Jets’ Breece Hall speaks on RB contracts around the NFL

New York Jets running back Breece Hall has had to watch two players from his draft class receive massive extensions this offseason.

All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson were deserving of their four-year deals. They remain pillars of the franchise as first-round talents.

There was a time when Hall was considered a similar pillar. Injuries and a poor 2024 season have left the Iowa State product on the outside looking in of that distinction.

As other running backs around the league receive extensions of their own, Hall is left merely fighting to keep his football hopes alive in 2025 and beyond.

Breece Hall talks RB contracts, Jets future

In the last week, New York’s top running back has seen Los Angeles Rams star Kyren Williams and Buffalo Bills phenom James Cook receive long-term extensions that pay each player over $10 million per year.

There was once a time when Hall would easily crack that number.

With the arrival of Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, it’s safe to wonder if New York’s second-round pick from 2022 can get a chance to prove his worth. The Jets are running a by-committee approach in the backfield, which will lower Hall’s touches in 2025.

That doesn’t mean he won’t have a role in the offense, though.

“This year, you’re going to see a guy who’s going to really turn it up a notch because of what we’re going to do, who we’re going to be and because of who he is also,” Glenn said during camp.

“We’re going to open his game up quite a bit. … He’s the type of guy you can split out wide and let him run the route tree, because he can run it like a receiver.”

As much as New York can say they want to use Hall a lot in their offense in 2025, it’s easy to see how Hall can be somewhat frustrated by his current contract status.

He isn’t surprised some of the other players at his position are getting deals, though.

“No, because they’ve both done much more in this league than I have,” Hall said of Williams and Cook following Wednesday’s practice. “They’ve been in better situations and they’re both very good players. For me, obviously I feel like I’m just as talented as anyone. Those guys are two really good running backs and they deserve their payday.”

Hall is entering the final year of his deal with New York. As is the case with many runners around the league, if the 24-year-old plays well, the Jets could franchise tag him instead of letting him hit the open market.

Gang Green could also let him walk.

At the end of the day, though, paying a committee running back over $10 million per year is not a good allocation of salary cap resources.

Cook and Williams’ contracts only complicate that reality for the Jets – and it makes Hall’s future with the team even more clouded than it already was.