Patriots sign offensive tackle Cedrick Lang

The offensive tackle position is somewhat of a need for the New England Patriots at the moment: they lost Trent Brown and LaAdrian Waddle in free agency, while Isaiah Wynn is coming off a season-long stint on injured reserve. Naturally, it is not a surprise to see the reigning world champions add some depth and talent to the group: as the Patriots announced earlier today, they have signed free agent Cedrick Lang.

The 26-year-old originally entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent signing by the New York Giants in 2016. A converted basketball player who did not play football until his fifth year of eligibility at Texas-El Paso, the 6’7, 300-pound Lang started his career as a tight end but failed to carve out a role with the Giants: he was released during roster cutdowns, and subsequently spent all of the 2016 season on the open market.

In January 2017, the Denver Broncos picked Lang up and moved him from tight end to offensive tackle. His career fortunes did not change, however, as the Broncos also let go of him. This time, it did not take long for Lang to find a new home: the Minnesota Vikings added him to their 2017 practice squad shortly after his release and Lang spent all of his second NFL season with the club.

Unfortunately, a lower leg injury suffered during the 2018 preseason robbed him of his chance to make an impact three years into his pro career: Lang was released by the club and later reverted to injured reserve. After a season on the Vikings’ IR, he hit free agency when it opened two weeks ago. Now, Lang has found a new home as a developmental option competing for practice snaps and a roster spot behind the Patriots’ current top-two at offensive tackle, Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon.