The New York Jets know exactly who their starting running back is. Breece Hall has already established himself as one of the offense’s most explosive players and remains a focal point as offensive coordinator Frank Reich prepares for his first season calling plays.
Hall’s combination of vision, patience, and big-play ability makes him one of the roster’s most dangerous offensive weapons. The Jets, however, shouldn’t spend the next five months asking Hall to shoulder the entire workload by himself.
The NFL has become increasingly dependent on running back rotations, and for good reason. Few positions absorb more punishment over the course of a 17-game season. Even the league’s best backs benefit from fresh legs, particularly when the knicks and bruises begin piling up in November and December. That’s where the rest of New York’s running back room enters the conversation.
If nothing changes before training camp opens, the Jets will bring six running backs to Florham Park. Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis enter year two after gaining valuable experiences as rookies. That gives New York two young backs capable of complementing Hall’s skill set. Veteran Kene Nwangwu offers another experienced option while continuing to contribute on special teams.
Undrafted rookies Chip Trayanum and Sam Scott will look to prove they deserve opportunities beyond preseason action. Each player enters camp with something to earn.
Great backfields rarely rely on one player
Reich has coordinated enough NFL offenses to understand the value of depth at running back. The Jets don’t need another starter. They need another contributor capable of handling meaningful carries when Hall needs a breather. Short-yardage situations call for a certain skill set. Injuries inevitably test the roster’s depth and force guys into action. Building that rotation should become one of training camp’s more important objectives.
Hall gives New York a legitimate No. 1 back, but championship-caliber offenses rarely ask one runner to survive an entire season alone. If one or two of the Jets’ younger backs emerge behind him, the offense won’t simply become deeper. It will become more sustainable when the games matter most in December and January.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets’ Frank Reich needs more than one solid option at running back
Reporting by Geoffrey A Knox, Jets Wire / Jets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Geoffrey A Knox, Jets Wire | USA TODAY Network
