7 Dynamic Ways for Patriots to Use Shane Vereen

Vereen and Brady

7. Back-up Running Back

Stevan Ridley is clearly #1 on the depth chart. However if The Riddler needs a blow, Vereen is likely to be the first guy off the bench. Or if you "CAN'T WAIT," you could always use him to embarrass Bart Scott and the Jets.

5 Reasons Belichick Won't Cut Tebow...Yet

Tim Tebow and Josh McDaniels

5. Redeeming Josh McDaniels 
In 2010, then Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels moved up into the 1st Round of the NFL draft (25th Overall) to select quarterback Tim Tebow. The pick was almost universally panned by analysts, and McDaniels was fired the following season. This could be his chance to prove the naysayers wrong.


4. Supporting Urban Meyer
The mutual admiration society between Bill Belichick and Urban Meyer goes all the way back to 2005, when Meyer took the Florida head coaching job. He has come under fire recently for some of the off-the-field problems of his former players (Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper et al). Belichick could do him a solid by keeping and utilizing Tebow as a weapon on the Patriots squad.

Did Belichick Neutralize the Aaron Hernandez Situation?

"It’s a sad day, really a sad day on so many levels." -Bill Belichick

THE PRESS CONFERENCE

Bill Belichick approached the podium at Gillette Stadium yesterday not as a head coach but as a leader of men. People expected him to come out guarded and defensive. After all, he is notorious for terse answers and a chilly demeanor towards sports media. After the 2007 season, he was surly and obtuse while answering questions about Spygate. After Super Bowl and AFC Championship game losses, he skipped out on media obligations to NBC and CBS respectively.

However, these circumstances are unprecedented and this press conference dictated a different approach. Belichick was plain-spoken and honest, aware of the gravity of the situation. Will this be enough to satisfy the masses?

5 Things Belichick WILL Say at Wednesday's Press Conference

5. "One of our former players was involved in a tragic incident during the off-season. The Patriots organization sends its deepest sympathies to the family of Odin Lloyd."

4. "After today, I will take no further questions about the former player."

3. "When we learned of his involvement in the investigation, we determined that we would immediately cut ties with him."

2. "We will move forward with the players that are on this team."

1. "I already answered that."

What Spygate Teaches Us About Hernandez & the 2013 Patriots

The New England Patriots face one of the biggest off-field distractions in team history. The season has barely begun, yet the team faces intense scrutiny from fans and experts alike. Media hordes descend upon Foxboro, MA looking to interrogate Kraft, Belichick or any other Patriots personnel. We are left to wonder: How will the Patriots respond to this uncomfortable and challenging situation?

If this narrative sounds immediately familiar to you, it's probably because the Patriots went through an analagous crisis in 2007.

In a scandal that was dubbed "Spygate" by the national sports media, the Patriots failed to comply with videotaping regulations set forth by the NFL. The team was fined $250,000 and docked a first round pick in the 2008 draft. Coach Bill Belichick was also personally fined $500,000 for his role in the affair. The team, already disliked/envied nationally for their recent run of success, suddenly had an even larger target on their backs.

So how did the Patriots respond? They turned their shame into one of the most memorable regular seasons in NFL football history. In many ways, their actions in 2007 could show us the blueprint for how they plan to respond this season:

Top 10 Most Versatile New England Patriots (2013 Roster)

In the NFL, teams are only allowed 53 men on their active roster. With offense and defense each comprised of 11 starters respectively, there are 31 non-starters making up the remainder of the roster. Because of this limited roster space, savvy teams like the New England Patriots know that versatility matters. Bill Belichick believes the more roles a player can fill as a back-up, the more valuable he is to the team.

Among the many disappointing developments of this Patriots off-season was the loss of some of their most versatile players:

• Plucky running back Danny Woodhead was a solid weapon in the backfield as both a runner and a pass catcher. Poaching him from the NY Jets and making him a star in New England was especially satisfying for the Patriot faithful. An undrafted and unheralded star from Div 2 Chadron State, Danny was the true embodiment of an NFL underdog. He unfortunately was a victim of a crowded group at RB and ended up signing with the San Diego Chargers.

• Arguably the greatest slot receiver of this or any generation, Wes Welker could move the chains on offense or field punts on special teams. He was an integral member of many great Patriots teams. Wes and the Patriots couldn't agree on contract terms (thanks to Welker's overzealous, unrealistic agent). He instead signed with current Conference foe, the Denver Broncos.

• Tight end Aaron Hernandez could line up just about anywhere as a receiver, H-back/TE or running back and create mismatches all over the field. The former Florida Gator went from 4th round disappointment to explosive NFL playmaker almost overnight. Troubled and volatile, he couldn't escape the demons he had off the field. Sadly, we all know what happened to his wasted career.

Risk/Reward and the New England Patriots

The New England Patriots, arguably the most successful NFL franchise of the last 13 years, are facing unprecedented challenges this off-season. On the field, they seek to transform the identities of their offensive, defensive and special teams units...always a daunting task. However, those challenges pale in comparison to the real question facing the Patriots: Have they lost their way?

Risk/Reward is a difficult thing to measure. Where one man sees unlimited upside and little risk, another man might see risks and pitfalls they are not willing to gamble on. The Patriots, since the beginning of the Belichick era, have been big on "value" investing. The 2001 Super Bowl Patriots were a ragtag group of wily veterans and strong-willed cast-offs who showed the sum was greater than its parts. (Having a young, fearless Tom Brady didn't hurt either.) However, as the decade progressed and the lust for more rings grew, it became less about character and more about results. They still believed in value and depth, but were more willing to take risks on wild cards with skill.

The Corey Dillon Experiment of 2004 was a smashing success. "Clock Killin'" Corey Dillon was an instrumental member of the Patriots team that won their third Super Bowl. Despite character and off-the-field concerns, Dillon was a mostly positive addition to the mid 2000s Patriots teams. The Patriots, with the capital built up from 3 Lombardi Trophies, were emboldened to add more playmakers with checkered pasts.

Randy Moss was one of the greatest and worst things to ever happen to the New England Patriots. Like Dillon before him, his physical gifts were second to none. However, his attitude, effort and off-the-field issues made him an outcast in Oakland. The Patriots attracted him away from the Raiders for a paltry sum, and he proceeded to light the world on fire. He set the single season TD record and helped the 2007 Patriots go 16-0 and destroy the competition. He did everything he could to get a fourth ring for the Patriots (and one for himself), but as we all know it was not meant to be. Despite it all, the acquisition seemed like a win again for the Patriots.

The next few years brought names like Adalius Thomas, Albert Haynesworth, and Chad Ochocinco Johnson to the Patriots. The Risk/Reward ratio for all of these guys initially seemed to be perfect. Acquiring them was considered by many to be almost "no lose" situations. None of these acquisitions worked out for the Patriots, and all three created massive headaches for the team. However, the worst move of all was yet to come.

The Patriots drafted two tight ends in the 2010 draft: Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Both players had red flags which caused them to drop significantly in the draft. While their respective productions have surpassed expectations up to this point, one is now recovering from 5+ major surgeries and the other will probably never play football again. Drafting these guys was brilliant, and I would argue it still is to this day despite hindsight. The Patriots screwed up when they re-upped these guys too early. They had faith that the combined dominance would continue for the next decade. Aaron Hernandez, as we all know now, is a murderer. The due diligence on Aaron Hernandez was either poor or not done properly.

This all leads me back to the myth of "The Patriot Way." This mostly media created term is a crude way to define the "magic" that created the Patriots Dynasty. The truth is, the Patriots won Super Bowls because of the right combination of depth, coaching and once-in-a-generation talent. How do the Patriots regain their way? First, realize that Risk is more than just the amount of money you pay, the chips you trade or the cap hit you take. Second, admit your failings and work to make sure they never happen again. And finally, build a complete team that is greater than the sum of its parts. That's what you did when this whole thing started, right?