Strong confirmed his release to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:
"Appreciate them giving me the chance to make it where I have," Strong told Wilson. "People from where I'm from don't get the opportunities I got."
Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the release of the Arizona State product. Strong, who Houston selected in the third round of the 2015 draft, has yet to register a single catch this season.
Strong has failed to develop into an impact player in the early stages of his NFL career. He tallied 161 receiving yards and three touchdowns as a rookie and followed up with 131 receiving yards and zero touchdowns last year.
He was suspended one game to start the 2017 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy, which caused him to miss the Texans' 29-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1.
He released a statement on Twitter regarding the incident:
Strizzy @JaelenStrongGod got me 🙏🏾
Strong could have made an impact in Houston's 13-9 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night with wide receiver Will Fuller still out due to a broken collarbone, but he wasn't even targeted once.
Strong is still just 23 years old, and he demonstrated his potential at Arizona State when he topped 1,100 receiving yards in 2013 and again in 2014. However, he will have to fulfill his potential with a different team following his release from the Texans.
