Shane Vereen lined up at WR in Patriots spring practice

[PatsWickedPissah]

Something for us to watch for during training camp. As we well know BB uses camp to explore backup position capabilities of players. Vereen is not marginal but a marginal player who can be trusted as a backup elsewhere has 53 value over a one note marginal competitor.

Can't wait for camp. Thx for a football thread.

May I suggest that one of our analytical knowledgeable posters create a thread 'What to watch for in camp" exploring position flex situations, etc.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Also, lets not forget, at the last mini camp, it may have been an injury issue, lack of experienced guys to line up at receiver. Dobson, Boyce, Edelman, Harrison, all were sidelined during the last minicamp due to prior injuries.

 

[tonyto3690]

Patriots did this all year with Ridley.

Usually what happened was he acted as an outlet pass and drew a linebacker away from the center of the field and receivers just ran routes on the other 2/3s of the field.

Given how Vereen is a superior pass catcher to Ridley, this really isn't surprising at all.

 

[tonyto3690]

I actually skimmed through the thread.

People expecting him to be a backup WR and/or be used like Percy Harvin... no.

It's merely to work on splitting him out wide on a linecall change by Brady.

He is not a wideout.

He is not a hybrid.

He's a RB who can catch passes.

 

[manxman2601]

This is from 2012 for those who haven't seen it:

Emerging Talents: NE RB Shane Vereen | The Rookie Scouting Portfolio

 

[Triumph]

Another Smurf at WR.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I actually skimmed through the thread.

People expecting him to be a backup WR and/or be used like Percy Harvin... no.

It's merely to work on splitting him out wide on a linecall change by Brady.

He is not a wideout.

He is not a hybrid.

He's a RB who can catch passes.

How do you know he can't be a hybrid? Just because it's normal to send a RB out wide depending on the situation doesn't mean that this is just one of those normal situations.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Another Smurf at WR.

There's nothing wrong with a smurf at WR, only having smurfs at WR is a problem.

 

[pherein]

How do you know he can't be a hybrid? Just because it's normal to send a RB out wide depending on the situation doesn't mean that this is just one of those normal situations.

I agree snake eyes. He might not be a full on great route runner for his size, like welker or lance moore, but I think his natual abilites lend him to easily be a hybrid. At his heart Im sure hes a RB, like most guys are with his sight. Its like telling a painter to do restraunt menus when your asked to do a pass play, haha, he wants the ball in the back field with 8 men in the box. I remeber loving when they pulled the CB's and S in to middle field to stop me. Made it funner.

 

[Joker]

you know the best part?...in a few short weeks we all get to find out with our own eyes if he is lined up at WR and takes reps...or not. Is there supposed to be a winner TODAY on this subject based on spring practice?

 

[pherein]

you know the best part?...in a few short weeks we all get to find out with our own eyes if he is lined up at WR and takes reps...or not. Is there supposed to be a winner TODAY on this subject based on spring practice?

I think the Patriots won when they drafted him, going to be fun watch him.

 

[Claremonster]

I see him having an impact as a receiver more so than a runner, so I'm happy they are trying this. A Percy Harvin type receiver would be very nice.

Yeah, without the "migraine" headache (literally) though.

 

[tonyto3690]

How do you know he can't be a hybrid? Just because it's normal to send a RB out wide depending on the situation doesn't mean that this is just one of those normal situations.

Because he doesn't have the body for it, nor has he ever shown any signs of being anything more than a RB that can catch passes effectively.

Was Kevin Faulk a hybrid? No.


Vereen is a very good player with a ton of upside that I am really excited about. But people need to calm down with these ridiculous position changes. Tebow at TE. Vereen at WR. Maybe we should switch McCourty to LB to play cover linerbacker!

Next will be suggestions to put Gronk at DE "because he has insane athleticism".

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Because he doesn't have the body for it, nor has he ever shown any signs of being anything more than a RB that can catch passes effectively.

Was Kevin Faulk a hybrid? No.


Vereen is a very good player with a ton of upside that I am really excited about. But people need to calm down with these ridiculous position changes. Tebow at TE. Vereen at WR. Maybe we should switch McCourty to LB to play cover linerbacker!

Next will be suggestions to put Gronk at DE "because he has insane athleticism".

Well, GRONK did play DE in HS. . . .

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Because he doesn't have the body for it, nor has he ever shown any signs of being anything more than a RB that can catch passes effectively.

Was Kevin Faulk a hybrid? No.


Vereen is a very good player with a ton of upside that I am really excited about. But people need to calm down with these ridiculous position changes. Tebow at TE. Vereen at WR. Maybe we should switch McCourty to LB to play cover linerbacker!

Next will be suggestions to put Gronk at DE "because he has insane athleticism".

Difference is the Patriots are lining him up at WR, unlike the other position changes you listed.

Vereen has very good hands, is a good route runner, a questionable blocker out of the backfield and in my opinion, an average runner. In his limited opportunities he has been a playmaker in the passing game.

On paper, they are woefully thin at WR and Ridley should retain the top RB spot.

The Pats lost playmakers Welker, Hernandez, Woodhead as well as Brandon Lyodd this offseason. Most expect both Dobson and Boyce to be on the final roster along with Slater, Amendola and Edelman and possibly retreads Jenkins or Jones. Very little experience with the Pats system and the two most experienced are considered injury prone.

If it's about getting players that Brady trusts into positions to make plays, I can definitely see Vereen lining up sometimes as a pure WR or in Hernandez's old role lining up all over. If he was just lining up at WR to run plays out of the backfield wouldn't he still be lining up in the backfield.

This isn't nearly as farfetched as the Tebow to TE switch, there are some logical reasons for this move.

In the end you may be end up being right but Vereen at WR makes some sense.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Because he doesn't have the body for it, nor has he ever shown any signs of being anything more than a RB that can catch passes effectively.

Was Kevin Faulk a hybrid? No.


Vereen is a very good player with a ton of upside that I am really excited about. But people need to calm down with these ridiculous position changes. Tebow at TE. Vereen at WR. Maybe we should switch McCourty to LB to play cover linerbacker!

Next will be suggestions to put Gronk at DE "because he has insane athleticism".

He doesn't have the body for it? Marshall Faulk had a very similar body and was very effective as a receiver. He might not have shown legit WR skills at this point because he's still developing as a player.

 

[tonyto3690]

Difference is the Patriots are lining him up at WR, unlike the other position changes you listed.

Vereen has very good hands, is a good route runner, a questionable blocker out of the backfield and in my opinion, an average runner. In his limited opportunities he has been a playmaker in the passing game.

On paper, they are woefully thin at WR and Ridley should retain the top RB spot.

The Pats lost playmakers Welker, Hernandez, Woodhead as well as Brandon Lyodd this offseason. Most expect both Dobson and Boyce to be on the final roster along with Slater, Amendola and Edelman and possibly retreads Jenkins or Jones. Very little experience with the Pats system and the two most experienced are considered injury prone.

If it's about getting players that Brady trusts into positions to make plays, I can definitely see Vereen lining up sometimes as a pure WR or in Hernandez's old role lining up all over. If he was just lining up at WR to run plays out of the backfield wouldn't he still be lining up in the backfield.

This isn't nearly as farfetched as the Tebow to TE switch, there are some logical reasons for this move.

In the end you may be end up being right but Vereen at WR makes some sense.

Vereen has very good hands (for a running back)
Vereen is a very good route runner (for a running back)
Vereen is an average pass protector with upside to improve
Veren is an above average runner with upside to improve

None of those reasons say he should ever be a WR. He's a pass catching RB. Stop trying to glorify what he can do as a pass catcher. He's no more a WR than Woodhead or Faulk were. In fact he's much closer to being a complete running back than Woodhead and is not far from already being better than Faulk.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Vereen has very good hands (for a running back)
Vereen is a very good route runner (for a running back)
Vereen is an average pass protector with upside to improve
Veren is an above average runner with upside to improve

None of those reasons say he should ever be a WR. He's a pass catching RB. Stop trying to glorify what he can do as a pass catcher. He's no more a WR than Woodhead or Faulk were. In fact he's much closer to being a complete running back than Woodhead and is not far from already being better than Faulk.

Seeing that the Pats are the one lining him up at WR, maybe you out to tell them them there's no chance he'll be playing the position.

Why do you and only you get to project how good he will become and at what position? He has not yet shown that he is above average runner and hasn't yet shown to be a more complete back than Woodhead or Faulk. Those are projections on your part with no factual backing.

In your own words you say he has very good hands and is a very good route runner. That's suddenly not true when he lines up at receiver?

Eric Metcalf became a 1000 yard WR after being a RB his first 5 years and was smaller than Vereen. HOF'ers Charley Taylor and Bobby Mitchell made the switch as did numerous others. Raiders officially switched Taiwan Jones from RB to WR this offseason.

You don't have a crystal ball. They have lined him up at the position, have a need at the position (especially someone with experience in the system) and he has demonstrated the skills at the position to at least discuss the possibility of him playing there. They also have a solid starter at RB in Ridley. I'm sure you'll see him lined up as a receiver at some point this season, at least occasionally if not often.

 

[Brady6]

Because he doesn't have the body for it, nor has he ever shown any signs of being anything more than a RB that can catch passes effectively.

Was Kevin Faulk a hybrid? No.


Vereen is a very good player with a ton of upside that I am really excited about. But people need to calm down with these ridiculous position changes. Tebow at TE. Vereen at WR. Maybe we should switch McCourty to LB to play cover linerbacker!

Next will be suggestions to put Gronk at DE "because he has insane athleticism".

Vereen is 5'10 210 pounds, he run in the 4.4's, he also led all RB's in reps on the bench during his combine. He absolutely has the body to see time at WR.

I think you may be interrupting this as a position change. I think it's more about having the ability to move him around and match him up against players he can win 1on1 battles against. That's what we did with Hernandez in years prior.

Other than Gronkowski and maybe Dobson I don't think we have many players who can go out and beat their man no matter who it is. The rest need to be moved around and schemed to create advantages.

 

[jah]

Seeing that the Pats are the one lining him up at WR, maybe you out to tell them them there's no chance he'll be playing the position.

Why do you and only you get to project how good he will become and at what position? He has not yet shown that he is above average runner and hasn't yet shown to be a more complete back than Woodhead or Faulk. Those are projections on your part with no factual backing.

In your own words you say he has very good hands and is a very good route runner. That's suddenly not true when he lines up at receiver?

Eric Metcalf became a 1000 yard WR after being a RB his first 5 years and was smaller than Vereen. HOF'ers Charley Taylor and Bobby Mitchell made the switch as did numerous others. Raiders officially switched Taiwan Jones from RB to WR this offseason.

You don't have a crystal ball. They have lined him up at the position, have a need at the position (especially someone with experience in the system) and he has demonstrated the skills at the position to at least discuss the possibility of him playing there. They also have a solid starter at RB in Ridley. I'm sure you'll see him lined up as a receiver at some point this season, at least occasionally if not often.

Taiwan Jones switched from RB to corner, not WR, and it was because he was such a huge bust at RB.