Jets coach Robert Saleh likes to use boxing analogies. Well, on Monday the Jets took a punch to the mouth. Time will tell if it was a knockout blow.
Tests on Monday confirmed the Jets worst fears from Sunday’s win over the Broncos — both running back Breece Hall and tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered season-ending injuries. Hall tore an ACL and also has meniscus damage in his knee. Vera-Tucker suffered a triceps injury that will require surgery.
Hall and Vera-Tucker had been two of the Jets’ best players and stories this season.
“It’s always tough,” Saleh said. “Those are two potential Pro Bowlers between Breece and AVT. We experienced this back in 2020 in San Francisco when we visited this organization and lost a handful of guys for the season. It’s the NFL and it’s next man up.”
The 2020 49ers lost star edge-rusher Nick Bosa for the season as well as others in their Week 2 game against the Jets. The 49ers ended up going 6-10 after making the Super Bowl the season before.
These Jets are off to a shocking 5-2 start and have won four consecutive games. They already have more wins in a season than they have had since 2019 and fans are dreaming of a playoff run. The loss of Hall and Vera-Tucker is devastating.
Hall has been the Jets’ best offensive skill player and was making a case to be the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. The second-round pick from Iowa State rushed 80 times for 463 yards and four touchdowns, a 5.8 yards per carry clip. He also caught 19 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown. Hall has consistently made big plays during the winning streak, including a 62-yard touchdown on Sunday against the Broncos before suffering the injury just before halftime.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas did not take long before finding a replacement for Hall. The Jets acquired running back James Robinson from the Jaguars in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick, according to a source.
The Jets will now hope the team of Robinson and Michael Carter can team up, along with some help from Ty Johnson, to help fill the void left by Hall.
Carter has 66 carries for 228 yards and two touchdowns as well as 20 receptions for 151 yards. Before the trade happened, Saleh expressed his support for the players on the roster.
“Michael Carter has proven that he can carry the load,” Saleh said. “Ty Johnson has done a really nice job. With our offensive line, it’s been all year with guys shuffling in. I’ve just got a lot of faith in the guys that are here to be able to step in and continue to do the job before them.”
Carter said the injury to Hall won’t change his approach.
“I prepare all the time like I’m the only back on the team,” Carter said. “Understanding that I’m not, which is totally, totally fine. I’m just saying I prepare myself for these games like that. I don’t think my preparation is going to change. It’s just going to be a matter of I’m probably going to be on the field a little bit more than I have been since the season started.”
Vera-Tucker wowed the Jets with his versatility this season. The 2021 first-round pick played left guard as a rookie and the moved to right guard to start this season. He played guard for three games and then started at left tackle for one game before starting the last three at right tackle. He has played at a high level at every position and was downfield Sunday blocking on Hall’s 62-yard touchdowns.
The Jets will turn to Cedric Ogbuehi to start at right tackle with Vera-Tucker out.
Saleh said the Jets won’t be fazed by these two huge losses.
“Nobody in our locker room will look at each other and say we just got worse because we’ve got to go with this guy,” Saleh said. “I promise you the guy who is stepping up is not thinking that and I promise you we’re not thinking that either.”