4 intriguing position battles for NY Jets in 2024 OTAs

2. RB2

The Jets made it clear that they didn't trust their running back depth when they selected two running backs on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis join a running back room that already featured Breece Hall and Israel Abanikanda.

Hall is locked into his role as the Jets' undisputed RB1 and franchise cornerstone. Abanikanda's status is a lot less certain.

The Jets drafted Abanikanda in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and despite Dalvin Cook's numerous struggles, the team never seemed to trust their rookie running back on the field.

Abanikanda played sparingly as a rookie, only receiving limited playing time late in the season following Cook's release. His issues as a pass blocker, pass catcher, and with ball security made it difficult to justify playing him.

Abanikanda isn't a lost cause, especially at just 21 years old, but he probably shouldn't be seen as the favorite to win the primary RB2 job behind Hall this summer. That player might be Allen.

A fourth-round pick in this year's draft, Allen has a chance to become the youngest player in Jets history when he steps on the field this season. At 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, Allen provides the Jets with a bruising, short-yardage presence that Abanikanda doesn't at this stage.

The same could be said about Davis, who has a chance to earn a pretty sizable role early in his rookie season. Davis is another physical runner who dominated at the FCS level. He possesses legitimate three-down traits as an NFL running back.

Abanikanda, Allen, and Davis will all be competing for snaps behind Hall. Their first opportunity to make an impression comes in OTAs.