The 2023 NFL season is just weeks away from officially kicking off. For the New York Jets, that means there are plenty of opportunities for the team to improve in key facets.
General manager, Joe Douglas, has done an excellent job of building a championship-caliber roster outside of the quarterback position. While the biggest question will be surrounding who will be throwing the football next season for the Jets, there are still plenty of options to help improve the team at every position.
With Breece Hall recovering from ACL surgery, let’s take a look at three running-back options that the Jets could go after in free agency this season.
Miles Sanders – Philadelphia
Douglas has a lot of history with the Philadelphia Eagles and helped scout Sanders when he was still at Penn State. Sanders is coming off a career year with over 1,000 yards rushing. Even with his output diminishing during the playoffs, the former second-round pick still has plenty left in the tank and has home-run capabilities. This would be a very intriguing pick here in Nathaniel Hackett’s run-first offense.
Jamaal Williams – Detroit
Williams is a red-zone specialist and would help the Jets tremendously should they choose to move on from James Robinson. In Hackett’s system, a power runner would be very helpful and could enhance what the offense looks like. Whether it’s Robinson or Williams, the Jets could absolutely make a move to help get more offensive weapons for whoever is playing quarterback this season.
Dalvin Cook – Minnesota
While the free agent market for running backs is slim, there are plenty of top veterans who could become cap casualties in the coming weeks that could land on the open market. Arguably the most talented of the group is Dalvin Cook. The former second-round pick has recorded over 1,000 yards in each of his last four seasons and would be an excellent fit for Hackett’s system. The question will come down to money. New York has learned their lesson with LeVeon Bell to not overpay for a back that is past his prime. So while others like Zeke Elliott and even Alvin Kamara could be enticing, it’s Cook who might be the better overall fit for New York.
