Patriots 2015 Free Agent Profile – Shane Vereen
 Shane Vereen had a big post-season, capped with a bigger performance in the Super Bowl and is poised to land himself a big payday in free agency. (USA TODAY Images) |
Shane Vereen may have saved his very best for his last.
In the Patriots game winning drive in Super Bowl XLIX, Vereen caught three passes from Tom Brady, had a key seven yard run in the red-zone and picked up a blitzing Byron Maxwell to help New England rally for the game winning score.
Vereen’s first reception on the final drive was a beauty, a one-handed snag from Brady that jump started the offense and set the tone for Brady and Edelman to put a stamp on the Patriots fourth Super Bowl win.
It is called “money time” for a reason, because Vereen knew 30 other teams were watching that performance and he may very well cash in on that Super Bowl performance once free agency begins on March 10.
Vereen, 5’10, 205 was drafted in the 2nd round, 56th overall from the University of California in the 2011 NFL Draft. He’s developed into an extremely important third-down back in the Patriots offense, being more of a pass catcher than a true running back.
The Patriots use Vereen’s skills in a variety of ways, running out of the backfield as a pass receiver, sometimes splitting him out wide and he’s become quite a good blocker in blitz pick-up, just ask Maxwell …as well as being able to carry the ball.
Vereen had just 96 carries in 2014, for 391 yards, 4.1 average per carry and two touchdowns. He caught 52 passes for 447 yards and three touchdowns in the passing game.
His value in the passing game came to a forefront in the playoffs as Vereen caught 18 passes for 144 yards during the post-season including 11 passes on 12 targets for 64 yards in the Super Bowl. Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels knew Seattle was a tough matchup to run the ball against, so they used Vereen in the short passing game to create some space underneath.
Seattle’s defense is tough to pass down the field against as they play a tough zone concept that is difficult to break. But as they backed out of it, it created a lot of space underneath for Vereen to work against the linebackers, something he’s done well at all season.
The strategy worked in lieu of the running game and was instrumental in keeping the chains moving. Other than the final scoring drive, Vereen was also key on the final scoring drive in the first half catching three passes which culminated in a Brady 22 touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Why Vereen Will Return: Vereen is perhaps the most underrated of all the Patriots offensive weapons in 2014. No one touched the ball more than he did offensively and he’s one of only five running backs with at least 50 rushes and 50 catches this season.
He’s become a very reliable pass catcher that can stretch defenses when he gets isolated on opposing linebackers. He’s recreated the role Kevin Faulk worked so well for so long as the Patriots third-down back.
He has the confidence of his teammates, coaches and most especially Brady. According to a piece in the Boston Globe, Brady told Vereen’s parents the night before the Super Bowl that he was primed for a big role and would have an impact.
That plus his age (25), puts him just hitting his prime as a player. If the team were to lock him for a 3-4 year deal, he’ll still be in a prime position age-wise to help the team at the peak of his playing skills.
Running backs haven’t exactly been reaping in huge dollars in free agency lately, so the price of retaining Vereen may actually be less than is being talked about.
Why Vereen Won’t Return: The Patriots drafted a virtual clone of Vereen in the person of James White in the 4th round (130th overall), in the 2014 NFL Draft. While it isn’t known how confident the team is in White’s ability, the parallel for the two is close.
Both are the same size, 5’10, 205 pounds and excel in the third down role. White had a red-shirt type season in his rookie 2014 campaign garnering only 14 touches (9 runs, 5 receptions), with the Patriots offense. Vereen had a similar type rookie season with just 15 touches of his own.
With White and Brandon Bolden whom the Patriots just re-signed waiting in the wings, the team may feel the need to pay Vereen isn’t a big priority since they have big decisions to make with other players. Both Darrelle Revis and Devin McCourty need long term deals this season as well.
While running backs haven’t been cashing in greatly in free agency, Vereen’s performance in the playoffs and the Super Bowl may just change the landscape for him. And coupled with his age, there are a number of teams that may be interested in coming calling, including the Giants, Jets or Bills.
So while the Patriots would undoubtedly like to have him back in 2015, there probably will be at least a few teams that will be willing to outbid them for Vereen’s services. I think the chances of him returning are much less than 50 percent.
Vereen was recently making the rounds of the talk shows after the Super Bowl, and was on the NFL network talking about the 2014 version of the Patriots and had this to say:
"We have a young team. We have a lot of guys that have come together that have a very cohesive bond within the locker room. We’re very, very close. Honestly I think the sky is the limit for this group of guys," Vereen said.
"We have a great leader in Tom Brady, a Hall of Fame coach and quarterback. You can’t really go wrong. It’s a great place to start. You have guys in leadership spots that should be there. We have great leaders and a great thing going. I love playing there."
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