This Jet’s Running Back Bounce-Back Year is Coming

Breece Hall had a less-than-spectacular 2024 season. After being billed as one of the top backs in the league following two very promising seasons, Hall’s yards, YPC, and overall touches dropped in his third year. In the offseason, many have speculated about possible trade destinations for the young back. These rumors have since been dispelled both by Hall and the Jets, but many wonder which Breece we will see in the coming year.

Hall’s career has been up and down so far. His rookie campaign started with him becoming an early frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year before a torn ACL ended his season in Week Seven. His second season saw him come six yards shy of 1,000 yards while facing stacked boxes due to poor quarterback play. After a down year in his third season, Hall goes into his contract year with much to prove. Despite his doubters, Breece has a very good chance of having a major bounce-back year in 2025.

There are a few reasons for Hall’s down year, the most notable one being his usage. Hall was often a victim of a lack of creativity on offense. Many plays called were doomed from the start, sending Hall right into the teeth of the defense and failing to scheme any good situations for him. He was also seldom used as the pass-catching threat that he is, as they threw the ball to him 20+ yards down the field only twice. Both were catches, but they inexplicably abandoned that aspect of his game early in the season. If OTAs and minicamp are any indication, new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand plans on making his pass-catching ability a focal point of the offense.

Another less talked-about reason for Hall’s down year was a knee injury he dealt with for most of the season. Hall revealed in a recent interview that this injury hobbled him throughout much of the year. It makes sense, as he did not look nearly as explosive as he did in previous seasons. Now running behind a young and talented offensive line, if Hall is fully healthy and utilized in a way that maximizes his potential as an all-around back, then the talent is all there to finally solidify himself as a top-five back in the league in 2025.