It’s not only the Jets’ passing game that will benefit greatly from a reshaped offensive line and the return of Aaron Rodgers but running back Breece Hall should as well.
The Jets’ offense in 2024 is going to look a bit different from last season from a personnel standpoint, which should result in far more production.
Of course, Rodgers will be back under center. Joe Douglas also reworked the offensive line, adding three new starters through free agency or trade this offseason. At receiver, Douglas added Mike Williams as a running mate with Garrett Wilson and he could still add to the tackle or receiver positions with the 10th pick in the NFL draft.
A lack of continuity along the offensive line last season, coupled with an underwhelming passing game without Rodgers, created quite the challenge for Hall and the Jets’ run game.
Bolstered by a strong finish over the Jets’ final three games, Hall still finished the season averaging 4.5 yards per rush, along with totaling 993 rushing yards. But there was some tough sledding along the way.
In eight games, Hall would not eclipse 30 rushing yards. In seven games, he averaged fewer than 3.0 yards per carry. From Weeks 1 through 15, Hall’s 339 rushing yards before contact ranked 31st in the NFL.
Also not helping the run game was that Hall faced heavy boxes on nearly 20 percent of his carries, which ranked as the 12th highest rate out of 25 eligible running backs with at least 200 carries.
By Hall’s own admission, at roughly the halfway point of the 2023 season, he was pressing, feeling the pressure to create the big play, but that approach often led to mistakes.
“I feel like now I’m just trying to make a play,” Hall said via the New York Post. “It’s been hard to get open space and get some good looks. It’s just a lot of guys pressing and stuff right now, just trying press and make a play every time you get the ball, and that’s not good because that causes little mistakes. I’ve been making mistakes that I’ve never made in my career. It’s frustrating, bro.”
Hall’s ability to make defenders miss allowed him to create opportunities for himself. He finished the season ranked fourth in average yards after contact and 14th overall in missed tackles forced.
The lack of a passing game to lean on allowed opponents to play with more defenders closer to the line of scrimmage, which made things more difficult for the run game. Injuries to the offensive line didn’t help with that, either.
Struggling to move the ball on the ground then puts the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations. The defense then has the advantage in coverage, and the pass rush can pin its ears back.
The inability to move the ball through the air then makes it more difficult to run the ball. The inability to consistently move the ball on the ground then makes it more difficult to pick up yards in the passing game, and the vicious cycle continues to repeat itself as the offense sputters.
As long as healthy, the offensive line play should be improved this season, which of course, helps Hall and the run game. The return of Rodgers and a more dynamic receiver room won’t allow the defense to load the box as often, creating more space around the line of scrimmage for Hall to operate within.
Naturally, all eyes will be on Rodgers and the Jets passing game, but it’s the run game that can help take any passing game to another level. It’s just another element that defenses have to account for, which creates opportunities elsewhere.
