Dissecting team needs for defending Super Bowl champions occasionally proves difficult.

When the team loses multiple pieces out of the backfield -- newly suspended buddy, Bill Belichick.

Blount went on to run for 772 yards on 153 attempts for a 5.0 yards per carry average with the Patriots in 2013. He performed exceedingly well in the playoffs, turning 29 carries into 172 yards and 4 touchdowns across two games. That offseason he signed a two-year $3.85 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Blount's first three games with the Steelers, he managed an impressive 132 yards on 17 carries with 2 touchdowns. From there, with the steady rise of lead-back tampering conspiracy theories. Back on the Patriots, Blount immediately regained the starting position and went for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns on 60 carries throughout the rest of the regular season. He also helped lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory going 189 yards with 3 touchdowns on 47 attempts in the playoffs.

Travaris Cadet

Travaris Cadet went undrafted in 2012 before signing with New Orleans. Through three seasons in the NFL he only has 11 career carries but performed particularly well last year in a receiving capacity with the Saints, catching 38 balls for 296 yards and a touchdown. After New Orleans declined to place tender on Cadet, last month, the Patriots signed him to a two-year contract.

James White

James White was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of last year's draft but was inactive in all but three games of last season (including the Super Bowl). He garnered some buzz in training camp last Summer, taking significant reps in practice and having Bill commend him on his work in both the running and passing games. Bill would go on to say, "I think he has the ability to compete on all three downs." Though, in the end, he would only have 9 rushes for 38 yards and 5 receptions for 23 yards in three games.

Tyler Gaffney

Tyler Gaffney was drafted by the Panthers in the sixth round of last year's 2014 draft. He tore his meniscus in camp last July and was promptly cut and then signed by the Patriots off of waivers before getting placed on season-ending injured reserve. Belichick apparently "loves" him and would go on to praise him for being a hard worker who is fast, athletic, and catches the ball well out of the backfield.

When asked if he could take over the Shane Vereen role, Belichick said he is heavier than most Patriots receiving backs, but "We'll see how it goes. We kept him all year — active, then we put him on IR once we got to the 75 cut or whatever it was. We’re excited to work with Tyler." If Gaffney came out and earned a role as either the passing-down back or as the power-runner, it might surprise a lot of people, but after Belichick's flattering praise, he's on the radar.

The Bill Belichick Running Back Philosophy

Belichick has seemingly never been a fan of the complete or feature back role. Rather, he likes to utilize a smash-mouth power runner in conjunction with a smaller, more agile receiving back. We'd have to go all the way back to 2000, Belichick's first season as head coach of the Patriots, to find a time when one of his runners led the team in both rushing yards and receptions.

Since then he's found success in the tandems of runners who faced more nickel and dime packages were at a major advantage compared to backs who were facing off against more linemen and linebackers stacking the box. Blount ranked ninth in the league with an actual yards per carry of 4.6 compared to an expected 4.0, according to Mike Clay. In 2013, Blount ranked first in the league with an expected yards per carry of 3.9 compared to an actual yards per carry of 5.2.

The ability to run against a stacked box is critical for Belichick's lead role, and Blount has more than proven he can be that guy.

Conclusion

Last year, the Patriots had their lowest total of rushing yards since 2005 and their lowest total of rushing touchdowns since 2003. Is it possible Bill attempts to improve his backfield and make up for the losses of Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen through the draft? 2015 will mark Bill Belichick's 21st draft as a head coach, and in that time, he's drafted a running back just 11 times. He's only ever drafted three running backs in the first two rounds: Tommy Vardell and Laurence Maroney in the first (both of whom never had a 1,000 yard season) and then Shane Vereen in 2011 in the second.

This year's running class is considered one of the best and deepest in recent memory and there are many prospects who could fit nicely into the Shane Vereen role. David Johnson, Ameer Abdullah, and Duke Johnson all project to be terrific pass-catching backs at an NFL level who could go Day Two or Three in the draft. The latter two fit extremely well into Belichick's ideal height and weight for a pass-catching back. It is possible Bill adds one of these backs (or perhaps a Zach Zenner or Mike Davis), but I think after signing Travaris Cadet and spending a fourth round draft pick on James White this seems unlikely.

Although Tyler Gaffney could surprise and steal a role, Bill's been grooming White this past year for the Shane Vereen role and signed Cadet as back-up and competition. The roster is crowded enough with capable backs, and Blount should have more than earned Bill's trust as the lead power back by now. The Patriots have bigger concerns after losing Revis, Browner, and Vince Wilfork in free agency to address the running back position this draft.