After a stellar start to his rookie season with the New York Jets, fans expected more of the same from former second-round running back Breece Hall.
Injuries and ineffective play have gotten in the way of the now four-year veteran.
As Hall prepares for what could be his final season as a Jet (his contract expires after this season), his role has changed dramatically from what it was over the last few years.
And while many fans are ready to “throw away” Hall for a shiny new running back, those thoughts may be premature at this point.
Jets’ By-Committee Approach
When Hall first joined the Jets in 2022 out of Iowa State, he joined a team that started the season using him in a running back-by-committee approach with former mid-round pick Michael Carter.
After two straight years of being the bell-cow of the position group, though, new head coach Aaron Glenn has made it clear that the organization will be going back to a running back-by-committee group again.
“I think, mentally, [Hall] is in a good place, but I would say that we have three running backs on this team that we’re going to utilize as much as possible,” Glenn said during the league meetings. “They’re all big men, they can run, they’re violent, they’re physical.
“So I think once we get a chance to get the players in and see exactly how they operate, I think every player is going to be happy with the way that we go about this offense, and I think he’s going to be one of them.”
It’s fair to point out that Hall began to receive the bulk of the carries after the first month of the season before his untimely torn ACL that cost him the rest of his rookie season.
But a by-committee approach may actually be the best thing for Hall moving forward, especially after a dismal season in 2024 that saw him post career worsts in yards per carry (4.2) and fumbles (six).
Hall’s per-carry average has gotten worse each year he has been in the league. His vision has been a struggle, and he appears to have lost the burst that made him one of the best up-and-coming runners in the league.
But that doesn’t mean he isn’t salvageable.
Breece Hall’s Big Year?
The by-committee approach for running backs has worked for a very long time now.
Fans and analysts usually see it as a team that doesn’t have a true lead back, but that isn’t always the case. There’s a major benefit to it as well.
Hall’s best stretch with the Jets came in his rookie season when he was splitting time with Carter. At the time, New York’s spread offense run by Mike LaFleur allowed Hall to be his athletic self. With fewer carries, Hall provided more juice each time he touched the ball.
In Detroit, Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand was part of an offense that utilized a two-man approach with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Gibbs, a first-round pick, has been able to average 5.5 yards per carry in his career while splitting carries with Montgomery.
With Engstrand running the show as play-caller and with a quarterback in Justin Fields who will need a strong running game, Hall is still going to be given plenty of chances to be successful this season – even in a limited capacity.
There’s also the reality that Hall is entering a contract year. With fewer snaps and more chances to be at 100%, the future 24-year-old will have more chances for his big-play ability that made him be considered a key part of New York’s young core.
Even if his future is only tied to the 2025 season, there’s a very good chance the Jets may be getting the best of Hall moving forward.
