Pats Pulpit
The first win of head coach Mike Vrabel’s New England Patriots tenure arrived against the Miami Dolphins. Things have changed from September to January. Some personnel, too.
Two players who once called Hard Rock Stadium home currently find themselves at Gillette Stadium. Seven more on-field connections can be found on the other side of the AFC East.
Between the active rosters, practice squads and reserve lists, here’s a glance heading into Sunday’s 4:25 p.m. ET season finale in Foxborough.
JaMycal Hasty, running back — Yet to become a standard elevation, Hasty has resided on the Dolphins’ practice squad since the week it formed in August. The 29-year-old running back got there after returning to the Patriots in the preseason and being let go at the NFL’s 53-man deadline. He initially headed to Foxborough as a waiver claim in 2023. And last campaign, Hasty appeared in 15 games for New England’s backfield, notching 20 carries for 69 yards, 10 catches for 59 yards and one touchdown. The vested veteran also averaged 23.8 yards per kickoff return. Undrafted via the Baylor Bears in 2020, Hasty made previous stops with the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars and has appeared in 56 career contests.
Yodny Cajuste, offensive tackle — The Dolphins placed the 29-year-old Cajuste on injured reserve shortly after he signed in training camp. Originally entering the NFL in the third round of the 2019 draft, he spent four seasons with the Patriots through tours on injured reserve as well as the non-football injury list. The former West Virginia bookend saw action in 17 games along the way, starting a handful as a swing tackle, and finishing with 278 snaps on offense and 55 snaps on special teams. After being waived out of his restricted tender in 2023, Cajuste spent time with the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Cole Strange, guard — Strange has started 13 games at right guard for the Dolphins, handling 752 offensive snaps, good for 81 percent. It marks his third line since entering the NFL at pick No. 29 overall in the 2022 draft. The Chattanooga Mocs standout appeared in 30 games while with the Patriots. A torn patellar tendon resulted in 52 weeks missed. He started 27 games at left guard and another pair at center before having his fifth-year option declined in the spring. Subsequently waived at the league’s cutdown deadline, the 27-year-old briefly joined the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns. But Strange soon circled back to the AFC East for a place on the 53-man roster in Miami Gardens.
Jack Jones, cornerback — Jones has started all 16 games since joining Miami’s secondary as a free agent in July, tallying 73 tackles as well as two forced fumbles and one interception. The 28-year-old cornerback out of USC, Moorpark College and Arizona State had been waived by New England amid the 2023 campaign. His 18-game Patriots stint included 42 tackles, two interceptions, one touchdown as well as one forced fumble...
