Jets acquire Dolphins RB Kalen Ballage for conditional pick
Kalen Ballage of the Dolphins runs a drill during training camp at Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southern University on Aug. 18 in Davie, Fla. Credit: Getty Images/Michael Reaves
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The Jets added some depth at running back and brought in someone Adam Gase knows well.
The Jets acquired Kalen Ballage from the Dolphins for a 2021 conditional seventh-round draft pick. The Dolphins reportedly were set to release Ballage, but the Jets made a deal for him before he could hit the waiver wire.
Ballage will reunite with Gase, his coach during his rookie season with the Dolphins. After being selected in the fourth round by Arizona State in 2018, Ballage averaged 5.3 yards per carry playing for Gase. He rushed 36 times for 191 yards and a touchdown as a rookie.
Ballage started six games for the Dolphins last year, but his production dipped with 74 carries for 135 yards and three touchdowns.
Ballage, who also returned some kicks for the Dolphins, joins a running back room that features veterans Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore and rookie La’Mical Perine, who has looked good in camp.
Gore and Ballage were part of the Dolphins’ backfield in 2018.
The Ballage move came one day after Bell expressed frustration over sitting out most of the team’s intrasquad scrimmage. Gase said it was because of hamstring tightness, but Bell tweeted that his hamstring is fine.
The Jets waived Monmouth running back Pete Guerriero on Thursday to make room for Ballage. The Jets had signed Guerriero earlier this week as insurance after No. 4 back Josh Adams injured his hamstring
The Jets also activated rookie cornerback Bryce Hall from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Hall was a fifth-round pick out of Virginia and also is working his way back from a gruesome leg injury suffered last October.
