The Jets’ running back room is already thin enough that one more injury note can change the whole picture. With Breece Hall still working back from the strained groin he suffered in practice last week and already ruled out until Week 1, and Isaiah Davis also sidelined with a knee injury but trending toward an opening-day return, New York is down to a short list of healthy backs.
At the moment, Braelon Allen and Kene Nwangwu are the only fully available options in the room. Behind them, the depth chart for Friday night’s preseason finale includes undrafted free agent Chip Trayanum and recently signed Dominic Richardson, both of whom are there more out of necessity than as long-term answers.
That is why Trey Benson’s name suddenly matters. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that the Arizona Cardinals waived the former third-round pick, and if the Jets are looking for a worthwhile swing, he fits the profile.
There is one obvious catch: Benson was waived with an injury designation, so this is not a clean transaction. He is dealing with a knee injury, and the Jets would need to make sure the health situation is manageable before making any move.
Even so, Benson has been one of the more puzzling running back stories since entering the league. He arrived in the 2024 NFL Draft with a strong reputation and was viewed as a potential impact addition for whichever team took him. Instead, he got buried in Arizona and never really found a runway.
As a rookie, Benson ran 63 times for 291 yards and one touchdown. This past season, even after James Connor went down, he still couldn’t seize the job. Michael Carter and Bam Knight passed him on the depth chart, and Benson’s year ended early because of injury.
The Cardinals’ experience doesn’t have to be the Jets’ story. If Benson clears waivers and the medicals check out, New York has a real reason to take the shot.
In Other News...
Jets Roster Bubble Battles Are About To Get Very Real
The Jets have reached the point in camp where every snap feels like an audition. After splitting their first two preseason games, the focus has shifted from broad evaluation to the hard part: figuring out which players have done enough to survive the final cutdown. With one more exhibition left against the Giants, the coaching staff is still sorting through the roster across multiple positions, trying to get the best mix in place before decisions become permanent.
Geno Smith has been among the players giving the Jets something to think about, with his play adding to the sense that some spots are tightening up while others remain unsettled. The final preseason game will give fringe players one last chance to make an impression, and for a roster that is still being shaped, those final reps could carry a lot more weight than the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Are Watching A Familiar Justin Fields Problem In Kansas City
Justin Fields is already creating a familiar kind of buzz in Kansas City, and not necessarily the kind that settles a quarterback battle. After the Jets moved on from him, Fields has had moments in Chiefs camp and the preseason that hint at why teams keep betting on his talent, but the inconsistency has shown up too often to ignore. Even the good stretches have come with reminders that the basics still matter, especially when the rush gets close and the offense needs a steady hand.
Against the Buccaneers, one snap stood out in particular when Fields took a significant sack and the drive lost meaningful ground. For Jets fans, it is the sort of play that looks awfully familiar, because it puts his pocket presence under the microscope again just as he tries to separate himself from rookie Garrett Nussmeier in the Chiefs backup quarterback competition. The raw ability is still there, but the margin for error is getting smaller by the day. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Roster Races Are Nearing Decisions That Could Change More Than Depth
With the final preseason game looming, the Jets are getting close to the kind of roster calls that can shape not just the back end of the depth chart, but the way the whole team feels going into the season. A few of the biggest positional races have started to firm up, with Cade Klubnik emerging as the leading candidate for the backup quarterback job, Omar Cooper Jr. looking like the favorite to settle into the WR3 role, and Kiko Mauigoa moving to the front of the line at linebacker after injuries and recent performance helped sort out the field.
Even so, there is still some room for the picture to change, especially at quarterback, where the Jets could continue to weigh veteran options before everything is locked in. That kind of late flexibility is part insurance, part competition, and it leaves the roster in an interesting place heading into the last exhibition tune-up, with a few jobs looking close to decided and a few more still quietly open. [Read more 🡒]