Ex Patriots' RB Pierre Strong Reacts to Trade: 'Business Thing'

Pierre Strong is leaving a relatively weak start to his career behind after the New England Patriots traded him to the Cleveland Browns.

No longer Boston Strong, a former New England Patriots running back is surprised but encouraged by recent transactional happenings.

The Patriots' league-mandated slice to 53 rostered players got off to an early start, as the team opened the week by trading running back Pierre Strong Jr. to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for offensive lineman Tyrone Wheatley Jr. Strong has spoken about his move for the first time in brown and orange, remarking that while the trade caught him off guard, he's looking forward to what Cleveland has to offer.

"(The trade) was kind of a surprise,” Strong told the Akron Beacon Journal. “(I) came to work every day, but like I said, it was like a business thing. I got called to the front office and the rest is history, I’m here now. I look at moving forward always so I never dwell on the past."

That certainly doesn't seem like someone who's going to be rushing (pun intended back to Foxborough for homecoming weekend: last season saw him earn 142 yards on 17 total touches after arriving as a sixth-round pick out of South Dakota State good for an average of just under 8.5 yards between a ground and aerial attack.

Alas for Strong's New England case, he was unable to convince offensive management that he was worthy of further touches. Once Ezekiel Elliott arrived to spell Rhamondre Stevenson, the Patriots apparently considered all other runners expendable, likewise bidding farewell to Kevin Harris and Ty Montgomery as part of Tuesday's enforced departures.

It still might sound unthinkable to some, but being traded from New England to Cleveland is perhaps a step in the right direction for a player seeking some kind of offensive traction. The Patriots have high hopes for their own primary back Rhamondre Stevenson but Strong is ready to relish working with and behind Nick Chubb, the Browns' four-time Pro Bowler, bar none one of the NFL's most potent dual-threat backfielders. He got his first taste of such a collaboration on Tuesday, as Chubb helped Strong keep pace at his first Cleveland-based practice.

USA TODAY SPORTS

"He knows everything," Strong lauded. "I listen to everything he saying to take it all in. He helped me perfect my game and just (told) me (that) little key pointers that he used  ... So he helped my game out as well."

With a packed rushing room (bidding farewell to Damien Harris earlier this offseason), the Patriots found it hard to give Strong any extended opportunities last season. Browns head coach is planning to spend the time he has left before his team opens its season at home on Sept. 10 against Cincinnati in finding a way to implement Strong into his system, both on offense and on special teams (spending most of his New England snaps on the former last season).

"He's a very smart young man, so I know he'll get it," Stefanski said. "It's a matter of us getting to know him a little bit, seeing what he fits both offensively and on special teams."

Prior to Strong's arrival, Cleveland's top spell option for Chubb appeared to be second-year man Jerome Ford, who missed most of training camp with an injury.