With all that Bilal Powell brought to the table at running back, replacing him this offseason was not going to be easy.

For eight seasons, Powell did it all for the Jets. Whether it was running between the tackles, catching passes out of the backfield or picking up edge rushers in pass protection, the Louisville product was a steady source of production for New York.

Now a free agent, Powell’s days with the Jets are seemingly over. A season-ending neck injury suffered in Week 7 pointed towards his time with the team being up, but the signing of Ty Montgomery on Thursday all but confirmed the end of an era in New York’s backfield.

Montgomery is not Powell, but he has the skill set to be the ideal replacement for the eight-year vet. Running back is not Montgomery’s natural position, but it is one that he has adapted well to thanks to versatility stemming from his days as a wide receiver.

Before ascending to the NFL, Montgomery was a star receiver at Stanford while doubling as an All-American return specialist. His prowess at wideout made him a third-round pick of the Green Bay Packers’ in 2015, but his time at the position in the pros did not last long.

After falling down Green Bay’s wide receiver depth chart in 2016, Montgomery was deployed at running back out of necessity. However, production catching passes out of the backfield followed, so Montgomery stuck there.

Montgomery’s mix of running and catching ability puts him in a good position to carve out a niche in Adam Gase’s offense. Le’Veon Bell will account for the bulk of the touches, but Gase shouldn’t have much of a problem turning to Montgomery in a pinch. As a proven runner and pass catcher, it shouldn’t be too difficult for Montgomery to fit into Gase’s plans.

In New York, Montgomery won’t be asked to carry the load as he was in Green Bay. He won’t be asked to take on as much responsibility as Powell was, either. Nonetheless, Montgomery’s versatility bodes well for his tenure with the Jets. As New York’s No. 2 running back, Montgomery has what it takes to emerge as a legitimate threat in 2019.