The New England Patriots have shaken things up a bit in their backfield with several changes to the roster, but the team did bright back Rex Burkhead on a three-year deal.

Although Burkhead is currently dealing with a slight tear in his knee, the Patriots are expected to rely on him in a major role as one of the primary factors in their offensive game plan, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

As for Burkhead, he has a slight tear in his knee that hasn’t required surgery and isn’t expected to be a long-term problem. The team is overcautious with him because they expect him to be a focal point of the offense during the regular season, especially while Edelman is suspended.

In his first season in New England, he proved to be a versatile option in the backfield as both a runner and receiver. In 10 games played, he rushed for 264 yards with five touchdowns along with hauling in 30 catches on 36 targets for 254 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Burkhead has proven that he can be a highly reliable option in the Patriots’ backfield despite their approach over the years to go by a running back by committee approach.

Burkhead is a versatility option in the offense that quarterback Tom Brady has utilized greatly in their brief time together in New England as he has been a strong option in the red zone due to his skill set. This should only further emphasized in this upcoming season with more comfort playing alongside each other.

The Patriots will look utilize their other options at the position such as James White, Jeremy Hill, Mike Gillislee, Brandon Bolden, and rookie Sony Michel when he returns from injury. In the meantime, it has become quite clear that Burkhead will be heavily relied upon as the primary running back in 2018.