pierre strong jr. – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Kevin Stefanski did his homework on new Browns RB Pierre Strong Jr.

The Browns seem to have had an eye on Strong for awhile now

Sunday, one day after the team’s final preseason game, the Cleveland Browns sent offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. to the New England Patriots for running back Pierre Strong Jr. in a straight swap. The move made a ton of sense for the Browns who have not gotten much out of any of their running backs consistently in the preseason without Nick Chubb.

When talking about the move head coach Kevin Stefanski said the team has done a ton of work on the second-year player. The Browns would end up taking Jerome Ford in the fifth last year when Strong was already off the board, could the team have wanted Strong if he fell then?

Either way, this move makes a ton of sense as he gives plenty of upside to the running back depth and adds some return ability too with Jakeem Grant on IR.

#Browns Kevin Stefanski on adding RB Pierre Strong pic.twitter.com/dznRffbi6D

— Fred Greetham (@FredGreetham9) August 27, 2023

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One last 53-man roster prediction after trade for Pierre Strong Jr.

One more for the road?

As the Cleveland Browns continue to work their way down to 53 players, they still have 23 roster spots to clear. They did, however, add another player to their roster yesterday as well, trading offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. to the New England Patriots for running back Pierre Strong Jr.

They already cut down to 76 yesterday, releasing the likes of wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, cornerback Caleb Biggers, and running back Jordan Wilkins along the way. There is still work to do, however.

With 23 cuts to go for the Browns (and then some waiver claims and more cuts) here is one final 53-man roster prediction.

Report: Patriots trade Pierre Strong Jr. to Browns for veteran OT

The Patriots have reportedly traded RB Pierre Strong Jr. to the Browns.

The New England Patriots have reportedly traded second-year running back Pierre Strong Jr. to the Cleveland Browns for veteran offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the news on Sunday.

The Patriots clearly needed offensive tackle depth given the way the unit struggled throughout the preseason. Wheatley went undrafted in 2020, and this will be his third NFL team after spending time with the Browns and Chicago Bears.

So even though he’s a veteran by definition, he’s still considered as more of a developmental option offensive lineman. He has yet to appear in a regular season game in either one of his previous two stops.

Trade: The #Patriots have traded RB Pierre Strong Jr to the #Browns in exchange for OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr., sources say.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2023

Strong’s exit possibly paves the way for Ty Montgomery, Kevin Harris or maybe even J.J. Taylor to earn a spot on the final roster.

Injuries have derailed Montgomery in back-to-back training camps, but there’s no denying he’s the third-most talented player all-around on the depth chart.

Harris would be a bit redundant for what the team already has in Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott, but Taylor, who had a great preseason run, could add another element with his speed, versatility and shifty footwork.

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Browns find their RB3; trade OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr. to Patriots for Pierre Strong Jr.

The Browns have their RB3

The Cleveland Browns have made a move to address their lack of depth at the running back position. With second-string back Jerome Ford missing most of training camp, and with none of their other running backs taking hold of the third-string gig, the team has traded a depth piece to the New England Patriots in exchange for second-year running back Pierre Strong Jr.

Strong was drafted a round before Ford in last year’s NFL draft, a fourth round pick of the Patriots. He played in 15 games a year ago but only saw 10 carries. With those ten carries, however, Strong Jr. averaged 10 yards per carry and scored a touchdown. He reeled in seven catches for 42 yards as well.

This spells bad news for both Demetric Felton and John Kelly Jr.

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Positive update on health status of Patriots RB Pierre Strong Jr.

Injured Patriots RB Pierre Strong Jr. could be nearing a return.

Pierre Strong Jr. has been dealing with injury issues as of late, but there was an encouraging update on Sunday. ESPN’s Mike Reiss revealed in his Sunday notes column that the New England Patriots running back was dealing with a concussion.

However, he is expected to rejoin the team this week.

Strong suffered the concussion in the preseason opener against the Houston Texans on August 10. Now, he will have his chance to rejoin a running back room that’s a bit more crowded with the Patriots signing Ezekiel Elliott.

Strong recorded six carries for 21 yards against Houston in the preseason opener. He did not see the field for New England last season.

Here’s what Reiss had to say about Strong’s status, as the team prepares for the final preseason game before the regular season opener:

Barring an unexpected turn, the plan is for second-year running back Pierre Strong Jr. to rejoin the team this week after not traveling to Green Bay because he was in the concussion protocol. Strong likely gets bumped down the depth chart with Elliott’s arrival, but it’s hard to imagine there still isn’t a role in which the 5-foot-11, 212-pound player’s breakaway speed — a notable contrast to Stevenson and Elliott — can be tapped at times.

Strong’s progress is certainly a positive as it relates to him lending a helping hand to the Patriots’ offensive backfield. He will need to be at full force if he hopes to make a name for himself in the unit.

There is still plenty of time for him to make an impact with this being only his second NFL season.

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5 takeaways from Day 5 of Patriots training camp practice

Here’s how Day 5 of training camp looked for the Patriots

There was a different feeling in the air on Monday with the pads coming on for the first time at New England Patriots’ training camp.

It felt like real football with the clanging and banging of shoulder pads and helmets. The offense was looking to build on some of the success they started to show on Sunday, while the defense wanted to continue making life difficult for quarterback Mac Jones and company.

The Patriots had six players in total missing in practice with Ty Montgomery, Cody Davis, Michael Onwenu, Calvin Anderson, Jake Andrews and Terez Hall being out. Matthew Judon, Trent Brown and Rhamondre Stevenson were also limited.

Here are five takeaways from Day 5 of training camp;

Rhamondre Stevenson confident in Patriots’ current RB room

While open to the possibility of a new teammate, Rhamondre Stevenson still has faith in the Patriots’ current running backs.

Rhamonde Stevenson feels positive about the New England Patriots’ running back room as currently constructed.

Granted, Ty Montgomery has been dealing with an injury, but the unit also has Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris. Former leading-rusher Damien Harris joined the Buffalo Bills after losing the starting job to Stevenson last season, and the Patriots cut James Robinson in June.

“I’m totally confident in our room right now,” Stevenson told media members, via NESN’s Dakota Randall. “But if we get another one, you know, I’m with that too. I’m just playing the game right now. I’m not really worried about who we sign, contracts — nothing like that. Just the game of football.”

Those comments followed the Dalvin Cook rumors of a possible visit with the Patriots. Cook is reportedly closing in on a deal with the New York Jets. Meanwhile, the Patriots just had former two-time NFL leading-rusher Ezekiel Elliott in for a visit.

Cook would undoubtedly be a strong addition for New England, if an opportunity presented itself. The current depth as of now remains largely untested.

Strong played in five games last season, with his best performance coming against the Arizona Cardinals on December 12. He recorded five carries for 70 yards and a touchdown. Montgomery’s impact as it relates to the team is largely still in question as well. And like Strong, Kevin Harris is lacking in experience to step into a larger role.

The Patriots will either have to make a move at some point or sit back and simply trust what they already have on the roster.

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Rhamondre Stevenson highly underrated in Patriots Madden 24 RB ratings

Madden definitely got this one wrong with Rhamondre Stevenson

Player ratings for EA Sports’ “Madden NFL 24” have been trickling out, and New England Patriots fans are already upset with the overall rating given to running back Rhamondre Stevenson.

The Patriots’ lead back was given an 80 rating, despite rushing for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns last season. He also hauled in 69 receptions for 421 yards and one touchdown.

Not only did Stevenson not rank in the top-20 of rated NFL running backs, but he almost fell to 30th in the league as officially the 28th-ranked running back in the entire game.

Ouch.

To make matters worse, the game even has rookie Bijan Robinson rated ahead of him, even though the former Texas standout has yet to take his first official NFL snap. Make it make sense, somebody?

Stevenson will have a chance to show the game creators just how wrong they are when suiting up for his third season as the official starter for the Patriots.

James Robinson is also listed as a Patriot, but he was waived by the team back in June. So keep that in mind when perusing these official running back ratings for New England.

3 Patriots players to avoid in 2023 fantasy football drafts

You may want to avoid these three Patriots players in fantasy football drafts

It’s always fun talking about sleepers or offensive mainstays, but we need to talk about some players to avoid in fantasy football in 2023.

That isn’t to say they’ll be terrible overall, but these are players who will likely not provide any fantasy value to your roster due to many factors, including role, injury or depth chart.

These players could wind up making me eat my words, and I would hope they do. But not everyone will be fantasy relevant, even on the best offensive teams.

These players should stay on waivers and could be picked up eventually. However, it is best to monitor their play for the first month before rostering them.

Here are three Patriots players that should be avoided in fantasy football drafts this season: