FOXBORO — For a moment yesterday, James Develin couldn’t help but let out his excitement.

As the rain picked up and the end of practice neared, the Patriots set up for goal-line situational plays — Develin’s bread and butter. The fullback cleared a path straight down the middle, running back LeGarrette Blount rumbled through the hole for a touchdown, and the offense then set up in the same formation for the next play.

This time, though, it was play action. Tom Brady faked it to Blount, the defenders bit and the quarterback found tight end Rob Gronkowski all alone in the end zone. And even though Develin was nothing more than a decoy on the play, he was at the center of the celebration. He let out an emphatic fist pump before racing to the end zone and into Gronkowski’s arms.

Safe to say, Develin, who broke his right leg last preseason and missed the entire 2015 campaign, is happy to be back.

“It feels great,” Develin said. “It’s good to be back to football, good to be back out here banging with the guys. It’s fun. Football is a great game and I’m blessed to be able to play it.”

Develin broke his leg in the third preseason game last year when he hauled in a pass from Jimmy Garoppolo and landed awkwardly as he was tackled.

It was tough, Develin said, to have to watch from afar last season, but he said it hasn’t felt like it’s been a year. He was still around the facility during his absence as he took on a “different role” while he rehabbed, and he now has a greater appreciation for the game than he did before.

“I think you hear all the time, you don’t know what you got till it’s gone,” Develin said. “It puts things in perspective and it allows you to really appreciate the game.

“It definitely makes me appreciate it a little bit more. It was kind of my first battle with injury, but I’m putting that all behind me and looking forward to this year and trying to come out here and put the best team on the field with my teammates.”

Now, Develin will try to pick up where he left off. When he went down last season, the Patriots decided not to sign a replacement, but they clearly value Develin, the only fullback on the roster. Despite his injury, the team signed him to a one-year deal in March.

Without Develin last season, the Pats totaled their fewest rushing yards (1,404) since signing the fullback in 2012. Injuries to Blount and Dion Lewis had a lot to do with that, but the loss of Develin can’t be overstated.

And without Brady under center for the first four games of the season, there may be more of an emphasis on the run game than usual. If that’s the case, Develin is happy to do his job even if he doesn’t get much credit for doing it.

“Fullbacks know we’re not going to get the glory but it’s enough for us when our running back turns around and gives a little pat on the head, telling us good job,” Develin said. “That’s what we’re there for, doing the dirty work and we appreciate it like that.”

For now, Develin is happy to just be back out on the practice fields. It’s all he can ask for given what he went through.

“I appreciate the game, I appreciate the opportunity that the Patriots have given me,” he said. “I’m just happy and I’m going out here and trying to earn everything that’s coming my way.”