Vereen's Time?

Every time that I've see Shane Vereen carry the ball for the New England Patriots, he's been effective. With the stress that Tom Brady's passing puts on a defense, the Patriots ground game has a good chance to be successful. Stevan Ridley hasn't done too badly as the starter, so Vereen's carries have been limited. He's had to make the most of them. It seems that he's done enough to make the Patriots find new ways to get the ball in his hands. The team has run a tight end friendly offense for the past couple of seasons. Events of the past offseason has forced them to look for other options. Vereen could be the beneficiary of that change. I've heard mention that he might be put in the slot or split wide. I can see this working out well for the back and the team.

I was always impressed with Shane Vereen while he was at Cal. He spent his first two years backing up Jahvid Best. With Best's unfortunately frequent injuries, Vereen was often on the field. He wasn't the flashy, game-breaking back that Best was but he moved the chains. When Best left for the NFL following the 2009 season, Vereen had his chance to be the main ball carrier for Cal. He made the most of that chance. 231 carries for 1167 yards. 5.1 yards/carry. 13 touchdowns. Very nice numbers. And, he had another season to build on that fine start. His senior season could be a big one. As a Cal fan, I was disappointed and surprised when he declared for the 2011 NFL Draft. He had graduated in December 2010 and obviously felt that he was ready for the NFL. He was proven right when the Patriots selected him in the second round.

Despite Ridley's solid play, I feel that Vereen is the most talented back on the Patriots roster. Even with the addition of LeGarrette Blount. They certainly have a nice stable of running backs now. I may be a little biased in my opinion of Vereen's skills but he really is a terrific runner and receiver. It's his versatility that I've always liked. That versatility might finally get him his NFL opportunity.