Patriots RB Sony Michel Reportedly Recovering from Surgery on Foot Injury

New England Patriots running back Sony Michel reportedly underwent foot surgery in May.

ESPN's Mike Reiss said Friday it was a "maintenance-based" procedure to help relieve discomfort. Michel is rehabbing at the team facility, but his status for the start of training camp is unclear.

The 25-year-old University of Georgia product missed three games as a rookie in 2018 because of knee injuries and underwent knee surgery last June. He played all 16 games during the 2019 campaign.

Although his baseline numbers were similar over his first two seasons—931 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2018; 912 rushing yards and seven scores in 2019—his per-carry average dropped from 4.5 to 3.7.

"You never want to stay the same. ... It's either you're getting better or you're getting worse," Michel told Henry McKenna of Patriots Wire in November. "I won't say [I'm] comfortable, but I know a little bit what to expect. In this league, there's always new challenges, new things thrown at you, so you never get a chance to be comfortable."

The Patriots have one of the league's deepest running back groups.

Brandon Bolden and Damien Harris are early-down options, while James White and Rex Burkhead are proven pass-catchers out of the backfield. The Pats also signed J.J. Taylor as an undrafted free agent in May.

Michel should regain his role as the starter once healthy, but New England will continue to lean heavily on a committee approach in 2020.