Jets' Running Backs Room Taking Shape ahead of Monday Night Football Season Opener
There's been a recognizable rearrangement of the New York Jets' running backs room over the course of training camp.
Neither of the top-two ball carriers on the depth chart were available to the team when preseason practices kicked off on July 20. Second-year pro Breece Hall started summer on the physically unable to perform list and four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook was still a free agent at the time.
As Gang Green unveiled its 53-man roster six weeks later, Hall and Cook have both begun to practice.
"Dalvin's here, he's practicing. Breece is practicing," said Jets' head coach Robert Saleh last week on cutdown day. "[Cook] he's gonna be limited, just try to get him involved. Him and Breece are on the exact same plan — just getting them ready to play Week 1."
The potentially dangerous duo headlines a stable of running backs that no longer includes sophomore Zonovan "Bam" Knight nor undrafted rookie Travis Dye.
Knight and Dye were waived prior to the 53-man roster cutdown deadline on August 29. Their departure leaves a backfield comprised of Hall, Cook, third-year pro Michael Carter and fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda. Fullback Nick Bawden is also in the mix, but he has yet to carry the ball in an NFL game.
"It's good we have two. It's great we have Michael Carter, also. Three really good backs that we feel very comfortable with," said Saleh. "Izzy [Abanikanda] getting back and healthy. We’re surprised. It’s shocking how quickly he’s come back from his injury, so we feel really good about the backfield."
Abanikanda suffered a thigh contusion on a fourth-quarter rushing attempt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third preseason game on August 19. Prior to the injury, the Brooklyn-born running back logged 25 preseason carries for 113 yards and one touchdown over three appearances.
RB Israel Abanikanda (25) hits the hole against the Buccaneers
© Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
The explosive Abanikanda adds another element to a Jets' backfield that features proven production. The 28-year-old Cook has exceeded the 1,100-yard rushing mark each of the past four seasons. Meanwhile, Hall, albeit it a small sample size, showed his play-making ability as a rookie. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and totaled 681 scrimmage yards in 6.5 games prior to his season-ending ACL injury.
"I know he's worked his tail off. He's been here every single day, grinding. We've never been worried about his availability, we just gotta be smart," said Saleh on Hall's return to play plan.
Cook, who welcomed a newborn child into the world last month, had also been working his way back from an offseason surgery.
"He feels great. [It's] different when you're dealing with an upper body [injury]," said Saleh. "Feel really confident about him and his ability to just hit the ground running. At the same time, he hasn't had a camp, he hasn't had OTAs, he's been working, he's been traveling a lot with the baby, so we just gotta be smart with him."
Hall, Cook and Abanikanda all sat out the Jets' preseason finale against the New York Giants on August 26.
Michael Carter, however, was active for the exhibition game formerly known as the "Snoopy Bowl." The 2021 fourth-round draft selection carried four times in the 32-24 win. The 24-year-old Carter has compiled 1,041 rush yards and seven touchdowns on 261 carries over a two-year span.
"Once we get Dalvin back and Breece into the fold, it’s going to take time to mesh all that together, new o-line and all that good stuff," said Saleh following the last preseason contest. "I have faith in the fact that we’ll get it going sooner rather than later."
The challenge is to "get it going" in time for the Monday Night Football season opener against the three-time defending AFC East champion Buffalo Bills on September 11.
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