The eventful offseason rages on for the New York Jets. After multiple headline-making moves, Joe Douglas finds new ways to add to his roster. Two days after their blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers, New York made a valuable signing on Monday. Veteran running back Dalvin Cook will sign a one-year deal with the New York Jets after six years in Minnesota. He became a fan favorite for the Vikings, reaching the Pro Bowl for four consecutive seasons. The move also allows Cook to join former NFC North rivals Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard, and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett on the same sideline after playing against them his entire career. The move comes at the right time as Breece Hall continues to rehab his ACL tear back in October. What can one expect the depth chart to look like come week 1?
New York Jets Running Back Room After Signing Dalvin Cook
With the addition of Cook, Joe Douglas will have to make a difficult decision. Depth is a great thing to have for any position. However, carrying five running backs on the roster is not ideal. Currently, the Jets have Dalvin Cook, Breece Hall, Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, and rookie Izzy Abanikanda on the roster. This excludes “camp bodies” such as Damarea Crockett and undrafted free agent Travis Daye. So Joe Douglas will have to cut this rotation down to three running backs, four at the most. This way they can avoid jeopardizing Breece Hall’s recovery as the season wears on.
Dalvin Cook
After spending the first six seasons playing in the NFC, the Florida native will begin a new chapter in New York. Selected 41st overall in 2017, Dalvin Cook has emerged as one of the better running backs in the league. Although an ACL tear in his rookie year stunted his development, he made his impact in 2019 by rushing for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns. This would be the first of four consecutive years with over 1,100 rushing yards in a season. While talented, the production took a hit in 2021 and 2022 with turnovers and a lingering shoulder injury. Cook had surgery earlier this offseason and was reportedly the healthiest he’s been in years. Dalvin Cook can contribute to the Jets passing game, as the running back has five straight seasons with over 34 receptions.
Breece Hall
Last season, fans and media alike applauded Joe Douglas for picking Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson in the top 10 of the 2022 draft, especially with both winning defensive and offensive rookie of the year. However, one name that was taking the league by storm was Breece Hall. The second-round pick out of Iowa State University looked like the next breakout star at running back in New York. He was important for the offense in October. He averaged 87 yards a game that month during the team’s four-game winning streak. His breakout game featured 197 total yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins in Week 5, including 100 receiving yards. Unfortunately, a torn ACL in a win against the Broncos on October 23 cost Hall the remainder of his rookie season. Now available to practice, Hall will join Cook to create one of the most explosive backfields in the league.
Michael Carter
Entering the 2023 season, Michael Carter will be the most experienced running back outside of Cook. Michael Carter was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2021 draft out of UNC. Carter has been a productive third running back on the roster, especially with his 639 rushing yards in 2021 which ranked 4th among rookies. However, he has been overshadowed in the offense after Breece Hall arrived. Although he can still contribute to New York, Dalvin Cook will cut into his opportunities. Carter’s spot on the 53-man roster should be safe, but he has another talented young running back to worry about.
Israel Abanikanda
With the 143rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Joe Douglas made the fortuitous selection in the fifth round. He selected running back Israel ‘Izzy’ Abanikanda from the University of Pittsburgh. The talented running back earned First-Team All-American honors last year after a sensational season. He finished his junior year with 1,431 rushing yards on 239 carries and a staggering 20 touchdowns. The Brooklyn native has already made an impact in his first NFL gameplay. He scored the first touchdown of the preseason during the Hall of Fame game against Cleveland. Izzy followed that up with 87 yards of offense against the Panthers on Saturday. Presuming he can maintain this production, there’s no reason why he can’t take Michael Carter’s spot on the depth chart behind Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook.
Jets don’t need Dalvin Cook with how good Abanikanda is playing. Breece Hall, Michael Carter & Israel Abanikanda is a good enough RB core pic.twitter.com/i7RRuM1KF7
— R4GE1929 (@R4GE1929) August 12, 2023
Outside Looking In
If the Jets keep four running backs after the Dalvin Cook signing, some players will get released. Should Michael Carter stay on the team, it can guarantee the release of Travis Dye, Damarea Crockett, and Zonovan Knight. In his NFL debut, Knight set the franchise record for most scrimmage yards in a debut with 103 total yards against the Bears. Zonovan Knight was a productive RB for North Carolina State University. He ran for over 700 rushing yards every season of his college career, and contributed on special teams with three kickoffs returned for touchdowns. A team like the Cleveland Browns can use him, especially if Zonovan Knight can work with renowned running backs coach Stump Mitchell.
Main Photo: Matt Krohn – USA Today Sports
