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.
