Shane Vereen

Running back is one of the most intriguing positions on the New England Patriots’ roster this training camp. The headline of the offseason was the loss of breakout player LeGarrette Blount, but the Pats didn’t make a veteran addition to replace Blount, leaving the spotlight on fourth-year veterans Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, both of whom enter contract years.

With a diverse set of rookies also on the roster, this could be one of the most competitive position battles in training camp.

Our Training Camp Preview series continues with a look at the running backs.

It would be easy to pencil in Stevan Ridley as the early-down starter and Shane Vereen as the passing-down starter, with Brandon Bolden spelling both. But things are never that simple with Bill Belichick’s Patriots.

Both Ridley and Vereen have their respective baggage. For Ridley, it’s fumbles and for Vereen it’s injuries. Ridley has had four fumbles in each of his last two seasons, and while that total isn’t egregious, Belichick does not take kindly to “error repeaters”.

Vereen played just eight games in 2013, but continues to brim with potential. The effects of a first-game wrist injury in 2013 haunted him for the rest of the season, yet he still possesses elite pass-catching skills. 

Surrounding their top two options there are a lot of “ifs”. IF Ridley can hang on to the ball… IF Vereen can stay healthy… Both are good players, but the NFL is loaded with good players and if they can’t stay on the field the Patriots will move on to find running backs who can.

Brandon Bolden returns for his third season after nearly-identical stats in his first two years. Bolden is a better fit as a base-down running back, but doesn’t get many yards-after-contact and was miscast filling in as a receiving back for Vereen. 

Could he be due for a breakout year in 2014 where he challenges Ridley for early-down carries? That might be expecting too much.

Behind Ridley, Vereen and Bolden are a group of rookies who cover the spectrum. 

Stephen Houston is 6’, 230-pound power back. James White is a fourth-round draft pick much in the same mold of Vereen as a pass-catching threat. Roy Finch is a 5’7", 180-pound scatback who turned heads in OTAS. Jonas Grey rounds out the group as another power back after spending his rookie season on Baltimore’s practice squad.

Projection:

There’s at least one open spot on the roster for a running back to replace Blount – Houston or Grey would seem to be the favorites for the short yardage/change-of-pace duties behind Ridley, but nothing is set in stone.

With the evolution of the game toward more passing offense, there’s certainly an argument to be made for the kind of value that White and Finch could bring as well.

Finch especially should be a preseason fan-favorite. He’ll get plenty of carries and likely splash some shifty explosion.

If Ridley or Vereen falter, the Pats could have an entire new look in their offensive backfield this season but they’ve got some promising talent that should do fine running behind a veteran offensive line and lighter boxes that are respecting Tom Brady’s passing game.

Previously:

Quarterbacks