The final year of Cole Strange’s rookie contract will go forward as scheduled.

The New England Patriots plan to decline the interior offensive lineman’s option for 2026, projected at $16.7 million, as reported Wednesday by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

May 1 marked the deadline for selections from the first round of the 2022 NFL draft to have their fifth-year options exercised by clubs. The window to do so opened on Jan. 6.

Since then, 17 prospects from that rookie class have seen theirs picked up. The list includes Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis and Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Dax Hill, who directly followed the arrival out of Chattanooga at No. 29 overall.

It loomed as an expected decision in Foxborough.

Strange, 26, has started 29 of his 30 appearances for the Patriots. The past first-team All-SoCon honoree stands 1,666 snaps on offense and 89 snaps on special teams into his tenure.

But Strange’s 2023 season ended on injured reserve after being carted off with a torn patellar tendon. Following a long road back, the former left guard was activated from the physically unable to perform list 52 weeks later, debuting in the kicking game on Dec. 22 before starting the last two contests at center.

He is now working with his third coaching staff since heading to Gillette Stadium.

“Cole’s worked hard at center the last couple weeks of the season. It was pretty impressive considering he hadn’t spent much time there,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters at the annual league meetings on March 31. “He’ll work on the interior three, but I think you give him an opportunity to compete at center and build off of what he did at the end of last year.”

The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Strange is set to carry a $2.376 million base salary and $3.899 million cap charge into a starting competition, per OverTheCap.com.

New England’s renovated offensive line room also includes veteran signing Garrett Bradbury, exclusive rights re-signing Ben Brown and incoming No. 95 overall pick Jared Wilson at center. The guard group, headlined by Mike Onwenu’s 2024 extension on the right side, currently includes Layden Robinson, Wes Schweitzer, Sidy Sow and Tyrese Robinson under contract.