Why the NY Jets 'process' to trade up for Breece Hall was logical

The NY Jets made the decision to trade-up two spots in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft to ensure they selected a man who they believed was the clear-cut top running back in his class, Iowa State's Breece Hall.

Hall was the near-consensus RB1 in this year's draft class with only Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III challenging him for that title. There were rumblings that he'd go as early as the first round, but he ultimately slid to the top of the second.

That slide wasn't going to last long, however, and with the Jets eyeing him as a top target, they decided to jump ahead of the Houston Texans to solidify their chance to grab him.

The Texans reportedly had planned to select Hall with the 37th overall pick, but the Jets traded up with the New York Giants, giving up a fifth-round pick (146) in the process, and made sure that they got their guy.

On the surface, this seems like a savvy move. But it's a decision that's come under fire in recent days.

For starters, we're obviously going to be talking about "the process" here. We don't know how Hall is going to fare in the NFL so it's impossible to truly gauge if the trade/pick was worth it right now. We can analyze the process and the value though.

The Jets essentially used two assets to acquire Hall: the 38th and 146th picks in the draft. Using Jimmy Johnson's standard trade value chart, those picks roughly equate to the value of the 33rd or 34th overall pick at the top of Round 2.

It was a pretty fair trade from a value perspective. The Jets gave up slightly more as is often the case in trade-ups, and in doing so, they drafted a player who they otherwise would not have been able to land had they not executed the trade-up.

That seems like a good use of assets to me. If you're targeting a player who ranks top-18 on your draft board and you give up the value of a second-round pick to land him, it's hard to argue with that process.

Yet, many have.

Many disagree with the NY Jets' decision to trade-up for Breece Hall

The staunch "anti-running back" sentiment among many in the analytics community has been in full force post-draft. Let's get one thing straight first: running backs can matter.

Yes, they're replaceable. Yes, they're more of a luxury than a necessity. But if all things are equal and the situation for said running back is favorable, there's going to be a significant difference between a good and bad running back.

La'Mical Perine isn't going to do what Derrick Henry does in Tennessee. Austin Walter isn't going to replicate Nick Chubb's production.

A bad running back in a bad situation isn't very different from a good running back in a bad situation. But in a favorable situation (coaching/offensive line/etc.), there's a stark contrast between good and bad running backs.

The Jets selected Hall with the obvious belief that he could be a top-10 back in the NFL before long. If that does happen, which again, this is what they believe will happen, then I don't see any argument that he's not worth the equivalent of a second-round pick.

Would Dalvin Cook not be worth a second-round pick in a draft do-over? What about Jonathan Taylor? Nick Chubb? Joe Mixon? These are all top running backs who were selected in the second round, roughly around where Hall was selected.

If Hall's career turns out like any of those listed above, the Jets made the right decision.

Once again, we don't know if Hall is going to be a star in the NFL. We don't have the benefit of hindsight to analyze this trade's long-term impact. All we can discuss is "the process."

What are critics suggesting the NY Jets should have done instead?

So let's talk about those common criticisms for a moment. What are those critics insisting the Jets should have done instead? It appears the most common suggestion is that the Jets shouldn't have targeted a running back.

Most seem to be insisting that the Jets should have addressed bigger needs at more important positions. After all, the consensus appears to be that they have a "bad roster" with numerous holes.

But to suggest such an idea is a little misleading. What specific holes do the Jets currently have? I'd argue that they're still fairly weak at linebacker, defensive tackle, and safety.

They could use depth elsewhere, but those are the three starting positions that are still relatively poor compared to the league average. Yet, in all the arguments I've seen, not one has suggested the Jets target one of those positions.

There's been no "draft Jalen Pitre or Jaquan Brisker." No one has mentioned Travis Jones or Phidarian Mathis. Not a single discussion about Brian Asamoah or Chad Muma either.

Instead, those suggesting the Jets shouldn't have drafted Hall seem to be a little misguided as to where the Jets' needs lie.

These tweets have rightfully and expectedly gotten their fair share of flack, but let's explain why these suggestions just don't make sense.

Why these suggestions aren't logical for the NY Jets

The Jets are already six-deep at defensive end, and that's before they drafted Micheal Clemons in the fourth round. Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin, Bryce Huff, and Vinny Curry would all be regular rotation players on any NFL roster. Four of those guys would be starters on many rosters.

To suggest that the Jets should've drafted an edge rusher is to suggest the Jets draft a player who would hardly see the field. Let's say the Jets drafted someone like Boye Mafe. Where does he play?

Surely he doesn't see playing time over Lawson, Franklin-Myers, or Johnson. The Jets signed Martin to a sizable contract this offseason, and he's probably a better play at this stage of his career than Mafe is. You could even argue that Huff is as well.

So you'd be drafting your fifth or sixth edge rusher. You'd be spending a high second-round pick on a player who would, if he's lucky, play 25 percent of snaps this season. That's looking at it optimistically.

What does his future hold either? Franklin-Myers was just extended. Lawson still has two years left on his contract (although with an out in 2023). You just drafted Johnson in the first round. Where's the logic in drafting another edge rusher?

So how about a wide receiver? Alabama's John Metchie was suggested, would he have been a reasonable target for the Jets?

Once again, the Jets are already four-deep at wide receiver. Metchie isn't playing over Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, or Corey Davis, and he might struggle to earn snaps over Braxton Berrios.

Not to mention, Metchie is coming off a torn ACL and will likely miss the start of the season. A similar sentiment could be shared about Michigan's David Ojabo who was also suggested as a target.

The Jets don't have the luxury of waiting 2-3 years for production. They can't even wait 2-3 months. This is a team that's won six games in two years. They're trying to set their young quarterback up for success.

To do so, they need instant-impact contributors. Breece Hall is exactly that. Ojabo, Metchie, or any of the other suggestions would not make the same impact that Hall would. It's really as simple as that.

The Jets addressed their core needs in the first round. They targeted important positions of need in cornerback, wide receiver, and edge rusher. Using the equivalent of a second-round pick to draft the near-consensus top running back isn't a "bad process."

It wasn't a bad process when the Colts did it. It wasn't a bad process when the Browns did. Nor the Bengals or the Vikings.

If Breece Hall develops into the star the Jets believe he will be, then they made the right decision.

The process was wise and logical. Only time will tell if the ends justify the means.