The New York Jets have traded for a former Adam Gase player, Miami Dolphins running back Kalen Ballage, for a conditional pick.
The New York Jets have acquired running back Kalen Ballage.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Jets and Miami Dolphins agree to a deal that will send Ballage to New Jersey in exchange for a late conditional round draft pick.
Plot twist: The #Dolphins are trading RB Kalen Ballage to the #Jets for a conditional late-round pick, source said. Miami had planned to release him, but NYJ stepped in before it was official and the two have a deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2020
“Plot twist: The #Dolphins are trading RB Kalen Ballage to the Jets for a conditional late-round pick, source said,” Rapoport tweeted Thursday afternoon. “Miami had planned to release him, but NYJ stepped in before it was official and the two have a deal.”
Ballage, 24, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Dolphins. In 2018, he rushed for a significant 5.3 yards per carry with Adam Gase as the play-caller. (Although, his 101 yards and a touchdown on 36 attempts is anything but megaphone worthy.) Ballage went for a cool 1.8 yards per attempt in 2019 behind the league’s worst offensive line.
Miami was set to cut its running back, as Ballage was informed on Wednesday. Instead of allowing him to hit waivers, Joe Douglas and the Jets scooped him up via trade—an interesting move considering what was set to transpire.
The move does not bode well for the Jets’ newest back, hometown hero Pete Guerriero, who signed with the organization two days ago (in favor of safety Anthony Cioffi, who found himself cut again).
Ballage joins Le’Veon Bell, Frank Gore and La’Mical Perine in the Jets’ backfield. Bell, a man who announced to the world there was nothing wrong with his hamstrings after his coach told the media otherwise, did not have a chance to hit the practice field on Thursday after the Jets’ canceled for social justice reasons.
