We certainly were not surprised by the news that the New England Patriots traded Sony Michel to the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday, having proposed such a deal in July after Cam Akers tore his ACL. But Michel apparently was caught off guard.
He told reporters on Thursday -- in his first press conference as a Ram -- that he didn't expect the Patriots to trade him.
"I was surprised," he said, per Cameron DaSilva of RamsWire. "I would assume that most people when they're traded, they're surprised."
Michel, who made his NFL debut with the Patriots in 2018 after going to the team at No. 31 overall out of Georgia, did acknowledge that trades -- even the unexpected ones -- are part of the job.
"I believe just as professionals," he said. "That's part of our jobs, to be able to process things fast when things are thrown at you. It's just like a football game, things are thrown at you that you didn't expect. It's all about trying to process it and adapt to it."
Rams general manager Les Snead seemed excited about the deal, so they're clearly hoping Michel can adapt to the change sooner rather than later.
