FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Breece Hall is on track to return to the New York Jets’ backfield for opening day.
The star running back has been sidelined since straining his groin during practice at training camp on Aug. 17. Coach Aaron Glenn said Tuesday that Hall is practicing this week and should be on the field in Tennessee for the Jets’ season opener against the Titans on Sunday.
“He’s trending toward playing,” Glenn said.
Hall, the team’s top running back coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season, was among a group of players Glenn mentioned recently as being “right on target of being ready for Week 1.” That also included running back Isaiah Davis (knee) and a pair of rookies in tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds (calf).
Hall was in full uniform during warmups and participated in drills in the early portion of practice the media is allowed to watch. Davis, Sadiq and Ponds were also working in drills and appear on track to play.
The 25-year-old Hall is considered a key to New York’s revamped offense under coordinator Frank Reich. Hall received a three-year contract extension in the offseason from the Jets worth up to $45.75 million after he ran for a career-high 1,065 yards last season despite missing the final game with a knee ailment. He was the first Jets player to top 1,000 yards rushing in a season since Chris Ivory in 2015.
Meanwhile, Glenn said edge rusher Joseph Ossai will continue to be evaluated on a weekly basis after he ruptured the plantar fascia in one of his feet in the preseason finale against the Giants.
Jets still kickin’ around their decision on a kicker
Glenn acknowledged that no final decision has been made on whether Blake Grupe or Jason Sanders will be New York’s kicker in the season opener.
“I’m going to let that play out,” Glenn said. “Those guys are going to continue to kick, continue to compete and we’ll make the right decision when that decision needs to be done.”
Grupe was claimed off waivers from Indianapolis last week, while Sanders — who initially beat out Cade York for the job — had a shaky performance in the preseason finale and was cut and then signed to the practice squad.
“I’ve said it before: I’m not going to panic about that situation,” he said. “I think they’re both capable men and at the end of the day, we’ve got to pick one guy that’s going to be our kicker.”
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Dennis Waszak Jr., The Associated Press
