Jets Need to Make a Trade After Devastating Injury News
The New York Jets 2022 season shockingly went from year two of a long-term rebuild to a win-now situation after the team won its fourth consecutive game in Week 7 to move to 5-2. Unfortunately, the Jets 16-9 win over the Denver Broncos came at a huge cost. Rookie running back sensation Breece Hall went out with a knee injury and is now out for the year. With the team’s No. 1 offensive threat out and a playoff race in sight, the Jets have just over a week to make a trade ahead of the 2022 NFL trade deadline on November 1.
Breece Hall is out for the season after devastating knee injury
Breece Hall was the No. 1-ranked running back in the 2022 NFL Draft, and after the Jets picked him in the second round (No. 36 overall), he’s played like it.
Hall started relatively slowly with Joe Flacco under center for the Jets. In the first three games of the season, the former Iowa State has just 21 carries for 112 total rushing yards. However, once Zach Wilson returned from injury, Hall got 55 carries and rushed for 279 yards and three touchdowns.
The cousin of NFL legend Roger Craig was off to a great start in Week 7 as well. Hall had four carries for 72 yards, including a 62-yard TD run to set the Jets up with a 7-0 lead. However, he went out right before the half with a scary-looking injury, and on Monday, the NFL insiders confirmed the worst. Hall tore his ACL and injured his meniscus. He is now out for the season.
That leaves second-year running back Michael Carter (66 carries, 228 yards) and Ty Johnson (one carry, three yards) as the only other RBs who’ve seen action this season.
While Carter is a solid back and Johnson is a capable backup, they are not No. 1 and 2 options on a playoff contender. That’s why the Jets now need to take action and make a trade before the 2022 NFL trade deadline.
The Jets need to trade for a running back
Maybe a few people thought — in the darkest hallways of the Jets facilities — that the team could make a playoff push this season. Outside of that, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find many believers.
However, with a last-place schedule, good coaching, and ahead-of-schedule talent development, the Jets currently own the top Wild Card spot in the AFC. That means that 2022 is officially a year that the Jets have to go for it.
In order to push for a playoff spot, the Jets need to replace Breece Hall at running back. Ideally, they’d bring in a No. 1 back to replace Hall with a 1-for-1.
With the NFL trade deadline just a week away, there are several RBs on the market right now.
Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt is the best player at the position who could be on the market after the Christian McCaffrey trade. The Browns are a sinking ship, and paying a backup running back $6.25 million doesn’t make a lot of sense. Hunt is a free agent after this season, so he will likely be a one-year rental, but how often do the Jets start the season 5-2?
Denver Broncos RB Melvin Gordon could also be available. The veteran Pro Bowl back has fallen out of favor with new head coach Nathaniel Hackett, and after the disastrous Russell Wilson trade, the new owners in Denver could be looking to get all the picks back they possibly can. Gordon is also a free agent in 2023.
If the Jets can’t (or won’t) get a No. 1 back, they can bring in another mid-tier runner to help provide depth. Los Angeles Rams RB Cam Akers and Kansas City Chiefs runner Ronald Jones are at the top of that list.
Losing Hall is a horrible break for the Jets and their fans. However, the first group can help make the second group feel better by making a move for another RB at the NFL trade deadline to ensure New York continues to compete for a playoff spot.
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