New York Jets running back Breece Hall is off to a productive start to the 2023 NFL season and is in line for an uptick in carries out of the backfield.
Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports that Jets head coach Robert Saleh is ready to remove the reigns from Hall as he is rounding into shape following an ACL injury that sidelined him for ten games last year:
“After the second-year ball-carrier played under a rep count for four weeks, coach Robert Saleh said any restrictions are off,'”Patra noted.
“‘From an opportunity standpoint, there is no pitch count with him anymore,’ Saleh said Wednesday.”
The Jets Need to Give the Ball More to Breece Hall
Hall has started over running back Dalvin Cook through all four games thus far. He’s carried the ball 32 times for 210 yards — 136 more than his fellow rusher in only two more attempts.
Cook had four 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before moving to the Jets prior to the start of this year. He still remains a threat to Hall should the latter’s yards per carry fail to translate with more touches.
Hall will likely see a drop-off from his 6.6 yards per attempt but has had big gains — including an 83-yard burst up the middle from the four-yard line in their opening week upset over the Buffalo Bills.
The Jets have not been a volume-rushing team thus far. Their 82 total carries places them behind 29 teams, with only the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals having run less.
New York will take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Oct. 8. Denver has given up the most yards on the ground, giving Hall a prime opportunity to make a splash and solidify himself as the primary ball carrier moving forward.