Braelon Allen’s Jets teammates are buzzing about his breakout chances

New York Jets tight end Jeremy Ruckert was as excited as anyone watching running back Braelon Allen reach the end zone last Friday night.

But was he surprised? Not at all.

“We get to see everything he does behind closed doors, how much work he puts in, how much he takes care of his body,” Ruckert told reporters. “I think it was good for the world to see his hard work pay off, and he’s still building in the right direction. He’s going to be huge for us this year.”

Ruckert is only the latest around the Jets to praise Allen, the 2024 fourth-round pick who missed most of last season with a knee injury. Back in May, we openly argued that he’d been forgotten by the fanbase not only because of injury, but because of the Jets’ incredibly busy offseason and Breece Hall’s contract extension. 

Luckily for the Jets, Allen never left, and his presence is much needed after Hall suffered a groin injury earlier this week. 

New York Jets camp has been buzzing about running back Braelon Allen

Before going any further, let’s revisit the entire Allen timeline to fully appreciate just how far he’s come within the last few months. He officially returned to practice during offseason workouts, and he performed well during organized team activities to the point where the Jets began publicly raving about how he’ll fit into Frank Reich’s offense.

In mid-June, Jets coach Aaron Glenn reaffirmed that he wanted to use the running backs more in the passing game. Frank Reich has frequently emphasized versatility among his running backs as both an offensive coordinator and head coach.

Allen rushed for a game-high 44 yards last Friday night, most of that coming on his 31-yard touchdown run. The Jets held off on exposing too much of whatever Reich's game plan holds, as neither Allen nor Hall had a target against the Buccaneers. Backup running back Kene Nwangwu had a four-yard reception.

As of Tuesday morning, it seems the plan is for Hall to play against the Titans in Week 1. He is being held out of practice indefinitely and likely will not suit up against the Steelers. However, there is no indication that he will open the season on injured reserve. 

Assuming that the Jets sit Hall on Friday night, Allen and Nwangwu would likely get the lion’s share of the first-team carries. Isaiah Davis remains sidelined with a knee issue, and the Jets have not announced his Week 1 status. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow