What the Dalvin Cook signing means for Breece Hall and the NY Jets RBs

The NY Jets have agreed to terms on a one-year, $7 million contract worth a maximum of $8.6 million with Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook. Following months of speculation, the two sides were finally able to agree on a deal that made sense for both parties.

The Jets have been active in their pursuit of a veteran running back this offseason, especially with Breece Hall still working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered last October.

Cook is an exciting addition to the Jets' running back room, who, even if he has lost a step, could still prove valuable in one of the most dynamic running back units in the NFL.

What does his addition mean for Hall, though? What does it mean for the other running backs on the roster? Who is the odd man out?

The Dalvin Cook signing shouldn't significantly affect NY Jets RB Breece Hall

The Cook signing isn't a reflection of how the Jets view their young star running back. Hall remains the undisputed RB1 in New York, even following the addition of a player who has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons.

Cook is simply being brought in as an insurance policy. The Jets would prefer to ease Hall back into a full workload as the season goes on. Even if he's ready for Week 1, the Jets don't want to rush Hall into a large role early in the year.

Combine that with the gauntlet of difficult opponents the Jets will face to start the season, and it's easy to see why the team wanted some veteran insurance. Cook provides just that.

The former Florida State star raises the floor of the Jets' running back room significantly. He's a proven veteran talent who can absolutely shoulder the brunt of the load in the early portion of the season.

This doesn't mean much for Hall long-term, and all signs point to him becoming a focal point of the offense sooner rather than later, but it does affect the other running backs on the roster.

Fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda should be safe. The Jets are optimistic with what they've seen from Abanikanda this summer, but he will likely take a back-seat role with Cook now in the fold.

That leaves Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight to fight for what is likely one roster spot. Knight has outplayed Carter for most of the summer, but the former fourth-round pick looked good in his preseason debut on Saturday.

The Cook signing does spell bad news for both players, as they were previously battling for the RB2 job in New York. Now, in all likelihood, one of them will be traded/released before the start of the season.

The addition of Cook improves the Jets' roster and gives the team arguably the best running-back duo in the NFL. While it may not be good news for Carter and Knight, the team got better on Monday — and that's what is most important.