On Monday, the New York Jets officially signed veteran running back Bilal Powell, who has played eight NFL seasons with the team.
One of the good guys returns to Northern New Jersey.
On Monday, the New York Jets officially signed veteran running back Bilal Powell. The news was officially announced via the team’s official Twitter account.
Done deal.
Welcome back, @bilalpowell29 ? pic.twitter.com/EaP6fatoak
— New York Jets (@nyjets) June 10, 2019
Powell, 30, was a Jets fourth-round selection in the NFL Draft during the 2011 version. Over the course of eight hard-fought seasons, the Louisville product collected 3,446 yards and 15 scores on 791 rushing attempts (4.4 yards per carry).
A year ago, serving as one of the top two backs with Isaiah Crowell, Powell tallied just 343 yards in an injury-shortened season (seven total games).
What to do with the grizzled vet is the million-dollar question.
New York employs Le’Veon Bell, Ty Montgomery, Elijah McGuire and Trenton Cannan at the position. Considering the money dished out to Bell, it’s likely Adam Gase wants No. 26 to serve as a true workhorse (get bang for the buck). Montgomery and McGuire both come equipped with the necessary skills to receive a share of the backfield time. So does Powell.
Not including Cannon, Sam Darnold now has four legitimate weapons in the backfield who can all pull off versatile football acts. Each comes in a similar mold. They can run the one-cut game out of Gase’s zone-rushing scheme, pick up the hard yard, catch the ball out of the backfield, and even line up as a wide receiver (when called upon).
Bilal Powell, the longest-tenured Jet, will be entering his ninth training camp with the organization this summer.
