New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) runs with the ball during an NFL Week 10 game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Early Breece Hall Speculation Would Be Jets Nightmare

Originally posted on New York Jets on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 6, 2026 4:33 PM ET

If the New York Jets want to retain Breece Hall, they arguably should try to do so before free agency even opens.

Hall is a star and the perception around him is high heading into free agency after a career year. He racked up 1,065 rushing yards in 16 games for New York. It was the time in his career that he topped 1,000 rushing yards and he was the team's biggest bright spot on offense. Early on, he and Garrett Wilson were both bright spots, but the receiver missed a chunk of the season.

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Hall was consistent and at just 24 years old, there are going to be teams that want him if he hits the open market. The speculation has already started about which teams would make sense for him. CBS Sports' Jared Dubin shared a column with one player each team should "prioritize" in free agency and floated Hall for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Jets need to get a move on

"AFC West," Dubin wrote. "Denver Broncos: LB Nakobe Dean, Kansas City Chiefs: RB Breece Hall, Las Vegas Raiders: WR Rashid Shaheed [and] Los Angeles Chargers: OC Tyler Linderbaum. ... Kansas City desperately needs to get more explosive -- especially in the run game. Hall and Kenneth Walker III should be at the top of the priority list in free agency."

Even with Patrick Mahomes up in the air, it'd be a little difficult to compete in the open market with a team that won back-to-back Super Bowls before losing Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles last year.

Jets general manager Darren Mougey already has insinuated that the team would like to have Hall back.

"Breece is a good player," Mougey said after the regular season ended for New York. "I want as many good players back as we can. Like I mentioned, I probably met with 50 players yesterday. Met with Breece yesterday. Had a lot of good conversations."

In a perfect world, the Jets could get a long-term deal done before Hall even hits the open market. Even if Hall does hit free agency, the Jets could always use the franchise tag, which would help the team in 2026. But it wouldn't be a long-term solution.

This article first appeared on New York Jets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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