The Jets already had a star running back when Ty Montgomery signed in April, but the veteran is hoping he can provide both depth and versatility.
For the past two months, Montgomery has enjoyed learning a new offense under Adam Gase, in which he has seen a particular role carved out for himself.
“I’m trying not to get ahead of myself, but I’m excited for what lies ahead,” Montgomery told the team website. “I love being on this team, I love the guys on the team. We have a lot of fun every day, talking a lot of noise. Real, real competitive atmosphere, so it’s a lot of fun.”
Throughout OTAs in the spring, Montgomery received the majority of first-team reps with Le’Veon Bell spending his time training in Florida. The Jets plan on using Montgomery as a multipurpose weapon to help complement Bell in the backfield.
“You have to be smart,” he said of the running back position. “You have to be able to catch the ball and you have to be able to run the ball. You can’t have an imbalance and be at running back in this offense. It’s actually pretty cool, it’s challenging. I think it suits my abilities and I’m loving it.”
With a year off, Bell may need a competent veteran handcuff, which is why having someone of Montgomery’s skill set is so critical for New York.
The 2018 season was a rather forgettable one for Montgomery. He had the worst statistical year of his career while splitting time between the Packers and Ravens.
Now in New York, he’s hoping a fresh start will lead to better results.
