Tag: Breece Hall

Drew Brees says NFL teams could learn a lot from Brock Purdy’s story

Drew Brees says he hopes other teams can learn from Brock Purdy’s underdog story. It’s a new blueprint for drafting and supporting a young quarterback:

Drew Brees knows his way around the quarterback position — that much is evident by the simple fact that he is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. The New Orleans Saints legend retired with quite a few records to his name and a place waiting for him at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

While he is far from proving he can reach the same heights as Brees, former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy has far exceeded the expectations with the San Francisco 49ers.

Once seen as “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final pick of the 2022 NFL draft, Purdy has become a legitimate starting NFL quarterback and has earned the praise and recognition of many around the league, including Brees.

“This is the way I look at Brock Purdy. Every single time he stepped on the field in college, he was an underdog,” Brees told me this week. “So, here’s a guy who always had to play kind of with an edge, with a chip on his shoulder.”

In conjunction with Cyclones standout Breece Hall, Purdy made everything Iowa State was doing offensively that much better, in the eyes of Brees.

“(He just) maximized everything about what they were doing offensively in order to win these games. And he’s very cerebral,” Brees said.

There have been some issues in San Francisco that need to be fixed, but Purdy in his own right has proven he can be the quarterback of the future for the team if they can put the right type of consistent pieces in place. Every team needs to support their quarterback, but that’s even more critical for young pros like Purdy.

“So, if he gets into a situation in San Francisco where he’s got a great offense, great run scheme, great head coach and he’s got all this high level experience, that equates to success right away,” Brees said. “I think there’s a lot that can be learned from that story when you talk about how you draft guys and the situations you put them in.”

The former Saints quarterback hopes that other teams can learn from the home run that San Francisco hit here.

Purdy will look to get back to business next season in hopes of returning to the Super Bowl stage, and he’ll likely do it with a new contract. He completed 65.9% of his passes for 3,684 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024. The 49ers have done a great job taking care of Purdy to this point in his career, and they’ve worked hard to retain talent around him. Now it’s his turn to cash in after developing into someone they can because of, not just with.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Trade Block: ESPN predicts Kyle Pitts, Breece Hall available, Cowboys should consider both

Dallas may be able to do what they did in 2023, trade Day 3 picks to acquire key contributors.

Sooner or later, the Dallas Cowboys are going to settle on a head coach. Whether that’s Mike McCarthy returning for Year 6 or someone from the outside, there will be a direction forged for the 2025 offseason. Once that shell is outlined, the front office will then turn their attention to veteran additions to the 2025 roster.

Dallas has a ton of internal free agents to consider, but they also have positions where upgrades to the roster must be considered. Many will look at the season as a whole and point to a team decimated by injuries, but things were off from the beginning. This is especially true on offense, where after years atop the league, things plummeted in 2024.

Dallas lacked explosiveness from the offense, and that was especially true at running back and tight end. While Rico Dowdle enjoyed the limelight down the back stretch of the season and ended up with over 1,000 yards on the ground, he didn’t have any breakaway runs. Meanwhile tight end Jake Ferguson regressed from his breakout 2023 campaign, and once again leaves the position as a huge question mark.

And while Dallas has been hesitant to spend in free agency, they have shown a willingness to trade draft picks for young, unrealized talent. If that’s the case this year, there may be prime targets at each position.

ESPN+ (paywall recently put out their offseason predictions for each NFL team that has been eliminated. For the Atlanta Falcons, they predicted trading TE Kyle Pitts. For the New York Jets, they predicted trading RB Breece Hall. The Cowboys should absolutely be in on both.

New York Jets

Big prediction for the offseason: While receiver Garrett Wilson is the buzzy trade candidate these days, the Jets will end up trading their other young offensive star, Breece Hall. It’s a bad year for free agent running backs, but some teams will be looking for a similar veteran boost to those the Eagles, Ravens and Packers found on the veteran market last offseason. Hall’s injuries are starting to catch up to him, and the Jets would be wise to move on from him early, while he still has some value leaguewide — especially with young backs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis showing promise. — Solak

The NFL has seen running backs with high draft pedigree take a few years to get passed their injury-prone ways. Christian McCaffrey was somewhat this guy in Carolina and Saquon Barkley was this guy in New York.

Hall had the big injury his rookie season, but he’s played through the smaller injuries for the most part his last two seasons. If the Jets are looking to offload the former second-round pick, Dallas should find out the asking price.

The 2025 draft is seen as one deep in running backs, but Dallas will likely have four fifth-round picks. Hall has just one year remaining on his rookie deal before free agency, and may not command much in return.

Atlanta Falcons

Big prediction for the offseason: Tight end Kyle Pitts is due $10.8 million on the final year of his deal in 2025. Can the Falcons get more for him in a trade than they would in a compensatory pick after he leaves in free agency? I think they could, as he has a rosier future on an offense that actually fits his skill set. My prediction: Pitts will get dealt to the Bengals for a Day 3 pick. — Solak

Pitts is set to play on the fifth-year option in 2025 as a former first-round pick. His rookie season was sensational, catching over 1,000 yards and making the Pro Bowl, but he hasn’t approached that level since. The 6-foot-6 Florida product was seen as a unicorn entering the 2021 draft but hasn’t been a great fit for the Falcons.

What he could bring to Dallas and Dak Prescott, who adores passing to the tight end down the seams, could be incredible.

Causes for concern as the Bills take on the Jets in Week 17

Causes for concern as the Bills take on the Jets in Week 17

The Buffalo Bills will host the New York Jets in Week 17 at Highmark Stadium.

The Bills (12-3) and Jets (4-11) have trended in different directions this season. The Bills have won nine of their last 10 games while the Jets have lost five of their last six.

Even though Buffalo is favored to win the game, there are always a few things that make winning difficult each week. The Bills will need to be wary of them.

Here are three causes for concern for the Bills against the Jets in Week 17:

Jets skill players

USA TODAY Sports

The Jets have one of the better wide-receiver duos in the NF:L. Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson are troubling to keep track of, even with high-level corners like Christian Benford, Rasul Douglas, and Taron Johnson.

Parlay that with running back Breece Hall, who can do a little bit of everything out of the backfield, and you have players all over the field that you need to pay close attention to. This offense has a high ceiling, even if it hasn’t played up to it for much of the season.

Rodgers can still beat you

USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Rodgers has picked up his game over recent weeks. He has reached 250 passing yards in each of the last three games. Meanwhile, the Bills defense has allowed 250-plus passing yards in each of the last three contests.

Sean McDermott, Bobby Babich, and the Bills defense need to right the ship as they head towards postseason play. Facing an Aaron Rodgers-led offense is a good test.

Divisional game

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) yells at New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) after throwing a touchdown during an NFL game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Imagn Images

It’s a dangerous game when you have your eyes set on the playoffs and there are hungry divisional opponents still on your regular season schedule. The Bills need a win to clinch the two-seed in the AFC. And, they have now been humbled a bit by last week’s close win over the Patriots (24-21).

It was a close game in Week 6 when the Bills visited the Jets. The Bills squeaked by with a 23-20 win. Divisional games always present unique challenges. The coaching staff will have to adjust on the fly without going too deep into the playbook on Sunday.

[lawrence-related id=144768,144780,144762]

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Jets in Week 17

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Jets in Week 17

The Buffalo Bills will play the New York Jets at home at Highmark Stadium in Week 17.

With a win, the Bills (12-3) would post a perfect record in Orchard Park this season. They have won nine of their last 10 in total. The Jets (4-11) have lost five of six.

The Bills are favored by 9.5 points. In the first matchup best these two AFC East foes in Week 6, the Bills skated by with a 23-20 victory.

Even though the Jets have four wins this year, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. Buffalo will need to execute its game plan to pick up its 13th win of the year.

With that, here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 17:

Get it going on the ground

Getty Images

Bills running back James Cook had an efficient day on the ground against the New England Patriots in Week 16. He carried it 11 times and recorded 100 rushing yards (9.1 avg), including a 46-yard run for a touchdown.

In Week 17, Buffalo faces a Jets team that ranks 23rd in the NFL in defense rushing DVOA. Last week in a loss to the LA Rams, the Jets allowed running back Kyren Williams to rush for 122 yards and a touchdown at 5.3 yards per carry.

Opportunities should arise for the Bills’ runners on Sunday if they remain dedicated to the run game.

More production from pass catchers

Imagn Images

No player on the Bills roster had more than 26 receiving yards in last week’s win over the Patriots. Cook led the team, Mack Hollins had 25 yards, and Dawson Knox and Khalil Shakir each had 22 yards.

Having production from the pass catchers will make life easier for Josh Allen and the Bills against the Jets. If they are going to be vanilla with their play calling over the last few weeks, receivers are going to need to win one-on-one matchups.

An impact from the defensive line

USA Today Sports

The Jets, even at 4-11, are still a capable offense when they get into a rhythm. Led by Aaron Rodgers under center, they have playmakers who can rip you apart like Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall.

If Rodgers has the time to sit back and go through progressions, life will be difficult for the Bills on Sunday, especially given their injuries on the back end. Three safeties are questionable: Damar Hamlin; Taylor Rapp; Cam Lewis. An impact from the defensive line, both against the run and the pass, would go a long way toward a Bills victory.

[lawrence-related id=144762,144772,144769]

Report: Jets star RB Breece Hall expected to play vs. Jaguars

Report: Jets star RB Breece Hall expected to play vs. Jaguars

New York Jets star running back Breece Hall is expected to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday after entering the weekend questionable due to a knee injury, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported overnight.

Hall missed New York’s Week 14, 32-26 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins due to his injury, which Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich described as related to an ACL tear Hall had surgery to repair in 2022.

Hall has rushed 164 times for 692 yards and four touchdowns and caught 46 passes for 401 yards and two scores in 12 games this season. His 1,093 yards from scrimmage rank No. 16 in the NFL this year.

The Jets previously ruled backup running back Kene Nwangwu and cornerbacks, starter D.J. Reed and backup Brandin Echols, out against the Jaguars.

Jacksonville only ruled starting tight end Evan Engram out against New York on its Friday injury report. Engram has since been placed on the injured reserve with a labrum injury that will require surgery.

Jaguars vs. Jets: Final injury reports, game statuses

Jaguars vs. Jets: Final injury reports, game statuses

Find Jacksonville and New York’s final injury reports and initial game statuses ahead of the Jaguars and Jets’ Week 15 matchup below.

* indicates status upgrade from the previous practice 

Jaguars injury report

  • TE Josiah Deguara (shoulder) — limited
  • OL Brandon Scherff (knee/shoulder) — limited
  • OL Ezra Cleveland (knee) — limited
  • TE Evan Engram (shoulder) — did not participate

Jaguars game statuses

  • TE Evan Engram: OUT

Analysis: The Jaguars ruled starting tight end Evan Engram out for the season due to a labrum injury that will require surgery on Friday. He will likely be placed on Jacksonville’s injured reserve.

Jets injury report

Note: Jets players who received a rest day on Thursday and returned to practice Friday were removed from New York’s injury report by Jaguars Wire.

  • RB Breece Hall (knee) — full*
  • OL Olu Fashanu (toe) — full
  • DL Haason Reddick (illness) — full*
  • CB Sauce Gardner (hamstring) — full
  • CB Michael Carter II (back) — full
  • OL Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) — limited*
  • OL Morgan Moves (wrist) — limited
  • RB Kene Nwangwu (hand) — did not participate
  • OL Xavier Newman (groin) — did not participate
  • CB D.J. Reed (groin) — did not participate
  • CB Brandin Echols (shoulder) — did not participate

Jets game statuses

  • RB Breece Hall: QUESTIONABLE
  • OL Alijah Vera-Tucker: QUESTIONABLE
  • OL Morgan Moses: QUESTIONABLE
  • OL Xavier Newman: DOUBTFUL
  • CB D.J. Reed: DOUBTFUL
  • RB Kene Nwangwu: OUT
  • CB Brandin Echols: OUT

Analysis: The Jets considered three offensive starters, running back Breece Hall, right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and right tackle Morgan Moses, questionable for Sunday’s matchup. Hall and Vera-Tucker returned to practice Friday after missing Wednesday and Thursday, with Hall seeing a full workload and Vera-Tucker limited.

New York starting cornerback D.J. Reed is doubtful to play against Jacksonville. Reed’s backup, Brandin Echols, was ruled out.

Aaron Rodgers isn’t premium and the Jets need fuel after 25-22 Patriots loss

Aaron Rodgers isn’t premium and the Jets need fuel after 25-22 Patriots loss

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has fully consumed the mental capacity of fans and teammates in 2024. Yet, his leadership has only led to a spiraling losing streak and increased dissonance from the Jets franchise.

Jets fans may want to blame the defense following a 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8, but Rodgers and the offense have been a complete drag, continuously starting games slow. Statistical showings may hint that Rodgers was more effective then in prior weeks but with a 40% conversion rate on third down on Sunday, the Jets are spending far too much time racking up yards and not touchdowns.   

Rodgers went 17 for 28 and featured two touchdowns through 57 total plays, leaving just enough room for New England’s tentative backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett to steal the win. Rodgers and the offense averaged 5.9 yards per play and both running backs in Breece Hall and Braelon Allen shared a decent volume of carries. So why is everything on Rodgers one might ask?

Well, with Rodgers’ name undeniably set on the NFL’s Mount Rushmore due to his career success, critics have been totally dissonant towards his indicatively mediocre play of late. Rodgers’ one touchdown per half contribution is not sufficient enough for the Jets who need premium passing to compete in the AFC this season.   

[lawrence-related id=698527,698523,698518]

Jets’ Breece Hall took the loss to the Patriots to heart

Jets’ Breece Hall took the loss to the Patriots to heart

New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said his team’s locker room was “pissed” and “hurt” following a 25-22 crushing loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8.

Nobody showed those emotions more than running back Breece Hall. The leader out of the Jets’ backfield had 80 rushing yards in the defeat but after it, he was taking the loss to heart.

You could see it in his face and heart it in his words.

“Frustrating. Another game of shooting ourselves in the foot,” Hall said. “We shouldn’t have been losing this game.”

From here, the Jets essentially no margin for error. You can tell that Hall knows that.

Hall’s full post-game reaction can be found in the clip below:

3 keys to a Jets victory vs. the Patriots in Week 8

3 keys to a Jets victory vs. the Patriots in Week 8

The New York Jets will hope to add a win to their record in 2024 in Week 8. The team will face the New England Patriots on the road.

As usual, it will never be a walk in the park in the NFL. If the Jets (2-5) expect to beat the Patriots (1-6), there will be a few key things New York will have to focus on against New England.

It will have to be a full-team effort, make no mistake. But these factors could weigh heavy on whether or not New York leave with a win or loss.

Here are three keys to the Jets pulling out a victory against the Pats:

Make Drake a rookie

(Imagn)

When the Jets and Patriots last did battle, veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett was leading the offense. Now rookie Drake Maye is under center. Whether it’s by hitting him or confusing him with their defensive scheme, the Jets need to make Maye look like a rookie QB.

Turnover battle

(Getty)

The turnover battle always plays a huge role in a win or loss. That was the case for the Jets against the Steelers last week. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a few very untimely interceptions which gave the ball and momentum away. Cut those down.

Keep Breece rolling

(Imagn)

Since passing-game coordinator Todd Downing has taken over play calling for the Jets offense, running back Breece Hall has been a focal point. He’s handled his extra workload well. If Hall can keep on rolling, it will make New York’s offense a two-dimensional unit and that much harder for the Patriots to deal with.

[lawrence-related id=698437,698432,698430]

Give Jets’ HB Breece Hall the ball and not the blame

Give Jets’ HB Breece Hall the ball and not the blame

Again, New York Jets running back Breece Hall was off to a good start in week seven versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet, passing-game coordinator Todd Downing found a way to alienate him from the game sequence, especially in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7

Hall finished Sunday night’s 37-15 loss with six receptions for 103 yards and 12 carries for 38 rushing yards. His struggles on the ground are indicative, and some of his carries should be delegated to rookie Braelon Allen. Ball distribution continues to be an area lacking in the Jets offense as an inability to sustain drives compels them to be more pass heavy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBXYzXsJy_b/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Inside a very divided locker room, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is possibly looking for someone to blame and it definitely shouldn’t be Hall after these last two weeks. Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson took some blame for his game-changing drop that led to an interception.

Ultimately, Hall has played better under Downing, but the team’s love for the pass has made his contributions null and void. Until the Jets settle in on an offensive identity they will continue to struggle.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBXfzyqybnJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[lawrence-related id=698255,697980,698238]