The Jets haven’t been able to meet in person yet, but that hasn’t stopped Bryce Hall from getting acquainted with his defensive coordinator.
Gregg Williams has earned himself a reputation for being one of the NFL’s defensive masterminds. In 2019, Williams’ expertise got the most out of an inexperienced defense and played a significant factor in the Jets finishing 7-9 after a 1-7 start. Williams shouldn’t be confused with a strict disciplinarian, but he expects a lot out of his players. At the same time, his endearing personality has given him a solid enough reputation that players around the league want to play for him. It’s only natural that a young player like Hall has gravitated toward him.
“I’ve really just been trying to soak up as much knowledge and information that he’s been passing along,” Hall told the Jets website. “I think he does a good job of just making things very clear and decisive for what his expectations are. I’ve been honored and very blessed to have him as a coach because I think he has so much experience and high levels of success that…for me, I’m stepping into an amazing position, where I can just learn from all the years of experience that he’s had.”
The Jets were lucky to land Hall with 158th pick in the fifth round. The Virginia product has natural talent at the cornerback position, but a gruesome ankle injury that ended his college career forced his draft stock to slip. He broke his fibula and tore his deltoid ligament. Now, the rookie is making “steady progress” as he continues his recovery.
The time away from the field has allowed Hall to understand and grasp the Jets’ defensive playbook. Even though he’s now up a level, this isn’t unnatural territory for Hall. When he sat out with an injury in 2019, Hall was able to take a step back, sitting in coaches’ meetings and listening to their in-game communications on a headset. His improved football acumen should certainly help him learn the playbook, which will in turn only help him when it’s time to get back on the field.
Without any offseason activities and returning from a significant ankle injury, Hall is at a disadvantage as far as the depth chart is concerned. Soaking in as much knowledge as he can from Williams should help him get back into the mix at the No. 2 cornerback position when he’s medically cleared to play.