According to head coach Rex Ryan, this is the year that 25-year old RB Shonn Greene gets his big chance to carry more of the workload in the running game. Greene played in 15 games (2 starts) for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 185 times for 766 yards (4.1 ypc) with 2 TD runs. He also caught 16 passes for 120 yards (7.5 avg) last year. Greene is a big, bowling ball with legs who specializes in running over defenders. Greene has now played in 29 games (2 starts) in his first two years with the Jets and he has carried the ball 293 times for 1,306 yards (4.5 ypc) with 4 TD grabs. He didn’t catch any passes last year as a rookie so his career totals are the same as his 2010 totals (16 rec, 120 yards, 7.5 avg).
32-year old LaDainian Tomlinson will likely carry the ball less in 2011. Tomlinson proved last season that he still has a lot left in the gas tank. L.T. played in 15 games (13 starts) for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 219 times for 914 yards (4.2 ypc) with 6 TD runs. He also caught 52 passes for 368 yards (7.1 avg) last year without any TD grabs. Tomlinson has now played in 156 games (154 starts) in his first 10 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 3,099 times for 13,404 yards (4.3 ypc) with 144 TD runs. He also has caught 582 passes for 4,323 yards (7.4 avg) with 15 TD grabs. Tomlinson is one of the best running backs in the history of the NFL and the Jets are likely to have him even though he’s getting old.
23-year old Joe McKnight will likely be #3 in line at RB for the Jets in 2011. McKnight played in 9 games (1 start) as a rookie for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 39 times for 189 yards (4.8 ypc). He also caught 3 passes for 20 yards (6.7 avg) last year. McKnight has a nice upside but he’s going to have to make the most of the few carries and passes that come his way in 2011.
22-year old Bilal Powell was taken in the 4th round out of Louisville by the Jets last April in the NFL Draft. Powell will battle McKnight for the #3 RB job in 2011. If he loses out to McKnight, he isn’t likely to get much P.T. in 2011.
25-year old Chris Jennings didn’t play at all last year. He did play in 9 games (1 start) in 2009 for the Browns in which he carried the ball 63 times for 220 yards (3.5 ypc) with 1 TD run. Jennings also caught 9 passes for 56 yards (6.2 avg) for the Browns that year.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS RBS IN 2011: B+