Breakout Player of the Year? This is a tough question to answer:
Patriots Offensive Breakout Player of the Year: Shane Vereen
Vereen will be occupying an expanded role this year by taking the secondary running back snaps that Danny Woodhead took last year.
If you combine the workload that Vereen and Woodhead had last year, they had a combined 2012 production of 138 carries, 552 yards, 7 TD's, and 48 catches for 555 yards and 4 TD's.
I fully expect Vereen to receive a large increase in snaps and touches this year and we can point to the following statement from ESPN Boston Reporter Field Yates:
Recent news on Shane Vereen - New England Patriots - Rotoworld.com
Vereen will be the 5th most productive player on the offensive roster behind Amendola, Hernandez, Gronkowski and Ridley. Look for Vereen to be involved as a slot receiver and as the #2 running back. If Vereen breaks 1,000 yards of total production then he will have justified the promise that he showed in the Houston playoff game last year.
Of note - I gave serious consideration for Amendola because he will have over 1,000 receiving yards on 70+ catches and no less than 5 touchdowns.
Patriots Defensive Breakout Player of the Year: Armond Armstead
It was a short two years ago when the Patriots had re-discovered their pass rush when both Andre Carter and Mark Anderson totaled 10 sacks a piece.
Last year, the Pats re-started what was going to make up their front 7 by drafting Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower who were surrounded by solid veteran and All-Pro role players including Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Aqib Talib, Brandon Spikes, Jermaine Cunningham, Devin McCourty, and Rob Ninkovich.
Personnel wise, the Patriots have not been in better shape since the days of Bruschi, Vrabel and Law and with the Patriots continuing to add versatile 4-3 linebackers and defensive lineman, the one that is going to bust things wide open will be 4-3 defensive tackle and defensive end Armond Armstead who will likely be playing on the defensive line with Chandler Jones, Vince Wilfork and some form of combination of Ninkovich, Tommy Kelly, and any of the remaining members of their defensive coverage.
Armstead is the perfect fit for this team because he can play DT or DE and provides not only the size to hold the edge on the strong or weak side but carries the speed and explosiveness to get to the quarterback. If Tommy Kelly can still bring it, a defensive front 4 of Jones-Kelly-Wilfork-Armstead is going to be a dynamic setting which will continue to allow opposing offenses' to think twice about the Patriots secondary and linebacking units in the passing game.