BREAKING: Patriots Trade RB Pierre Strong to Browns for OL

The New England Patriots are attempting to add depth to their struggling offensive line, trading second-year running back Pierre Strong Jr. to the Cleveland Browns to acquire offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

In the wake of an injury-plagued training camp and a woeful performance in last Friday night's final preseason game, the New England Patriots on Sunday began scrambling to help their discombobulated offensive line.

The Patriots traded second-year running back Pierre Strong Jr. to the Cleveland Browns to acquire developmental offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

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

While parting with a fourth-round draft pick from its 2022 class, New England hopes to add depth to its offensive line with a player yet to make his NFL debut. Wheatley Jr., 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, went undrafted out of Michigan in 2020 but signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears and spent two years on their practice squad. He has subsequently been a member of the practice squads of the Las Vegas Raiders and Browns.

After starting his career for the Wolverines as a tight end, he transferred to Stony Brook. He was moved to offensive tackle by the Bears. His father is Tyrone Wheatley, a first-round draft pick and Pro Bowl running back of the New York Giants in the 1990s.

The Browns had four offensive tackles listed above Wheatley on their depth chart, and he had recently missed a week of practice with a concussion suffered in a training camp intra-squad fight.

Inexperienced or not, the Patriots need healthy bodies along their offensive line. The ideal starting five up front - Trent Brown (LT), Cole Strange (LG), David Andrews (C), Mike Onwenu (RG) and Riley Reiff (RT) - didn't take a snap together in the preseason and the patchwork units in its place were dangerously inept. The starters against the Tennessee Titans last weekend were Andrew Stueber, Chasen Hines, Jake Andrews, Sidy Sow and Reiff, and they were abysmal.

In his only preseason appearance, starting quarterback Mac Jones was sacked twice in three series. And against the Titans the Patriots surrendered six sacks, three leading to fumbles by backup quarterback Bailey Zappe.

The Pats drafted Strong with hopes that his 4.3 speed would lead to him being an asset out of the backfield, but it never materialized. As a rookie he rushed 10 times for 100 yards, with a breakout game last December against the Cardinals when he gained 70 yards (including a 44-yarder) and scored the only touchdown of his career.

This preseason he carried 14 times for 52 yards, but was made expendable by the arrival of veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott.

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