Jets RB Breece Hall activated off PUP list Tuesday: ‘We are going to take our time with him’

A day after agreeing to terms with free agent running back Dalvin Cook, another weapon returns to the Jets backfield.

Second-year running back Breece Hall came off the physically unable to perform list [PUP] the team announced ahead of Tuesday’s practice. Hall was limited in Tuesday’s practice as he didn’t participate in 11-on-11 drills with the team. However, Hall did take part in team warmups.

“We are going to take our time with him,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said after practice. “Like I’ve said from the beginning, if you ask him, he’s ready to go now and he’s champing at the bit, wants to get in there with his teammates.

“But to have him back out there in pads, man he looks freaking good. Just his size, kind of like Jermaine Johnson, the way they kind of morph their bodies. He looks explosive, he looks powerful, so we will get him in, we will ease him in, but right now, it’s just acclimation.

Hall tore his ACL last October and during the Jets 16-7 Week 7 victory against the Broncos and missed the rest of the season. During OTAs and at the start of training camp, Hall only took part in individual drills on the side with trainers.

While he has continued to work his way back on the field, Saleh has continually said that he expects Hall to be ready for the team’s season opener against the Bills on Sept. 11.

“I think I will be ready for it,” Hall said. “But at the end of the day, the coaches and myself, we are going to do the best thing in my interest.

“I’m not going to put any certain timeline on it. I will just leave it up to God and if my knee is feeling good, then I will play.”

Despite the optimism about Hall’s progress, that didn’t stop the Jets from bringing Cook into the fold. ESPN reported that 28-year-old agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $8.6 million.

The Jets selected Hall in the second round (36th overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Iowa State. Although he didn’t begin the season as the Jets starting running back, Hall dazzled and eventually became Gang Green’s workhorse out of the backfield.

During the seven games before tearing his ACL, Hall rushed for 463 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 19 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown.

This will be a much different running back room than a season ago with the addition of Cook alongside Hall, Michael Carter, Zonovan “Bam” Knight, and Israel Abanikanda.

“Just another great guy that we are adding to the room,” Hall said about the addition of Cook. “It

is going to be good competition, it is going to bring the best out of everybody.

“When he comes in, all of our reps might get lessened and we are going to have to work him in. It is going to make us do the most we can with our reps. So, it’s going to be fun.

“He’s going to come in, he’s going to challenge us, and we are going to challenge him as well. So, it’s going to be fun.”

WAIT ON THE COOK

Speaking of Cook, he won’t join his Jets teammates until at least another week. Cook is expecting his first child any day as the team also doesn’t want to rush him back. He has not participated in any football activities since offseason shoulder surgery in February.

Before the move was made, Saleh spoke to the Jets coaching staff and the other players about their vision of the running back room.

“I think he’s a great player,” Carter said about Dalvin Cook. “I get a call from coach [Saleh] and they didn’t have to do s—t like that, so I respect it. After that, he’s coming in and he’s part of our team now.

“I don’t worry about s—t at this point, I can’t worry about that because if I’m worried about that, I’m not getting better. The main thing is about getting better.”

Last season after Hall’s injury, the Jets acquired James Robinson through a trade with the Jaguars. That move, along with Knight’s emergence, saw a reduction in Carter’s carries as he was unhappy about his role after he began the year as the Jets starting running back.

This year, it appears Carter is in a different mental space than he was with the addition of Cook.

“I probably would’ve asked to not talk today if this happened last year,” Carter said. “I feel like I’m in a place where we can speak on things.

“That’s the big difference.”