New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a lot of pressure resting on his shoulders this season. He is the key component to the offense getting on track after some severely underwhelming performances from quarterbacks the last few seasons.
Even if Rodgers doesn’t return to the elite, MVP-level of play he showed during his tenure with the Green Bay Packers, he should be a huge upgrade for the Jets. To improve the odds of that happening as much as possible, New York has made upgrades to its offense.
The offensive line was desperately in need of reinforcements. Even if Rodgers had stayed healthy last season, his production would have been torpedoed by an offensive line that couldn’t block anyone.
Skill position depth was also upgraded this offseason. Veteran wide receiver Mike Williams was signed after being released by the Los Angeles Chargers. He will be a huge upgrade over what the team received from Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb last year.
Both of those needs were addressed in the 2024 NFL Draft. In the first round, New York selected Olu Fashanu, a tackle out of Penn State. Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley was picked in the third round to further upgrade at wide receiver.
But, the player who has been standing out the most this offseason is rookie running back Braelon Allen. A fourth-round pick out of Wisconsin, Allen already looks like a steal of the 2024 NFL Draft in the opinion of Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report.
“The Jets got a solid value when drafting Allen, who was the 84th-ranked prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s final draft board. His value in New York over the next two seasons may make him an outright steal,” Knox wrote.
Running back was far from a pressing need for the Jets. Breece Hall looks to be one of the best in the NFL at the position entering Year 3 of his career.
But, if the Jets are going to go on the kind of deep playoff run they believe possible, they need competent depth across the board. Allen provides that as an early-down banger behind Hall.
Through two preseason games, Allen has recorded 14 carries for 81 yards, resulting in an impressive 5.8 yards per carry. Against the Carolina Panthers, he added two receptions for 14 yards.
Allen has already cemented his status as the No. 2 running back behind Hall. Finding that kind of value in a rookie who was selected in the fourth round makes him one of the better steals of the draft.
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