Jets Country

Jets Sent a Message With James Robinson Trade

New York could've stuck to the next-man up mentality after losing Breece Hall. Instead, they responded swiftly by replacing the rookie with another talented running back.

Max Goodman

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The same old Jets wouldn't make a trade like this. 

New York suffered a significant injury blow on Sunday, losing their rookie running back Breece Hall for the rest of the season.

Instead of wallowing or sticking to the next-man up mentality, Jets general manager Joe Douglas acted quickly and emphatically, filing Hall's shoes with another young playmaker.

Sending a conditional sixth-round pick to the Jaguars, New York acquired James Robinson, a former 1,000-yard rusher that averages 4.5 yards per carry. 

Douglas made that trade one day after losing Hall for the season. Yes, the rookie playmaker is impossible to replace, but this trade demonstrates the mission that this franchise has adopted wholeheartedly going forward. The Jets want to win and even in the face of adversity, there's no complacency for a team that's exceeding expectations in the record column. 

Robinson won't singlehandedly take the Jets to the playoffs. But he can soften the blow of losing Hall, helping to bring the best out of a running back room that features second-year standout Michael Carter, veteran Ty Johnson and another undrafted free agent like Robinson, Zonovan Knight. 

New York is 5-2 entering Week 8, riding a four-game winning streak in which they've averaged 141.75 rushing yards per game. This deal ensures that New York won't need to abandon the ground game going forward, continuing to foster success for the offense as a whole.  

In the past, the Jets and their fans have been thinking about their future leading up to November with more than half a season remaining on their schedule. This time around, they're not concerning themselves with where they pick in the first round of next year's draft. The focus is on giving this club an opportunity to continue winning games and end an 11-season playoff drought.

Don't be surprised if Douglas and the Jets continue to add as well. Offensive line is another position of need, a group that has also been impacted by injuries. 

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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