland Browns’ follow squad, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. 

Unusual was one the highest draft whiffs in latest reminiscence for the Patriots, with New England deciding on the previous offensive lineman out of UT Chattanooga with the twenty ninth decide within the 2022 NFL Draft.

Initially deemed a attain on the time — particularly with the Patriots in want of high-end talent elsewhere throughout the depth chart — Unusual’s three seasons in Foxborough had been marred by harm and ineffectiveness. 

Unusual began 29 video games on the offensive line for New England from 2022-24, with a torn patellar tendon ending his 2023 season and forcing him to overlook almost a 12 months whereas rehabbing again.

Unusual entered coaching camp as the favourite to grab New England’s beginning function at left guard this summer season, solely to get leapfrogged on the depth chart by a number of gamers, together with rookie Jared Wilson, Ben Brown, and Caedan Wallace. 

The Patriots in the end launched Unusual on roster cutdown day, with the 27-year-old guard touchdown with the Browns follow squad earlier than shifting on to Miami. 

There stands an opportunity that Unusual might be within the lineup for Sunday’s matchup between the Patriots and Dolphins at Arduous Rock Stadium. The Dolphins had been dealt a setback in Week 1 after beginning proper guard James Daniels went down with a pectoral harm simply three snaps into an eventual 33-8 loss to the Colts. 

Unusual is a viable contingency plan at guard, contemplating that Daniels’ substitute, Kion Smith, had solely performed sort out within the NFL ranks earlier than getting pushed inside in opposition to the Colts. 

The Patriots now have a number of potential reunions with former gamers set within the coming weeks.

After battling the Dolphins in Week 2, the Patriots will welcome the Steelers at Gillette Stadium in Week 3 — which can see the return of former security Jabrill Peppers to Foxborough. 

Peppers, who was a shock reduce from New England’s roster earlier than the beginning of regular-season play, reportedly signed with Pittsburgh on Tuesday, per NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. 

 

Conor Ryan is a employees author protecting the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Crimson Sox for Boston.com, a job he has held since 2023.