The New England Patriots finally have a running back who's a fixture of the team's immediate present and long-term future. As the defending Super Bowl champions continue ramping up preparation for 2019 season, though, Sony Michel remains absent. More concerning? It's unclear why the injury-prone playmaker has yet to take the field with his teammates during the offseason, too.
Michel hasn't participated in the first few sessions of New England's mandatory minicamp, according to multiple reporters on the scene at team headquarters. His absence dates back to last month, when the Patriots held their first offseason team activities.
The 31st overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, Michel rushed for 931 yards and six touchdowns in 13 regular season games as a rookie, averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry. He was even better in the postseason, when he notched 336 yards rushing on 71 carries and scored six touchdowns in three games. Michel had a season-high 29 carries in New England's thrilling 37-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship, playing a key role in keeping the ball out of eventual MVP Patrick Mahomes' hands.
Rumors of Michel's worrisome injury status began circulating during the pre-draft process last year. Though he didn't suffer any serious lower-body injuries in four seasons at the University of Georgia, it was reported by former league executive Michael Lombardi on The Ringer's NFL podcast that Michel's left knee was “bone on bone.”
Obviously, Michel's health should be the utmost priority for both he and the Patriots. Here's hoping he's 100 percent come the start of the regular season.
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