New York Giants: Shane Vereen Perfectly Practical Fit
The New York Giants made a perfectly practical move by signing the former New England Patriot, Shane Vereen. Vereen is a running back whose specialty is being a catching passes coming out of the backfield. Vereen is a perfect fit for the Giants.
The thing that excited the Giants about Vereen was surely his ability to contribute in the passing game. Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, runs a west coast offense in which the running back is counted on to be more than just a rusher.
Dec 28, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Shane Vereen (34) against Buffalo Bills cornerback
Corey Graham(20) in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Buffalo Bills defeated the Patriots 17-9. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Vereen caught 52 passes in 2014 for 447 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. In 2013 he had 47 receptions for 427 yards and 3 touchdowns. Vereen is also a decent rusher, with a career average of 4.2 yards per carry.
The Giants know what to expect from Vereen; he is an instant starter who adds an element to the passing game that Andre Williams and Rashad Jennings cannot provide.
A cornerstone of the west coast attack is forcing the defense to defend the whole width of the field. Utilizing the running back in the passing game creates another weapon that the defense must account for and it often provides a safety valve for the quarterback. Vereen, who can out run most linebackers and strong safeties, will be used creatively to attack many different parts of the field.
Imagine that the defense the Giants are playing is in Cover 2, man under. This means the two deep safeties are splitting the deep halves of the field and the cornerbacks are playing man coverage. Odell Beckham Jr. performs a slant route taking the cornerback with him. Vereen swings out to the flat, forcing a slower linebacker to chase him, with the strong safety playing outside the tackle box. Eli Manning then completes a pass to Vereen, that goes for an easy 10 yards.
More from NY Giants News
- Giants News: Jon Feliciano headed to the 49ers, Joe Schoen signs CB to new deal
- Giants News: Darius Slayton won’t put up with Daniel Jones ‘slander’ moving forward
- NFL Rumors: Odell Beckham Jr. calls out teams even thinking about low-ball offer
- 4 LBs the NY Giants should target in the draft after signing Bobby Okereke
- New Daniel Jones workout clip has arrived and he looks fantastic
This is just one example of how Vereen’s skill set can be used in McAdoo’s offense. The Giants will be able to use Vereen in the passing game many different ways. Vereen could be asked to motion out of the backfield and line up into the slot or even out wide.
The pre-snap motion would allow the Giants to see what coverage the defense is in based on how they respond. It could also create a favorable match-up to exploit in the passing game.
The point is that the Giants now have the perfect fit for their offense at running back. They have a solid rusher in Vereen who they can also use in the passing attack. The Giants will now have a running back trio that is led by Vereen. They have three backs with different skill sets.
Oct 19, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back
DeMarco Murray(29) breaks a tackle of New York Giants outside linebacker
Devon Kennard(59) in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The move was not only a perfect fit, but it was practical. DeMarco Murray may have been the best running back available, but the Giants were never going to give a giant payday to a running back. Vereen was a cost-efficient option, a good player at a better price.
The addition of Vereen to the Giants is the perfect move. This is not a blockbuster move that sends shock waves through the NFL. This is a reasonable signing that makes the team better. Kudos must be given to Jerry Reese, the general manager of the Giants.