Jets could be planning a bigger role for overlooked second-year weapon

Don’t be surprised if the New York Jets’ 2025 backfield ends up looking a lot different than it did a year ago. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, second-year running back Braelon Allen could have a “pretty significant” role in the Jets' offense this season.

While Breece Hall remains the presumed RB1, trade rumors swirled around him during the draft, and his future with the team beyond 2025 is anything but guaranteed. Allen, just 21 years old, may be in line for a major workload increase under the team’s new offensive regime.

With offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand now calling plays and dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields under center, the Jets are expected to lean heavily on their run game. If Allen impresses this summer, he could force his way into a true committee, or something even bigger.

Braelon Allen could have a major role in NY Jets' offense after latest report

Allen’s rookie season was far from eye-popping on paper, but there were flashes. The 2024 fourth-round pick impressed throughout the summer and showed early promise in limited action to start the year.

As the season wore on, however, his impact faded, a trend that likely had far more to do with the situation around him than his own shortcomings.

The Jets finished dead last in the NFL in rush attempts, thanks in large part to a broken run game, poor offensive coaching, and a quarterback in Aaron Rodgers who effectively took the ground game off the table.

Still, Allen enters his sophomore NFL season with genuine upside. He’ll be just 21 years old for the entire season and now finds himself in a wide-open running back room with a new staff in place.

Hall may be the established name, but he’s coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign and entering the final year of his rookie deal. It’s unclear how the new Jets regime views him long term, and with trade rumors circling around the draft, it’s at least possible they’re preparing to move in a different direction.

That opens the door for Allen, and maybe more than just a few change-of-pace snaps. The Jets' staff may envision a true backfield split, perhaps something similar to what the Lions ran with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Allen as the downhill hammer. Hall as the home-run threat. Thunder and lightning.

Of course, Allen isn’t alone. Fifth-round pick Isaiah Davis, who came on strong late in the season, is firmly in the mix for touches. Undrafted rookie Donovan Edwards out of Michigan will also be competing for a spot on the 53-man roster. How the Jets divvy up those snaps will be one of the more telling storylines of training camp.

If Allen earns the trust of Engstrand and this new staff, he could carve out a far more prominent role than anyone expected a year ago. And if Hall struggles to bounce back, that opportunity could only grow.

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