A healthy Breece Hall could be the NFL's most dangerous weapon

It can be difficult for a player to earn respect and stand out when his teammates aren't doing their part. Poor team performance can overshadow individual talent, making it difficult for even the most talented players to shine and get the recognition they deserve.

Such is the unfortunate case of NY Jets running back Breece Hall.

By all accounts, Hall was one of the most dynamic and productive offensive players in the NFL last season. Despite playing in arguably the worst offense in football behind an incompetent offensive line and alongside the worst QB room in the NFL, Hall had a stellar second professional season.

The former second-round pick finished fourth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage behind only Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill. Each of those three individuals played for a team that finished in the top five in total yards per game.

As for Hall, his Jets team ranked 31st out of 32 teams in yards per game. Hall generated an incredible 1,585 of the Jets' 4,566 scrimmage yards on the season.

In other words, Hall accounted for 35 percent of the Jets' offense in 2023. No other NFL player came close to that number. Hall's remarkable 2023 campaign is even more impressive when you consider what happened less than 12 months earlier.

Hall suffered a torn ACL just seven games into his rookie season. Some players take more than a year to fully recover from such a serious injury, but Hall was back on the field after less than 12 months.

The Jets anticipated Hall to be on an instant roster early in the season as they hoped to get him back into action with Dalvin Cook shouldering some of the load. Those plans quickly changed when it became clear that Hall hadn't lost a step.

Hall's 2023 campaign was the most impressive post-ACL season for a running back since Adrian Peterson's historic 2012 MVP season. Despite this, the accolades didn't come for the Iowa State product.

Hall wasn't named an All-Pro. He was left off the Pro Bowl roster. He wasn't even a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year. That's exactly what happens when you're overshadowed by the ineptitude of your peers.

But things should be different in 2024, not only for Hall but for the Jets. Aaron Rodgers is back and the Jets offensive line underwent a serious overhaul this offseason. There is no feasible scenario in which the Jets offense should be as putrid as it was a year ago.

On top of that, Hall insists he finally feels like himself again. Yes, that means the Hall we saw last year wasn't even the “fully healthy” version of the Jets' star running back.

In an interview with the New York Post, Hall insisted that he didn't feel 100 percent last year, but that his knee felt “a lot better” this offseason.

“Last season I didn't always feel 100%, but now I've had my first offseason to not only try to come back, but try to get better. I improved this offseason. I am much thinner. I feel much healthier. My knee is much better. I feel like I'm back to normal. »

– Brece Room

Imagine what Breece Hall could be capable of, even if he's even better, in a truly competent offense. We can already say he's the second-best running back in the NFL behind Christian McCaffrey, and based on the numbers, he probably was last year.

Now, Hall is healthy and in an offense that should allow him to produce at an even higher rate.

Breece Hall may not yet be a household name that every NFL fan knows. The rewards are not there and neither is the recognition. But that's expected to change in 2024. Buy your stocks now before it's too late.

This article is part of The Jet Press' “Summer Spotlight” series, dedicated to highlighting individual players on the Jets roster throughout the summer. Stay tuned for more articles as we provide in-depth profiles and insights on various Jets players ahead of the season.

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