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As most of you know by now, Breece Hall pulled his groin on a reception today on a catch-and-run.
It literally happened right in front of me.
I happened to be standing down the left sideline. No other reporters were standing in that section of the sideline.
This isn’t braggadocio nonsense from me. People pick different places to stand along the 100 yard sideline the media watches practice from on Field One. When they are on Field Three, we are on a roof overlooking the field.
I’m just telling you where I was standing to give you my vantage point. It was so close to where I was, I actually walked away after the injury, so it wouldn’t look like I was gawking at an injured player.
Even though I am a neutral observer, never like to see anybody get hurt – ever, from a human standpoint.
Saw Hall grab his right groin after going down, and obviously he was done practicing for the day. I would suspect this is the last we will see from this summer – in camp or preseason games.
It was a bad play for the Jets as far as the injury, but also bad because nobody was near Hall in coverage. Have no idea who blew the coverage, but this points to another issue – linebacker pass coverage, but that is a conversation for another day. Hey, maybe it was a safety’s fault. It’s unfair to anoint blame without having access to the playbook, but as we know, often linebackers are tasked with covering running backs.
I have no idea how long Hall will be out, and neither do the Jets, but you’d have to think the opener at Nashville on September 13 is a good target return if it’s a strain, not a tear. Generally, strained groins are a 1-3 week injury.
Jets have a solid backup option in Braelon Allen, as we saw in the Jets’ preseason opener against Tampa Bay, where he had a 31-yard TD run in the first quarter.
The other backup, Isaiah Davis, is currently injured, so Allen’s backup for now, with Hall out, is kick returner Kene Nwangwu. While Nwangwu is mainly known for his return prowess, he’s an underrated back with an exotic size-speed ratio (6-0, 210 with 4.31 speed).
They also have rookie free agents Chip Trayanum and Sam Scott.
You have to give credit to whatever Jets scout recommended Scott, a Wyoming product, who didn’t put up big numbers for the Cowboys for whatever reason, but clearly has ability. He looked good in limited action against Tampa Bay.
Scott, who has nifty feet, had a nice catch out of the backfield in the red zone from QB Cade Klunick in practice today, on a swing pass to the left side . . .
T’Vondre Sweat returned to practice after missing the first couple of weeks with a hamstring injury, suffered training on his own before camp.
Seeing the Jets’ planned D-Line of Sweat, David Onyemata and Harrison Phillips finally lining up together today, it’s pretty clear the Jets’ run defense is going to be so much better in 2026 than last year. While there is only so much you can discern from run defense in practice, today’s practice was pretty physical, and just seeing them together had to excite Aaron Glenn and D-line coach Karl Dunbar. These are three terrific run defenders, not just based on today, but their history . . .
Speaking of the run game, Glenn is fond of saying about his receivers, “No block, no rock,” and there was a great block by a wideout today that got Jets WR coach Shaun Jefferson excited.
Trayanum had a nice run off right guard, and the key block on his play was receiver Quincy Skinner on safety Malachi Moore. It was a hell of a block, and Jefferson clearly got excited watching it from the sideline.
Skinner was signed in late July after an injury to another long-shot receiver.
Skinner is a Vanderbilt product, so you know he’s smart. He’s also from a great football town that produces a lot of NFL talent – Pompano Beach, FL. On top of that, he went to one of the great high school football programs in the country – St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, where Jets tight end Mason Taylor also attended. Skinner’s WR coach in high school was Glenn Holt, who played receiver in the NFL.
Look, I’m not putting Skinner in Canton, just saying this was as hell of a block . . .
August 17, 2026
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