Braelon Allen’s rise has forced the Jets into a running back conversation nobody saw coming a few weeks ago.
Before the season, the idea that Allen might have pushed past Breece Hall on the depth chart would have sounded far-fetched. But with Hall out the past five games because of a quad injury, Allen has taken over the backfield workload and made the most of it.
Since Week 4, Allen has stacked up some eye-catching numbers among 40 qualified running backs with at least 30 carries in that span: 5.4 yards per attempt, which ties him for third; 3.92 yards after contact per attempt, good for fifth; 23 missed tackles forced, tied for third; and 19 runs of 10 or more yards, which leads the group.
That production has come over a five-game stretch, and it has come at a meaningful point in the season. This isn’t empty stat-padding in a lost year. Allen has been one of the league’s best backs over that window, and the numbers make that case plain.
The obvious question now is what happens when Hall is back. Aaron Glenn said Monday that Hall will stay with the team and will not be traded before the deadline, despite the chatter surrounding him.
That sounds like the sensible call. Allen’s breakout doesn’t mean the Jets need to move on from Hall, especially not unless they get Day 2 capital, which appears unlikely.
The better approach is to stop treating this like a one-or-the-other dilemma. Allen and Hall bring different things to the table, and there’s room for both if the Jets handle it right.
Allen has earned a bigger role, and that shouldn’t disappear just because Hall is healthy again. Shrinking him back into a small RB2 role after this kind of stretch would ignore what he’s done.
At the same time, Hall still matters plenty. He’s a real dual-threat back because of what he can do as a receiver, and the Jets already committed to him with a three-year, $43.5 million extension this offseason. He and Garrett Wilson have been the only real constants in this offense over the last few seasons.
If anything, Allen’s surge could actually create more opportunities for Hall as a pass-catcher, which has been one of the more promising parts of his game.
There are also clear ways to split the work based on situation. Allen’s power and physical style make him a fit between the tackles, and his improved breakaway ability has been a big part of why he’s broken out. Hall can thrive in different spots, too.
And if one of them has the hot hand, the Jets should just keep riding it. There’s no reason to lock themselves into a rigid split before the game even unfolds.
There’s even a path to using both backs together. That’s a wrinkle Frank Reich should be willing to explore, especially with Hall’s receiving ability in the mix.
The Jets have already been burned too often by sticking to assumptions, whether that’s about personnel or the head coach defining the team’s identity too early. The offenses that work best now are the ones that adjust on the fly.
So when Hall returns, the pressure shifts to Reich. His play-calling has been uneven this season, and sorting out the running back usage will be his next test.
In Other News...
Jets Suddenly Pulled Into Giants Trade Deadline Scenario
With the NFL trade deadline closing in, the market around Jonathan Taylor is starting to draw in more than one New York team. Taylor is still with the Indianapolis Colts, but he is widely expected to be moved, and the Giants are reportedly among the clubs pushing hardest to land him as they look for help in the backfield.
If the Giants miss out on Taylor, another name has surfaced in the conversation: Breece Hall. The Jets have said they do not plan to trade him, which makes the idea more of a speculative fallback than a real indication of movement, but it is a reminder of how quickly deadline chatter can spread once a premium running back becomes available. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Glenn Takes A Stand In Jets Breece Hall-Braelon Allen Debate
Breece Halls absence has forced the Jets to sort through their backfield without much room for ambiguity, and Aaron Glenn has already made his preference clear. Even with Braelon Allen turning heads while Hall has been sidelined by a quad injury, Glenn confirmed Hall will remain the teams starting running back once he is back in the mix.
Hall has not played since Week 3, and there is still no timetable for his return, which leaves the Jets navigating a shaky stretch with a 2-6 record and the Chiefs up next. Glenn, who recently received a five-year contract extension, is trying to keep the depth chart steady while the team waits to see when its top back can actually get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Wilson Trade Buzz Says Everything About The Jets Reset
The Garrett Wilson chatter around the Jets has been easy to understand, even if it never quite made sense as a real deadline possibility. Wilson signed a four-year extension in 2025, and for a team trying to reset its roster and its direction, moving one of its most talented young receivers would have sent the wrong kind of message. NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that New York is unlikely to deal him before the November 10 trade deadline, and the broader read is that the Jets are treating him as part of whatever comes next.
A Pittsburgh connection naturally fueled some of the speculation because of Wilsons past with Aaron Rodgers, but Schefters reporting suggests that route is not expected to go anywhere. The relationship between the two was strained in their final season together, which helps explain why the idea never had much traction beyond the rumor mill. For the Jets, the more meaningful takeaway is simpler: in a season defined by change, Wilson appears to be one of the few pieces they are not shopping. [Read more 🡒]