3 difficult roster decisions Patriots must make before Week 1

Ty Montgomery versus Pierre Strong Jr. as the team's second fiddle

Ty Montgomery is one of those players you would swear has been around for over 10 years now, but he's only been in the league since 2015. It seems impossible, right? Yet, the 30-year-old has stuck around for eight seasons now, and playing one of the more difficult positions to hold a career with.

Going into Year 9, some might find it hard to believe, but Montgomery is definitively in the mix to hold the RB2 position for the Patriots. With his pass catching prowess and experience as a receiver in the past, he does possess a great skill set. However, what would that mean for last year's fourth-round pick, Pierre Strong Jr.?

If you take a running back in the fourth round, you're typically going to try and play the guy. But, Strong touched the ball a total of 17 times as a rookie. He's one who has the breakaway speed once he gets to the outside, and can also catch the football, too.

In a weird way, the Patriots need to decide if they're going to end up wasting this draft pick and playing Montgomery in Strong's place. If Strong takes the RB3 role in his second year, that's half of his rookie contract gone before the Patriots even decide to give him a shot.