Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh reacting in the middle of an NFL game.
The New York Jets should have hit the eject button.
At least that’s the opinion of Joe Tansey of Bleacher Report who said Gang Green “should regret” not getting rid of veteran running back Dalvin Cook when they had the chance.
“The 28-year-old might have worked better for another team with a functional offensive line in a reserve role, but the Jets decided to hold on to Cook instead of trading him away for a late-round draft pick.”
Cook originally joined the team in August after signing a one-year deal for $7 million. Despite being the highest paid running back this offseason, the former Florida State product hasn’t played like it.
Cook has appeared in all eight games this season and has touched the ball 53 times. With those touches, Cook has gained 168 yards from scrimmage and has averaged a measly 3.2 yards per scrimmage touch.
Top Reasons Jets Should Regret Not Moving on From Cook
Tansey bluntly said that “The Dalvin Cook experiment has not worked.”
He hasn’t been effective, and he is being phased out of the offense each coming week. Tansey said the presence of Cook is “taking away” opportunities from some of the younger running backs on the roster.
Just because the Jets didn’t move on from Cook at this year’s NFL trading deadline doesn’t mean they still can’t.
Tansey said, “It feels like Cook has a higher chance to be released than to be a significant contributor in the second half of the season.”
Although according to ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler the Jets wanted to keep Cook because they might “Need him through the rigors of a long season.”
Instead of sending him away for a late round pick swap, the Jets held onto him for injury insurance.
Although Fowler also shared that the veteran running back “Was intrigued by potentially playing for Baltimore or Dallas, I’m told, though neither team ever really entertained the perceived positional need at the deadline.”
Breece Hall Show Is in Full View for Jets
One of the main reasons the Jets called an audible at the line of scrimmage on the Cook plan is the surprising recovery of Breece Hall.
Through eight games, Hall has 493 rushing yards with a healthy average of 5.2 per clip. He is on pace to tote the rock 200 times for 1,048 rushing yards.
That would be the first 1,000-yard rushing campaign for the Jets since 2015 when Chris Ivory accomplished that feat. Only 18 running backs in Jets history have recorded a 1,000+ yard rushing season in franchise history.
After some explosive rushing performances earlier this season, Hall has fallen into a bit of a rut.
Over the last three games, Hall has rushed for 50, 17, and 39 yards respectively. With those 40 rushing attempts, Hall is averaging a measly 2.65 yards per carry.
Although a breakout game could be coming in Week 10 on Sunday Night Football.
The Jets will face the NFL’s worst rush defense with a matchup scheduled with the Las Vegas Raiders. Las Vegas has allowed 1,248 yards rushing this season which is the most in the league.
