Jets to Ride “Hot Hand” at Running Back in 2014
The New York Jets made a lot of changes this past off-season. After struggling through a mostly ineffective season on the offensive side of the ball, Gang Green did all they could to make life easier on second-year quarterback Geno Smith.
That naturally included adding a more explosive runner to the rushing attack, as the Jets brought on former Tennessee Titans burner, Chris Johnson.
While Johnson is a huge get in terms of landing a household name, he hasn’t technically been handed a featured role in the offense just yet.
When asked about the role of his running backs, New York running back coach Anthony Lynn was non-committal, saying, “We’ve always played the hot guy. If you go in there and produce, you usually stay in.”
Apparently piecing together an effective rushing attack isn’t rocket science.
That logic does make sense, but it’s tough to imagine a scenario where Johnson doesn’t factor in with a big role. After all, Johnson never failed to produce a 1,000+ yard rushing season while in Tennessee, has proven to be much healthier and more reliable that last year’s starter (Chris Ivory) and also offers more upside.
To be more specific, the Jets truly haven’t had an elite running back talent since the days of Curtis Martin and they surely haven’t had one that can be as explosive as Johnson since Leon Washington was still around.
Johnson is a more complete back than Washington ever was, though, and unlike the other current runners in the Jets’ backfield, he offers a huge thing teams strive for: versatility.
An adept receiver out of the backfield and a true home run threat, Johnson remains a near-lock to start for the Jets. That may not necessarily equate to 300 carries, but it should make for a big role overall.
The reality is that the Jets have big plans and if those plans are going to come to fruition, it will likely mean Johnson pans out as a true feature back. Chris Ivory is naturally better suited for a short-yardage or goal-line role anyways, as his physical running style takes a toll on his body and can cause him to miss time.
Look for the Jets to lean on Johnson early and often, provided the soon to be 29-year old rusher doesn’t suddenly regress.
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