Bilal Powell suffered a neck injury when he was with the New York Jets last season that initially appeared like it could force him into retirement, but the free agent insists he is ready to help a team in 2019.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Powell’s representatives sent a letter to all 32 teams letting them know the veteran back has been fully cleared to resume football activities and is “really looking forward to getting back to work.”
Long-time #Jets RB & now FA Bilal Powell was fully cleared from a neck injury that was once thought to threaten his career, teams were informed in a letter. Powell, who averaged 4.3 yards per rush last year, is healthy & says he’s “really looking forward to getting back to work.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 8, 2019
Powell is a hard runner who served as an effective change-of-pace back for the Jets for several seasons. However, he turned 30 in October and obviously has the injury concern associated with him, so it remains to be seen if a team will take a chance on him.
If nothing else, Powell should get a few workouts with teams that are looking for depth at the running back position. We listed him among our 10 best bargain free agents at one point this offseason, so he’s not a bad option if he truly is healthy.
