FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets will soon have an intriguing dilemma in their backfield.
Breece Hall is nearing a return from a quadriceps injury that has sidelined him for five games. Braelon Allen has been one of the NFL's biggest breakout performers in Hall's absence.
Two playmaking running backs, one major question about how to split the carries.
“We have some plays that are tagged for one or the other,” offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Thursday. “But it’s a great problem to have.”
Both Reich and coach Aaron Glenn have repeatedly said since training camp that they envisioned Hall and Allen being a 1-2 punch out of the backfield, and that remains the case. Hall was the top running back until his injury and Allen the backup — although his recent play has made him more of a 1A.
“You've got two No. 1 backs,” Reich said. “Breece is obviously the bell cow, he’s our guy, but it’ll be a mix. And as far as hot hand, not hot hand, I think that’s always an in-game feel thing, it really is."
The 25-year-old Hall, in his fifth season since being a second-round pick in 2022, was hurt at Detroit on Sept. 27. He had 163 yards rushing on 51 carries, which would be a career-low 3.2 yards per attempt, in three games. Hall also had 10 catches for 102 yards.
Hall returned to practice two weeks ago on a limited basis, and was a full participant for the first time Thursday as the Jets prepare to face the Chiefs in Kansas City on Sunday. Hall said he was ready to play.
“Still a starter, still a very good running back in this league,” Hall said of his expectations. "Obviously, Braelon’s been playing good. I think him and the O-line and the offense have caught their stride after the first three, four games.”
Glenn said Wednesday that Hall was “trending in the right direction,” but wouldn't divulge how the Jets might use him with Allen when he's ready to go.
“Both guys will play,” Glenn said simply.
Allen had just 19 carries for 61 yards during the first three games of the season. Since Hall has been sidelined, the 22-year-old Allen has rushed for more than 100 yards three times, including a career-high 147 in the Jets' 38-33 loss to Las Vegas last Sunday.
Allen, a 2024 fourth-round pick, ranks 10th in the NFL with 565 yards rushing, already a career high. He has four runs of 20 or more yards and he's averaging 5.0 yards per carry, also putting him among the league leaders. And the 6-foot-1, 235-pound Allen often does it with a physical style, running through and past would-be tacklers.
Allen, who missed all but four games last season after tearing the MCL in his left knee, has also been catching passes out of the backfield. He has 17 receptions, two off his season high from his rookie year, for 81 yards.
“I mean, he can do everything,” Reich said. "Just the style of runs he has, he’s not one-dimensional. He can run it inside, he can get outside. Like we’ve said before, you think he’s just this big bruiser, but he’s not. He’s really good on the outside, he can make guys miss. He has good vision. You just want to throw checkdowns to him, see what he does when you throw checkdowns to him.
“He’s really good in protection. All year, he’s been good. I think he’s had one quote-unquote mistake in protection all year. I mean, the guy’s a phenomenal player.”
Allen's emergence has prompted some fans and media to mention Hall as a possible candidate to be traded by the Jets before the NFL's deadline next Tuesday. Glenn seemed to shut down any rumors like that earlier this week by saying: "We’re in the business of keeping good players and he’s one of our better players. So Breece will still be here.”
It's a familiar position for Hall, whose name was included in trade chatter last year before he was signed to a three-year, $45.75 million contract extension in the offseason, making him the third-highest-paid running back in the league at the time.
Hall recently deleted his social media accounts, sparking speculation that perhaps he wanted out from the Jets. Instead, he said he was being accused of faking the severity of his injury.
“Since I haven't been playing and I've been questionable and limited and people not finding out I'm not playing until game day, I've had people threatening me and my family on social media,” Hall said. “It's not something that's good for your mental health that you should be looking at.”
Both running backs could perhaps be on the field at the same time at certain points in games. Maybe Hall — who has lined up wide at times — serves as the pass-catching security blanket out of the backfield for Geno Smith while ceding some carries to Allen. Or, vice versa.
“I’m confident we’ll make the right decision when those times come up in the game, if it comes up,” Reich said. "I know we have two really good backs and confident they’re both going to make plays.”
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