There were some concerns heading into the 2018 NFL Draft that former Georgia standout running back Sony Michel was suffering through a bone-on-bone knee condition that had plagued other draft prospects in the past.
Following a stellar final season in Athens, the New England Patriots were comfortable enough to select Michel with the 31st pick in the draft. Adding a running back in the first round had not been the MO of the Bill Belichick-led Patriots. But they were apparently enthralled by what Michel brings to the table.
Fast forward a few months and Michel is now sidelined after undergoing a procedure on his knee following practice on Wednesday.
Sony Michel underwent the procedure to drain fluid from his knee after leaving Wednesday's practice following a running play. Those close to the situation don't seem too concerned regarding his availability for the regular season, but missing time in preseason is still notable. https://t.co/y7PvKuqUAV
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 4, 2018
The situation itself doesn’t seem to be serious. But any time we’re talking about a knee injury to a player with injury concerns, one must pay close attention.
For Michel, it’s a new injury. It’s not something that had plagued him prior to entering the NFL. That could be seen as good news for his long-term status. On the other hand, missing valuable training camp and preseason reps is not an ideal situation.
New England is relying on the rookie to be its starting running back after the team lost Dion Lewis in free agency. It’s in this that Michel’s injury certainly warrants our attention.