NFL free agent running back Dalvin Cook visited New York Jets training camp and got a hero’s welcome. However, he left without signing a deal, and now it looks like the Jets are out as a destination for the former Minnesota Vikings back. ESPN reporter Diana Russini says that’s because of how New York feels about recovering running back Breece Hall.
Last year’s Jets second-round pick, Breece Hall, got off to a great start in 2022, going for 681 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns in his first six-plus games before going out for the year with a knee injury.
Now, the Jets are in win-now mode with Aaron Rodgers, and Hall is slowly but surely working his way back. According to Diana Russini on the Pat McAfee Show, the Jets want Hall to take his RB1 role back when he’s fully healthy. And that is why Cook soured on Gang Green.
I think this team is very certain about their identity and who they want playing which roles. And Breece Hall is their guy. Would it be nice to have the insurance of a Dalvin Cook-type player on this roster while Breece Hall can slowly get back into getting to 100% knowing he’s coming off this ACL? Yeah, of course,” Russini told McAfee. “[Cook] wants to be the featured back. You want to be the main guy. So, I’m not sure if both sides are really on the same page with that role.”
Article Continues Below"I'm not sure if Dalvin Cook and the Jets are on the same page on his role..
As of two days ago the Jets feel good that Breece Hall will be ready for week one"
@diannaESPN #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/uU76739xEw
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 3, 2023
Russini also gave a Hall injury update, saying that the last time she asked the team about the young runner, they said, “We feel good [that] Week 1 he’ll be good.”
She also noted that while Rodgers took a pay cut so the Jets could sign a player like Cook, the team has plenty of areas to address and would be just as happy to use the cap space to sign a receiver or an offensive lineman.