New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) runs the ball before being tackled by Miami Dolphins linebacker Tyrel Dodson (25) during a week 14 football game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jets' Potential Breece Hall Competition Revealed

Originally posted on New York Jets on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 3:14 PM ET

The New York Jets would be wise to get a deal done with star running back Breece Hall as quickly as possible.

When it comes to the Jets, there's no denying the fact that the franchise has a handful of holes to fill this offseason. The Jets got a start by completely overhauling the coaching staff, outside of head coach Aaron Glenn. The Jets went 3-14 in 2025 and have plenty of holes on the roster to fill now as well.

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Hall was one of the Jets' biggest bright spots in 2025. New York knows what it has in the young back. If the Jets were to keep him around — either on a long-term deal or the franchise/transition tag — that would cross one position group off of the team's bucket list. New York has plenty of salary cap space and also has the tags at its disposal. There's no reason to let him go. If the Jets opt against tagging him, there will be competition for his services. ESPN's Rich Cimini shared that the Arizona Cardinals could be potential competition for his services.

The Jets need to keep Breece Hall in town

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

"Hall considers himself one of the top backs in the NFL; he's about to find out what the rest of the league thinks of him -- if he gets to the open market," Cimini wrote. "The Jets would like to prevent that from happening with a contract extension. 'Breece is a good player,' Mougey said. 'I want as many good players back as we can.' Presumably, Hall wants a deal that would put him among the top five in salary at his position, which means surpassing Alvin Kamara's $12.25 million per year. One thing working against Hall is that it running backs won't be a premium. ...

"This is one reason why the Jets might not use the franchise tag (projected $14.5 million). The transition tag ($11.7 million) might make more sense. Hall's explosive-run percentage dropped last season, as did his average speed (based on GPS tracking), yet he still managed to rush for a career-high 1,065 yards. Since 2022, he ranks 10th among running backs in scrimmage yards (5,040). Key number: He'll be only 25, one of the reasons why he would be one of the most coveted free agents. The Arizona Cardinals, coached by former Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, could be a potential suitor."

For New York, again, there's no reason to let him go. There are plenty of problems to fix on the roster. Running back was not an issue in 2025. Retaining Hall would give the team one less thing to worry about.

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

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