The preseason may be over for the Cleveland Browns, but the team continues to fine-tune its roster before the regular season kicks off.
On Sunday, the Browns and the New England Patriots made a trade involving offensive players.
Per NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, New England sent running back Pierre Strong Jr. to Cleveland in exchange for 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
Wheatley was in his second year with the Browns after spending most of 2022 on the team’s practice squad.
The tackle also spent 2021 and part of 2022 on the practice squads of the Chicago Bears and the Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.
His father, Tyrone Wheatley Sr., played running back in the NFL for 10 years.
Strong was in his second year with New England after being selected out of South Dakota State as the 127th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
During his time with the Jackrabbits, the 5’11, 205-pound Strong started immediately as a freshman in 2018 and tallied 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He was then voted the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s Freshman of the Year.
In 2019, Strong had over 1,000 rushing yards and eight touchdowns before being limited to 707 yards as a junior due to the Covid delayed season.
South Dakota State lost in the FCS National Championship game against Sam Houston State that year.
Then, as a senior in 2021, Strong totted the rock for 1,673 yards while adding a whopping 18 scores on the ground as the Jackrabbits lost in the FCS Semifinals against Montana State University.
South Dakota State’s very own PIERRE STRONG JR. goes 65-yards to the crib
this is a starting back in the NFL. this kid is ELITE. 🔥🔥
— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) February 4, 2022
He exited college as a three-time first-team All-MVFC player and a first-team FCS All-American.
After being drafted by the Patriots, Strong saw action in 15 games and ran the ball 10 times for 100 yards and one touchdown.
Additionally, he caught seven passes for 42 yards.
Strong will compete for playing time in Cleveland with the likes of Demetric Felton, John Kelly Jr., and Jerome Ford.
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