Shane Vereen is Patriots offensive answer

Running back Shane Vereen has basically been a non-factor for the Patriots since they drafted him in 2011 with starting running back, Stevan Ridley. He barely played as a rookie and wasn't used much last season. We saw flashes of what Vereen was capable of last Thanksgiving when he caught an 83 yard touchdown pass against the New York Jets.

After that he really didn't do much until he exploded for three touchdowns on January 13 against the Houston Texans in the AFC divisional playoff game. Two of the three touchdowns were receiving. He amounted five receptions with 83 yards and also contributed 41 yards on the ground.

Vereen has the potential to be a very reliable back for the Patriots this season and here's why. He has proven himself not only last season but also in the playoffs. He is very elusive in the backfield, uses the offensive line to his advantage and can line up pretty much anywhere. This season, with the loss of Danny Woodhead as well as the injury to Rob Gronkowski, Vereen will get a lot more looks from Josh McDaniels and the offense.

The injury to Gronkowski will be a great loss but is manageable with Vereen in the lineup. He can hold his own on the line to create holes for Ridley or he can leak out incase Tom Brady sees a defender looking for the run. Brady also lost veteran receivers Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd this past season, as well as tight end Aaron Hernandez so he will be looking for reliable targets.

With a thin receiving corps, Brady will look to Vereen to make more plays up the field as a flex player. He will not have as much confidence in newcomers Michael Jenkins and Danny Amendola as Vereen who has proven to be a target for Brady. The potential inconsistency of the receivers may also have the Patriots attack the ground a lot more with Vereen and Ridley, an effective tool in their no huddle offense.  

Leon Washington, who the Patriots brought in this season, may challenge Vereen for the flex spot but will most likely be taking most of the reps on special teams. Brandon Bolden and potentially LaGarrette Blount could also contribute in the red zone more than Vereen, but that remains to be seen.

As training camp approaches, Shane Vereen looks to be the Patriots answer for consistency, a nice change from this offseason.

Michael Husson
@HussBus59