Jets vigilant RB isn’t rushing ACL recovery

Before tearing his ACL in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, New York Jets running back Breece Hall was on-pace for a 1,000-yard rookie rushing season.

While the Jets are banking on Hall regaining his pre-injury form in 2023, they’re also keeping a tight leash on the 21-year-old’s recovery process, ensuring he’s not doing too much too quickly, even if it means he’s not ready for the season opener.

“I know he's going to be chomping at the bit to get on the field early,” Jets general manager Joe Douglas recently told Pro Football Talk. “So, we're going to have to do a good job of protecting him against himself a little bit because he's so motivated, so hungry, and attacking rehab the way he is. So we're going to see. We have very detailed checkpoints for Breece to hit in his rehab and we're going to follow that to a 'T' because I think we all saw last year the weapon that he can be with the ball in his hands."

Hall appeared in seven games in 2022 with two starts. He rushed for 463 yards and four touchdowns on 80 carries and added 19 receptions for 218 yards and another score. Despite missing the team’s final 10 games, Hall still finished as the Jets’ leading rusher, and he had the second-most receptions and receiving yards among running backs, behind Michael Carter.