Some people would argue that you shouldn’t have a definitive take on a rookie four months into their NFL career.
However, that didn’t stop Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report from crowning New York Jets running back Braelon Allen as the top “draft day steal” ahead of the 2024 season.
“The New York Jets already had a serviceable starting running back in Breece Hall when they entered April’s draft. However, rookie fourth-round pick Braelon Allen may still have a surprisingly big impact on New York’s immediate future,” Knox explained in a column posted on Friday, August, 16. “Because of Hall’s presence, the selection of Allen hasn’t generated as much attention—but it could prove to be one of New York’s best decisions of this offseason.”
Braelon Has Already Secured His Place on the Jets 2024 Offense
The Jets invested the No. 134 overall pick in the fourth round to select the former Wisconsin product.
Allen brings a different dimension to the Jets offense and the backfield specifically. The Jets have him listed at 6-foot-1 and tipping the scales at 235 pounds, on the official roster sheet.
“Coach [Tony] Dews kind of coaches him a little different than he coaches us because he’s more of that Derrick Henry-style of running back,” Jets running back Breece Hall explained to Cimini.
He certainly flashed some of those qualities during his preseason debut on Saturday, August 10. Allen finished the day with six carries for 54 yards and averaged nine yards per attempt.
Rich Cimini of ESPN said Allen, “probably solidified the RB2 job” after his performance versus the Washington Commanders in the preseason opener.
Knox said Allen displayed, “burst, vision, and physicality” against the Commanders.
An Insurance Policy for Now and for Later?
Allen provides legitimate insurance to the clear No. 1 guy in Hall for 2024. However, did the Jets sneakily prepare themselves for the future with this selection?
Hall only has two years left on his rookie deal and there is no fifth-year option on his contract because he wasn’t a first-round draft choice.
A panel of 50+ scouts, coaches, and league executives voted Hall as the second-best running back in the NFL heading into 2024, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The only player that Hall was behind was Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers.
McCaffrey entered the offseason as the No. 1 highest-paid running back in football with a $16 million per year average. However, he topped his own mark by agreeing to a new deal with the $49ers that increased his yearly total to $19 million per year.
Hall was asked about that record-setting contract and he cracked a smile.
#Jets RB Breece Hall spoke during mandatory minicamp this week.
@antwanstaley asked for his reaction/thoughts on Christian McCaffrey getting a new contract recently. The first thing Hall did was crack a big smile 🤣
📸 @nyjets #JetUp #FTTB
Allen looks like a great selection because he can be the salt to the pepper of Hall.
“As a power runner and breakaway threat, Allen is a potentially dangerous complement to the versatile Hall,” Knox explained.
However, he could prove to be a lot more than that in the future.
The annual salary of the top five highest-paid running backs in football is $14.5 million per year. Is that too rich for Jets general manager Joe Douglas?
It’s impossible to say because Douglas hasn’t been in a position where he had to pay a premium player at that position in the past.
Interestingly Allen is set to make $4.5 million over the next four years. It could be tempting for Douglas to spread that potential Hall money to other places on the roster.
