Breece Hall and Braelon Allen
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New York Jets running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen.
The New York Jets offense is expected to run the ball quite a bit throughout this season, which has many NFL fans expecting former second-round pick Breece Hall to potentially have a career year in 2025.
Yet, one bold prediction regarding second-year RB Braelon Allen could foreshadow Hall’s fate with the Jets in 2025.
Jets RB Braelon Allen Predicted to Lead the Team in Rushing in 2025
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic clearly believes there could be a big change in the Jets’ backfield pecking order in 2025 by predicting Braelon Allen will lead the team in rushing over Breece Hall this season.
“The Jets ranked last in the NFL in rush attempts last year. I expect them to finish in the top five in 2025 — if not at the top — and that’s both for a combination of scheme (it will be a run-heavy offensive attack) and personnel led by quarterback Justin Fields,” wrote Rosenblatt. “There’s an assumption that Breece Hall is the Jets’ top running back but when the games start and Aaron Glenn and Tanner Engstrand start divvying up the carries, I truly think at some point (perhaps early) Allen will become the predominant ball carrier in the running back room. That’s not to say Hall’s role will diminish — he might be the Jets’ No. 2 option in the passing game at the moment — but Allen throughout the summer has looked like the better, stronger, more explosive runner.”
Hall looked like a potential star at the RB position after producing 1,585 total yards and nine scores on a bad Jets’ offense back in 2023, which was less than a year removed from tearing his ACL. Considering the seriousness of this injury and how poorly the offense performed as a whole, Hall’s production was very impressive.
Yet, Hall saw a drop in usage and production in 2024 after Allen touched the ball 111 times last year. Allen wasn’t overly efficient with those touches — evident by his 3.63 yards per carry in 2024 — but he flashed some real potential with his rare combination of size and speed for a 235-pound back.
Cameron Sheath of Pro Football Sports Network potentially sees Allen getting even more involved in 2025.
“Braelon Allen could see an uptick in opportunities in 2025, as the power option and potential goal-line back for the Jets. Breece Hall will remain the team’s starter and should push for a top-10 finish in 2025, but Allen is a potential sleeper in the late rounds,” wrote Sheath. “While not a 1A/1B situation in New York, Allen should have a more solid role this season, beyond simply giving Breece Hall a rest. New HC Aaron Glenn has talked up his young running back’s power, highlighting the variation he and Hall offer. That would suggest that Allen will have specific plays assigned to him.”
Will Breece Hall Be Traded at Some Point in the 2025 NFL Season?
If Allen has an expanded role and manages to improve his efficiency behind an improved offensive line, the organization could consider moving Hall to a team in need of a running back before the trade deadline.
Hall is in the final year of his rookie deal, which makes him a prime candidate to be dealt to another team if the Jets know they aren’t going to sign him to a market-value deal this offseason.
Teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Houston Texans could be potential suitors for a veteran back if these teams aren’t pleased with the production from the RB position nearing the trade deadline.