The New York Jets can’t catch a break in the early weeks of the 2025 NFL season. After starting 0-4, the franchise now has to deal with a major blow to its offense, as running back Braelon Allen suffered a knee injury during Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins. With the clock ticking, the franchise will be adding a former teammate of quarterback Justin Fields in the Chicago Bears.
The offense had already taken a hit earlier with the injury to Fields, who missed the Week 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after going down in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. Allen’s absence now marks another setback, which prompted the front office to get to work on strengthening the unit.
The Jets confirmed that Allen will be placed on injured reserve, which sidelines him for at least four games. With that, head coach Aaron Glenn will have to manage with fewer key weapons on offense, raising questions about how the Jets’ running back depth chart will shape up with the team’s newest addition.
The Jets’ running back depth chart
With Allen sidelined, the Jets signed running back Khalil Herbert, who was Fields’ teammate with the Bears. Now, the depth chart features Breece Hall as the lead option, followed by Herbert, Isaiah Davis and Kene Nwangwu as backups. The franchise from the Big Apple loses a critical piece in its ground game.
Khalil Herbert during his stint in the Bears
Hall remains the lead running back, although his history shows he dealt with a serious knee injury (torn ACL and meniscus) in 2022, from which he fully recovered. However, every so often the old injury causes him discomfort and pain. The arrival of Herbert, who was drafted by the Bears in 2021 and spent three seasons alongside Fields before stints in Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks, adds depth and more options at the position.
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What’s next for the Jets
In New York, the team is preparing to face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5 of the season, aiming to secure its first win of the campaign. Glenn recently said that his team must focus on avoiding further losses, meaning every opportunity to show consistency has to be taken. Along those lines, a setback on the offensive side could hurt the Jets’ scoring production.
