As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game.
No. 5: Bilal Powell
Last year’s ranking: 15
Position: RB
Age: 28
How acquired: Selected in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft
Years left on contract: 2
2017 Salary Cap figure: $4.6 million
Looking back at 2016: Year after year, Powell continues to hang around and surprise people. Think about all the other running backs whom Powell has played with – LaDainian Tomlinson, Shonn Greene, Chris Ivory, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte – and Powell has stuck around. He is the longest-tenured Jets player on offense.
Last season was typical Powell: an afterthought early in the season and extremely productive late in the year. Powell gained 411 of his career-high 722 rushing yards in the final four games of the season, when he was the primary back.
Pro Football Focus rated him the No. 6 running back they graded. The site also had him with a 70.6 elusiveness rating from Week 10 forward, which was third among the 48 qualifying running backs. He also forced nine missed tackles on his 29 catches, which was one more than Steelers star Le’Veon Bell did on his 39 receptions over that period.
PFF also had Powell averaging 3.24 yards after contact per attempt from Week 10 on, which was fourth among running backs. He forced four more missed tackles during that stretch than Cowboys rookie Ezekiel Elliott, who had 50 more carries.
Powell has become a fan favorite because of how hard he runs. Powell bursts through holes and never seems to dance around like other backs. He scored three rushing touchdowns and had two receiving touchdowns last year, racking up 58 catches for 388 yards.
Powell began the year as a third-down back behind Forte, but after Forte suffered an injury against the 49ers in Week 14, Powell took over the bulk of the running back duties.
His best game came against the 49ers when he carried the Jets to an overtime win with 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner in overtime.
Outlook for 2017: How to divide the snaps between Powell and Forte is the biggest decision facing the Jets coaching staff outside of starting quarterback. It is a decision that will have fantasy football owners on edge.
I think this is the year Powell becomes the lead back. That is not to say the Jets will forget about Forte. That would be silly. He had a strong 2016 season, too. If I’m the Jets coaches, though, I start with Powell, and if he struggles I go to Forte and then ride whoever the hot hand is. There also may be ways to use both on the field at the same time. They can’t chain Powell to the bench for first and second down like they did early last year.
The knock on Powell has always been he won’t stay healthy if he is overused. I’m not sure I buy that. He has had some hamstring and ankle injuries in the past, but I don’t think those were from overuse. They were just bad luck and can happen to any back.
Powell has earned a shot at being the No. 1 back. Now is the time to give it to him.