5 for 5 Pre-Season Watch: 4. RB situation

by Jack'sAxe on Aug 6, 2011 2:38 PM EDT

The 4th thing to watch is the RB situation. It's pretty much a given that Green-Ellis will take the starting job, but since we run a rotation, I am intrigued by who will be rotating in more frequently than others.

Who will be our #2, and our 3rd down back? How will vereen and ridley do? Who is our FB?

Who will be our #2, and our 3rd down back?

For 3rd down backs, we have Kevin Faulk, Danny Woodhead, and Shane Vereen. Looking at the list it's easy to say Kevin Faulk. I for one, don't know though. This offseason is tricky because I can see BB just PUP him to mentor Woody and vereen. It seems to make sense, but at the same time, Faulk has been a very dependable 3rd down specialist, and maybe BB will feel that Woody and Vereen are not ready to be a 3rd down specialist yet.

If Faulk is not PUP'd, than I believe it would be faulk. If not, who would you guys pick for our 3rd down specialist? Woody vs. Vereen? On 3rd downs this pre-season, this is one of the things in the RB situation that we should observe.

Our #2 back is a bit tricky as well. The likely candidates I can see are Woody, and Ridley. Woody ran very well last year at the #2 back, bringing a good story along with it. Ridley is the new guy on the block, with very good strength, and running vision. I have no problem seeing a 3 RB rotation with these two and BJGE either. Who do you think will be our #2 back after pre-season? Do you think Vereen could make a push for it as well? I can see the pats using BJGE, Ridley, Vereen, and Woody as all rotational backs depending on the situations too maybe.

How will vereen and ridley do?

Bill surprised us again last year. The "experts" said that the pats needed a RB, and we were sort of agreeing with them. Well, BB got us RBs. Two of them.. in the draft. We pretty knew they were going to get a RB later in the draft, but we did not expect two to them. Anyways, it will be interesting to see how they will both do running in our offense, blocking, running routes. The answer to these questions may lead us to figure out who our #2 RB is as well.

Who is our FB?

FB will be between Ridley, Vereen, and Morris. If Morris stays, Im sure BB will keep him there at FB. If Morris leaves, the FB is up for grabs with Vereen and Ridley both great blockers and both can catch out of the backfield. It would be interesting to see who ends up at FB this pre-season.

Poll

Will Faulk be PUP'd this season?

Yes

20 votes

No

17 votes

50/50

18 votes

55 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Veeren as a FB?

by Chris Kole on Aug 6, 2011 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

he's a really good blocker.

I can see him like Marcel Reese, who is the Raiders FB. A very good blocker, with tremendous receiving ability. He was a force on the raiders team, and I think vereen could do that as well.

I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP

by Jack'sAxe on Aug 6, 2011 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

but he's barely over 200 LBs.

by Chris Kole on Aug 6, 2011 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions

And that's the biggest problem.

We don’t use any traditional two back sets unless we’re on the goal-line, so there’s no need for a guy outside of the jumbo package.

Haynesworth or Wilfork rumbling downhill, either blocking or perhaps carrying, might be useful though.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Aug 7, 2011 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions

I'd go back to Connolly for that

He’s clearly got some speed to get into the secondary, if it came to that.

Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit

by Comedic.Sans on Aug 7, 2011 1:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe not Connolly,

But yeah, just put another guard in.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Aug 7, 2011 3:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Last year...

Hoodie put Ohrnberger on the field and put Connolly back at FB, even when Connolly had started the game at Guard.

Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit

by Comedic.Sans on Aug 7, 2011 4:08 AM EDT up reply actions

The Chargers game, from memory?

Connolly may as well have not made the flight out, he played that poorly.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Aug 7, 2011 4:24 AM EDT up reply actions

I have a feeling it was a few times

I’d have to check Reiss’s snapcounts, but I have a feeling Connolly got up to ten snaps at FB.

Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit

by Comedic.Sans on Aug 7, 2011 4:51 AM EDT up reply actions

But he usually went back to G.

He only played the first half of the SD game at G, the 2nd he was out except for FB snaps.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Aug 7, 2011 5:32 AM EDT up reply actions

like I said though, he is a really good blocker.

I remember seeing danny woodhead blocking ray lewis against baltimore last season. Vereen is just better and more consistent than woody. Vereen is small anough, and has good enough vision, to get that block that BJGE needs.

The size may be a problem, but vereen is a great blocker, and I think that can overshadow that. Then again…. it’s most likely NOT the best solution. lol

by Jack'sAxe on Aug 7, 2011 1:44 AM EDT up reply actions

there is zero chance vereen as a fullback

he is a good pass blocker not a run blocker.

by brady12mvp3 on Aug 8, 2011 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

hm... i see your point.

by Jack'sAxe on Aug 8, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

There's a very very slim chance of seeing Vereen at FB.

But not zero chance.

They had Edelman, Woody, and Hernandez line up at “FB” at times last year. Granted it was just to have an extra pass-catcher in the backfield, or to have them motion out into the slot. However, you could potentially see Vereen line up at “FB” just to go on a pass-route.

by UtopianAverage on Aug 9, 2011 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions