New England Patriots running back Sony Michel had a spectacular rookie year in 2018, rushing for 931 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per carry in 13 games.

Most importantly, Michel played a pivotal role in the Patriots' run to a sixth Super Bowl title, totaling 336 yards while punching in six scores during the playoffs.

The Patriots are mainly known for their passing game led by Tom Brady, but there is no question that Michel was an integral piece in their quest for another championship this past season.

So, with Michel's rookie campaign out of the way, what can he do to take the next step in 2019?

Well, we know Michel can run the ball. He did it at Georgia and he did it during his first season in the NFL. That's not a question. Where he needs to show improvement, however, is in his pass-catching ability.

Michel logged just seven receptions for 50 yards during his rookie year, easily among the least productive receiving backs in the NFL. It's not like he was regularly catching passes at Georgia, either, finishing with just 64 catches over four seasons.

Sony Michel

But in order for Michel to truly ascend into the upper echelon of running backs in the NFL, he needs to become more of a receiving threat out of the backfield.

And before people point to Adrian Peterson and say that he was the best back in the league without being a good receiver during his prime, Peterson is a different animal and was rushing for 2,000 yards. Michel isn't on that level.

Now, this isn't to say that Michel needs to become Saquon Barkley or Christian McCaffrey, but it would be nice if he could represent some sort of threat as a receiver and make defenses have to pay attention to him.

Remember: the Pats are very thin on receivers heading into 2019, as tight end Rob Gronkowski retired, receivers Cordarrelle Patterson and Chris Hogan left the team via free agency, and fellow wide out Josh Gordon is serving an indefinite suspension.

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Because of that, the Patriots need Michel to catch some passes now more than ever.

Yes, New England has James White for that, but wouldn't it be nice if Michel could become a versatile weapon and keep defenses off balance?

Sony Michel

Let's face it: when Michel is in the game, you are expecting him to either carry the football or block, and while he was able to get by doing that during his first season, he is going to need to expand his arsenal to become more valuable.

The good news is that it's not like Michel's hands are made of stone, as he did have a season at Georgia in which he caught 26 passes, and the following year he snared 22 balls.

So, he has shown that he can catch the football. It's just a matter of him doing it consistently.

Of course, New England's coaching staff will also need to put him in positions to catch the football and trust him to make plays as a receiver, so this is not entirely on Michel, but if he inspires confidence, Bill Belichick will utilize him.

Michel can develop into one of the game's top running backs if he can even become a minor threat as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, and it will be interesting to see if he does more of that this coming season.