On Monday, the Green Bay Packers announced that the team had released running back Israel Abanikanda from the practice squad and picked up 2022 fourth-round selection Pierre Strong Jr. Abanikanda joined the Packers’ roster in July, when Green Bay picked him off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers. Abanikanda never displaced the four Packers running backs on their active roster or injured reserve — Josh Jacobs, Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson — but he notably took over kick return
duties in the preseason with receiver Savion Williams, Green Bay’s Week 1 starter at the position, out with an injury.
Strong, interestingly enough, played with Packers tight end Tucker Kraft at South Dakota State at the FCS level, and he even threw Kraft a touchdown pass during their rivarly matchup with North Dakota State in 2021. Originally drafted by the New England Patriots with the 127th overall pick in 2022, Strong lasted one year with the team before being traded to the Cleveland Browns ahead of cutdowns in his second season in the league. He spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons on the Browns’ roster before being waived on August 26th of this year with an injury designation. Strong was only released from injured reserve with an injury settlement on September 2nd, less than a week before the Packers picked him up. The injury that Strong appears to have suffered in Cleveland’s final preseason game of 2025 was a concussion.
Overall, he’s played in 46 regular-season games in the NFL and has posted 99 carries for 499 yards and two touchdowns (5.0 yards per carry). He made once start with the Browns back in 2023. He’s also been a special teams contributor, playing 607 snaps compared to 412 snaps of offense. Notably, Jacobs, Lloyd and Wilson have played five total career snaps of special teams in Green Bay. Strong has returned kicks in the past (24 between New England and Cleveland), but he’s also contributed to teams as a non-returner.
In two games this preseason, Strong ran 18 times for 114 yards (6.3 yards per carry) with a long of 54.
Following the swap, Strong is the only running back on the Packers’ 17-man practice squad and one of four players at the position who are available in practice for Green Bay until Lloyd comes off the IR.
