BACK TO BACK: Jets running back Bilal Powell’s (above) workload has increased lately which raises the possibility he could be the team’s featured back in 2013. Shonn Greene can become a free agent once the current season ends. (CSM/Landov)
Each week, Bilal Powell’s carries increase, which bears watching going into next season.
The Jets’ second-year running back is emerging as one of the integral components of the team’s offense, and it’s worth wondering whether he’s capable of becoming the starting running back next year. Shonn Greene will be a free agent after this season, and it’s hard to see the Jets wanting to give him major money. If Greene and the team part ways, can Powell be his successor?
Maybe. The 24-year-old Powell barely got any work last year as a fourth-round rookie out of Louisville, carrying the ball a total of 13 times for 21 yards and no touchdowns. This season has been much different. Powell has been asked to run 89 times, has churned out 356 yards (a 4.0 average), has scored four touchdowns and hasn’t fumbled.
“He’s running real hard for us,” center Nick Mangold said. “He’s really seeing the reads well, hitting the holes pretty quick.”
The 5-foot-11, 207-pound Powell, who has good speed and runs aggressively, has seen his role increase massively in the last four weeks. In fact, he’s incrementally setting career highs in rushing attempts. Four weeks ago, he ran the ball a then-career-best 11 times for 42 yards and scored his first two NFL touchdowns against the Rams.
A few days later against the Patriots, Powell ran 12 times for 40 yards and another touchdown.
Two weeks ago, he again had 12 carries, this time for 58 yards versus the Cardinals, and Sunday he racked up 19 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Jaguars.
Rex Ryan was asked if Greene and Powell are now co-starters, and the coach dismissed it. But he gushed about his second-year man.
“Shonn is obviously the guy that gets the majority of the carries, but we feel great about Bilal Powell,” Ryan said. “When you run the ball the way we were [against Jacksonville], both of the guys get the carries and that’s great. But [in terms of ranking them as] 1 and 1A, we’re just trying to find ways to win games. Generally, Shonn is going to be the guy that gets the majority of the carries, but I certainly like the way Bilal is playing.”
Granted, Ryan raves about plenty of his players, so it’s worth keeping his comments in perspective. But Powell’s performance lately has been both impressive now and promising for next season.
“Bilal’s done a good job all year,” guard Brandon Moore said. “He was banged up a little bit with the shoulder and the concussion here and thereHe does a great job. He’s huge for us on third down.”
If Powell can be a long-term answer, then the Jets might have three valuable players out of last year’s draft — Mo Wilkerson (1st), Powell (4th) and Jeremy Kerley (5th). They also could have a starting running back next year.