New York Giants running back Paul Perkins finds himself in a unique position entering the 2017 season.

After the release of veteran running back Rashad Jennings, Perkins becomes the obvious candidate (for now) to fill the void as the primary back for the G-Men.

Perkins is entering his second year with the team and has shown flashes of greatness during his minimal playing time in his rookie season. The Giants will welcome this change with open arms.

What to Expect

Per Pro Football Focus, the G-Men had the 20th ranked offensive line this past season.

With this less than mediocre line, they were unable to get consistent production on the ground, rushing for only 87.2 yards per game, ranking them 29th in the league. By our Brandon Marianne Lee reports, Jennings ended the season ranked third-highest in run blocking by PFF grades. This was crucial for the Giants as they ranked 10th in terms of passing play percentage. If their offensive line troubles weren't already enough, the Giants had to ensure that their running back they kept in the backfield wasn't an additional liability.

Perkins improved his run blocking as the year went on, and as a result, he gave his quarterback more time for big time plays down the field.

Shotgun Running Scheme

Perkins shined the most out of the shotgun formation, and the Giants would be wise to continue utilizing his skill set this way. In this scheme he can pick up his blockers more effectively while also being able to explode out of the backfield.

Defenses are primarily going to be focusing on the Giants' receiving weapons in Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepard, so being able to run out of the shotgun formation will continue to be successful -- or at least necessary. Perkins has showed his ability once in the open field and the Giants should be confident in him moving forward.

Opponents will have to stay honest when Perkins is lined up beside Eli Manning as opposed to behind him out of the I-formation, and Perkins can be utilized on swing and option type patterns out of the backfield, making him an ideal threat in the red zone.

Perkins' Upside Could Be Limited

One player in particular that could limit the upside of Perkins is Shane Vereen, who is primarily used as a change-of-pace back and often comes in on third down. While Perkins has the ability to be productive in the offense, a healthy Vereen will undoubtedly limit the total upside of being a three-down back next season.

In 2015, Vereen was second on the team in receptions and set career highs in receptions (59), receiving yards (494), and receiving touchdowns (4). Vereen is entering his seventh season and, at the age of 28, is considered "older", especially at the running back position. The Giants may opt to continue with Perkins into distant future.

Perkins' upside could also be limited through the Giants signing a big-name running back in free agency. The likes of Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles and LeGarrette Blount remain unsigned, and Perkins isn't in the clear yet. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports that general manager Jerry Reese wants to add a power running back prior to training camp.

Whether or not this materializes is yet to be seen. Perkins' production will take a significant hit if a high-profile running back signs, and Perkins will still be the favorite to have the bulk of the carries if the Giants do decide to add depth through the draft.