Patriots sign offensive tackle Cedrick Lang

The Patriots added some offensive line depth on Monday with the signing of 26-year-old tackle Cedrick Lang.

The 6-foot-7-inch, 300-pound former college basketball standout spent the 2018 season on injured reserve with the Vikings.

Lang entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Giants in 2016 after playing just one season at Texas-El Paso but was released in the final summer cuts. He signed on with the Broncos in January 2017 but was cut before the season started. He hooked on with the Vikings’ practice squad for the 2017 season.

After a four-year basketball career at UTEP — he averaged 10.3 points per game as a senior — Lang played tight end for the Miners, catching 11 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown in 12 games.

The Patriots lost left tackle Trent Brown (Raiders) and top swing tackle La’Adrian Waddle (Bills) in free agency. While 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn, projects to fill Brown’s spot, Lang will join a deep group trying to be the lead backup to Wynn and starting right tackle Marcus Cannon.

Cole Croston, who has spent time on the active roster and practice squad the last two seasons; Dan Skipper, who was a late-season practice squad addition; and Ryker Mathews, who signed a futures deal in the offseason, will battle for depth spots.

Offseason schedule

The Patriots’ voluntary offseason program will begin April 15, the NFL announced. The nine-week program is conducted in three phases. Phase One is the first two weeks with activities limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation.

Phase Two is for three weeks and consists of on-field workouts “that may include player instruction and drills as well as team practice conducted on a ‘separates’ basis.” Live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are not permitted.

Phase Three is for four weeks and teams may conduct up to 10 days of organized team practice activity. The Patriots have scheduled seven: May 20, 21, 23, 29, 30, and June 10 and 11. No live contact is allowed, though 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.

New England’s mandatory minicamp is set for June 4-6.