New York Giants running back Shane Vereen acknowledged that he rushed his return from injury in 2016. He won’t make that same mistake in 2017.
The New York Giants signed running back Shane Vereen to be an impact player. The former New England Patriots standout is a versatile playmaker who can contribute in multiple phases of the game.
Unfortunately, Vereen’s supreme versatility has been overshadowed by his inability to remain healthy while in New York.
Vereen, 28, has played 21 games between his two seasons with the Giants. He was active and productive in all 16 games during the 2015 season, but was limited to just five appearances during the 2016 campaign.
According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN’s NFL Nation, Vereen admitted that he rushed back from his early injury—a mistake he won’t make twice.
"“I’m not a doctor, but I think I rushed it a little bit too quick the first time,” Vereen said last week. “So this time around, we’re definitely taking our time, we’re definitely making sure the muscle is strong enough and the tendons are strong enough. So that way I don’t miss any more time on the field.”"
It’s encouraging to see Vereen holding himself accountable and learning from the mistakes he made in the past.
Vereen finished the 2015 NFL regular season with 260 rushing yards on 61 carries. His true value was found in his explosiveness as a receiver, as evidenced by his 59 receptions for 495 yards and four touchdowns.
Unfortunately, Vereen’s limited availability during the 2016 campaign severely damaged the Giants’ offensive execution.
New York finished the 2016 regular season at No. 17 in passing yards and No. 25 in total yards from scrimmage.
In the three games leading up to his first injury, Vereen was proving to be the impact player New York otherwise lacked at running back. He recorded at least 60 yards from scrimmage in all three outings, including the 95 yards and one touchdown he recorded in Week 3.
In 2017, the Giants will trust Paul Perkins and a healthy Vereen to anchor what Ben McAdoo hopes to be a resurgent rushing attack.
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The New York Giants will need Shane Vereen to be healthy and productive in 2017.