Jets' RB Breece Hall Back by Week 1?

The second-year ball carrier is on track in his rehabilitation from a torn ACL

© Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets will kick off their 2023 National Football League schedule almost 11 months after their starting running back suffered a devastating injury in Denver. 

Breece Hall tore his ACL midway through a Week 7 win over the Broncos on October 23, 2022 with the injury ending what appeared to be a promising rookie campaign for the second-round draft pick out of Iowa State. 

Seven months and one week later, Hall is working his way back during Phase 3 OTAs with Jets' brass hoping for a Week 1 return to game action.

"I'm very optimistic on that one [Hall returning for the opener]. I don't want to jinx it," said Jets' head coach Robert Saleh while knocking on the podium prior to a May 31 practice. "The kid's already hitting over 22 [mph] on the GPS, so he looks freaking good."

Despite the player's exciting progress, don't expect to see Hall going full speed consistently until the season starts.

"I feel like he won't need to be limited during training camp even though we still will, just to be conscientious and cautious with him," said Saleh.

The Jets will open the NFL Preseason on August 3 in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, OH. The regular season lid-lifter is set for September 11 against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football at MetLife Stadium.

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When healthy, Hall presumably tops Gang Green's depth chart at running back thanks to an uber-productive 6.5-game stretch to start the 2022 campaign. He gained 681 yards from scrimmage and scored five touchdowns as a rookie.

Bringing added value as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, the 6-foot-1 Hall sits No. 25 overall on SI Fantasy Michael Fabiano's "2023 Fantasy Football Top 200 Rankings" as the RB10.

"He looks strong. He looks powerful," said Saleh.

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