Rookie Gang Green RB is ready to be shot out of Cannon

The return game didn’t work out quite as quickly as the Jets would have liked for Trenton Cannon, but he’s about to get his shot at his natural position.

The rookie is currently one of two running backs on the roster ahead of Sunday’s game against the Bears. Bilal Powell’s season-ending neck injury means Cannon and Isaiah Crowell could shoulder the load by themselves.

“It’s been done before, but it’s always risky when you go into a game with two,” coach Todd Bowles said Thursday.

With a handful of injuries elsewhere, Bowles said they’ll need to see “how the numbers stack up” by Sunday to determine whether they could add another healthy runner. But no running back is going to complain about getting too much work, especially a rookie like Cannon.

Crowell will be called on first and foremost, looking to build on his 81 carries for 459 yards and five touchdowns, but Cannon figures to get his most extended look of his young career.

“Anything they need me to do on offense I can do it,” said Cannon, a sixth-round pick who rushed for 4,035 yards and 44 touchdowns at Division II Virginia State.

Cannon flashed his speed during training camp, particularly in the return game, but struggled catching punts and hasn’t been on that unit in the regular season. Other than mop-up duty in the Week 1, he did not get involved in the offense until last week once Powell exited the game.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound back’s biggest play came on a wheel route, hauling in a 35-yard pass from Sam Darnold. He finished with two carries for 4 yards and four catches for 69 yards.

“He feels like he belongs in the league now,” offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates said. “I think that’s the biggest step for a lot of guys, es- pecially when you’re coming from a smaller school. … Once you make that mark for yourself, the sky’s the limit.”

According to Cannon, though, the confidence was already there.

“I already felt like I belonged in the NFL going into that game,” he said. “That’s why I’m here.”

Cannon’s increase in playing time could be brief, with Eli McGuire back at practice and eligible to return from injured reserve next week, but Cannon plans on making the most of it.

“I’m excited for Cannon. I feel like he’s a gamechanger,” receiver Jermaine Kearse said. “He has tremendous speed and has explosive ability. We got to see a little bit of him this past game, so it’d be pretty cool to see what aspect he could bring to the game this Sunday and see how he could change it for us.”

Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said he vouched for Cannon during the draft, seeing his potential. He said there are some similarities between Cannon and Bears running back/returner Tarik Cohen, pointing to their “short-area burst.” Cohen is more shifty sideways but Cannon has him beat on long speed, Boyer said.

“You would hope he’s going to transition to something like that and exactly what this kid’s doing,” Boyer said. “I think he’s going to be a hell of a weapon in the future, I really do.”