The Facts: Following up on a previous item. ... Last year when the Giants went back to pass, opposing defenses weren't scared by anyone aside from their TEs and WRs. Their RBs were an afterthought. No Giants back had a reception of over 27 yards. Vereen had three. He also had three receiving touchdowns. It's this skill in particular that has the Giants so excited. "I see him in that regard as a pass receiver coming out of the backfield, a pass protector, a guy who runs the ball in the three-wide offense in the run game, if you will, which is very prevalent today in our sport," coach Tom Coughlin said at the NFL Annual Meetings this week. "So I see him in that regard."

Diehards Line: But as Star-Ledger staffer Jordan Raanan notes, the key here is that Coughlin doesn't simply view Vereen as a third-down back. It appears the Giants plan to use him as more. The Giants used three-wide-receiver formations with regularity last season. They had three or more wide receivers on the field for 65 percent of their first-and-10 plays. That should provide ample opportunity for Vereen to be utilized as more than just a third-down back. The Patriots used him as more than that as well. Vereen logged 606 snaps last season. That was more than any Giants back, and only 10 less than Washington's Alfred Morris, a bona fide starter. The signing sets the stage for a rotation with Vereen, Rashad Jennings and last year's third-round pick Andre Williams. Jennings and Williams are bruising backs with similar skill sets. Vereen is the one who brings something slightly different to the table, almost in a David Wilson-type role.