The Jets are taking a look at the running back market on Saturday, with Alfred Morris arriving for a visit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
It’s been a quiet offseason for the former Redskins starter and Cowboys depth piece. This is Morris’ first known visit in 2018. While Morris is now 29, he should be relatively fresh after being Ezekiel Elliott‘s backup for most of the past two seasons.
The Jets let Matt Forte walk in the offseason but added Isaiah Crowell to their backfield mix. New York also has Bilal Powell, Elijah McGuire and former Seahawks starter Thomas Rawls under contract. McGuire left Friday’s Jets practice with a foot injury, however. And Rapoport reports this is a serious malady.
McGuire fractured his foot and will undergo surgery, Rapoport tweets. The second-year back will miss an extended time period and looks set for IR. This may not be a season-ending setback, though, with Rapoport adding an IR-return slot may be possible in this case. But that will depend on the Jets’ injury situation this season, since teams are limited to two IR-return players per season.
Serving as a backup to Forte and Powell, McGuire rushed for 315 yards (3.6 per carry) as a rookie.
Morris, though, looked spry with the 2017 Cowboys, averaging a career-best 4.8 yards per carry. That came on 115 totes after Morris received just 69 in 2016. Elliott’s suspension increasing Morris’ workload, the veteran gained 547 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown last season.
Morris could be a nice low cost veteran presence behind Powell as a big bruising type back. Also, not a bad pass protector. Depending on the cost will be a nice upgrade in case they decide to go with Darnold as the starting QB.
Honestly I don’t know how Morris doesn’t have a job. For 29 he has relatively fresh legs, and played well last year in Zekes absence. A quality back, and great for depth purposes.
The Jets problem here is that all their RBs are basically filler type players. Morris is another but what they really need is a bell cow.