New York Jets’ Braelon Allen is dedicated to keeping Aaron Rodgers protected
Most rookie running backs come into the NFL expressing their excitement about taking handoffs from whoever their new quarterback may be.
Not Braelon Allen. The Jets’ fourth-round pick is lettings fans know how ready he is to block for Aaron Rodgers.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Allen responded to a clip from Jets X-Factor’s Joe Blewett that featured him pancaking a defender in pass protection, saying, “Ima make sure A-Rod can play for 10 more years”.
Blewett has posted a handful of clips that feature Allen bringing the thunder in pass protection.
Safe to say the blitzing DB did NOT have a good time vs Allen here pic.twitter.com/0cFvjzAaHe
— Joe Blewett (@Joerb31) April 29, 2024
Another one….so far hes been laying people out in pass pro.
Some pressures could be attributed more so to the scheme, teams overloading a side or him just being put in a bad spot.
But for now, hes impressed pic.twitter.com/RJMzM9cOpG
— Joe Blewett (@Joerb31) April 28, 2024
Seeing Allen excited about blocking for Rodgers is a promising sign for the Jets, as pass protection is a skill they clearly covet in their backup running backs. Last year, the Jets reportedly hesitated to give fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda more playing time due to their lack of confidence in his pass protection (although Dalvin Cook was awful in that area as well, so the excuse was somewhat peculiar).
It makes sense that the Jets value pass protection at running back. With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, it’s a necessity – not just because you want to protect the 39-year-old as much as possible, but also because of his play style.
Rodgers likes to get to the line of scrimmage, scan the defense, and make pre-snap adjustments to create advantages. This means his running backs must be prepared to shift into a pass-blocking role at any moment. Even if the initial play call doesn’t ask the running back to stay in, Rodgers will adjust the protection if he thinks he needs the back’s help to account for a blitz. For this reason, the Jets ideally need a reliable pass-blocking RB on the field at all times.
New York hopes the 235-pound Allen will serve as a brick wall in front of the future Hall-of-Famer, and Allen seems ready to prove he is up to the task. It might be just a tad ambitious of the rookie to try and keep Rodgers upright until he’s 50, but if Allen can play a small role in preserving Rodgers’ health for another two or three years, the Jets would be thrilled.
