Photo by dga

By Evan MacDonald, Yawkeytalkies correspondent.

When the regular season begins Sept. 14 against Buffalo, many members of the New England Patriots will be entering critical seasons in their careers.

Tom Brady, of course, will be scrutinized heavily as he makes his comeback from a knee injury that ended his season back in week one last year. Vince Wilfork will be playing for a new contract, and rookies such as Patrick Chung will be working their tails off to produce in Coach Bill Belichick’s system.

But of all the players on the roster, perhaps no one will be under more pressure than Laurence Maroney.

The fourth-year running back has been inconsistent throughout his career. He showed flashes of greatness during his 2006 rookie season, but since then has been mediocre at best. Furthermore, he has struggled with injuries – having played in only 30 of a possible 48 regular season games since joining the Patriots.

It’s safe to say, heading into the season, that 2009 could be a put-up-or-shut-up campaign for Maroney.

The Patriots selected the former University of Minnesota star with the 21st pick in the 2006 draft, hoping he would grow into the team’s feature back. Splitting time with veteran Corey Dillon, he had a promising start to his rookie season. A torn rib cartilage derailed him late, but he still finished with 745 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.

Dillon was released before the 2007 season, and Maroney was announced as the team’s starter. Despite a record-setting Patriots offense, Maroney’s statistics improved only slightly, as he finished with 835 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. A closer look, however, reveals how erratic his performances were, even in his best year. Maroney had a trio of 100-yard games, and yet, unfortunately, he also finished with fewer than 50 yards in six other contests.

Things only got worse for Maroney in 2008. His season ended after only three games due to a broken shoulder bone, and he finished with a mere 93 yards rushing.

Despite being only 24 years old, Maroney may be on his last chance with the Patriots. His contract expires after this season, and the team will be very wary of resigning a player who has trouble staying healthy and producing.

The Patriots have shown a reluctance to allow Maroney to be their goal-line running back. Dillon did most of the work around the pylons during Maroney’s rookie year, and his departure coincided with the signing of Sammy Morris – a bruising runner who is ideal for short-yardage situations. Whether this pattern is due to a lack of faith in Maroney’s ability, worries about his health, or just the Patriots’ general philosophy about having versatility on their roster is anyone’s guess. When it comes down to it, though, Maroney has scored only 12 touchdowns in three seasons.

This year, the pressure is on Maroney like never before. New England brought in savvy veteran Fred Taylor, he of Jacksonville fame, while young BenJarvis Green-Ellis showed his skills during Maroney’s absence last season. With Morris and Kevin Faulk still in the mix as well, Maroney will have to produce in the limited opportunities he gets.

The preseason hasn’t been a promising start for Maroney. He’s tallied only nine carries for a total of 20 yards so far, with his longest gain going for only five yards. That’s not the sort of production that will help him keep his roster spot.

The guess here is that Maroney will not only need to produce this season, but to excel if he wants to remain a Patriot. He’s an easily replaceable commodity; the Denver Broncos have spent the last decade proving that anyone can rush for 1,000 yards in the right system. Maroney will need to make the plays when it counts, and probably finish with at least 1,000 yards this season, if he hopes to remain in New England.

So while you watch the Patriots run the football this year, pay a little extra attention when number 39 is between the tackles. If he doesn’t step it up, Maroney’s days as a New England Patriot could come to an abrupt end when the final gun sounds on the 2009 season.

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