Dallas Cowboys Ex Ezekiel Elliott Signing with Jets? New York 'Not Done Yet' At Running Back

The New York Jets will have a new primary backup running back behind Breece Hall in 2024 and he may not yet be on the roster according to head coach Robert Saleh.

The third season of the Breece Hall Show needs another understudy.

With the New York Jets' 2022 second-round draft pick firmly locked into the starting running back role, the offseason attention shifts to the players behind Hall on the depth chart.

"Breece is a star," said Jets' fourth-year head coach Robert Saleh while addressing reporters at the annual league meetings in Orlando. "I do know he's got a burning desire to prove that he's one of the best in football."

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Bouncing back from a rookie year ACL tear, Hall totaled 1,585 yards from scrimmage and led all NFL running backs in receptions (76) this past season.

In terms of Jets' running backs who played offensive snaps last year, second-year pro Israel Abanikanda is the lone holdover in addition to Hall. Abanikanda, a Brooklyn native, did not make his NFL debut until a November 19 game against the Buffalo Bills.

"Izzy. Izzy's another guy that got a lot of playing time last year. Expecting him to take a jump. See him at the facility often," said Saleh earlier this week.

Totaling six appearances as a fifth-round rookie, Abanikanda rushed 20 times for 70 yards in 2023. He logged 77 offensive snaps after being inactive for the season's first 10 weeks.

While explosive, Abanikanda does not posses the makeup of a prototypical between-the-tackles grinder and has drawn criticism for his inability to pass protect.

"The running back room's not done yet either," said Saleh.

When it comes to potential additions, the Jets could opt to sign a veteran free agent like Ezekiel Elliott, who is strong in areas where Abanikanda needs improvement.

Ezekiel Elliott

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In what turned out to be an unsuccessful experiment, New York added a RB2 last August when it inked former Minnesota Vikings' Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook. It's unlikely the Jets will wait that long before bolstering its stable of running backs.

Although this year's class is reportedly light at the position, drafting a running back at some point seems inevitable. The Jets have selected a running back each of the past four years, doing so within the first five rounds each time.