Will 2026 be the final year of “BREEEECE” chants at MetLife Stadium?

With fifth-year running back Breece Hall on the franchise tag, ESPN’s Rich Cimini provided a post-draft update on Hall’s contract negotiations with the team.

Cimini’s expectation? The Jets will not reach an agreement with Breece Hall before the start of the season.

“From what I’ve been hearing, I think he may end up playing on the tender this year for $14 million,” Cimini said. “I don’t know if the two sides are going to be able to get it done.”

General manager Darren Mougey said that addressing Hall’s contract would be one of the team’s top priorities after the draft. So far, there has been little movement, but the Jets have until July 15 to reach a deal.

The Jets’ star running back has had a turbulent tenure in New York. A fan favorite over his first two years, Hall bounced back from a disappointing 2024 season with a stellar 2025 campaign. However, that didn’t stop trade rumors from swirling for much of the year.

In 2026, the Jets franchise tagged Hall after failing to come to a long-term extension. There are questions about how much the Jets value him, considering the trade rumors from last year. And there’s no guarantee that Hall even wants to be there, given some of his comments in the past.

So how should the Jets proceed?

The argument to not extend

For all of Hall’s talent, the Jets still rank 25th in rushing yards and 29th in points over the last three years. Much of that is due to talent deficiencies at other positions, but Hall hasn’t been enough of a difference-maker to elevate the offense as a whole.

While Hall will only be turning 26 next offseason, he will be eclipsing 2,000 career touches between the NFL and college. The home run hitter may have already lost a step, as he was chased down a few times in 2025 on plays where he seemingly would have broken away in his rookie year.

Last year, the Jets talked up the possibility of a committee approach in the backfield before losing Braelon Allen to injury early in the season. This could be another indicator that New York doesn’t value a bell-cow running back enough to pay him what he’s worth.

However, this mindset could change under a new offensive coordinator. Tanner Engstrand had ample experience with a committee backfield in Detroit, but Frank Reich oversaw the Colts using a high second-round pick on Jonathan Taylor, who would become one of the league’s top workhorses under Reich.

Reports indicated the Jets were offered a fourth-round pick for Hall at the trade deadline, but wanted a third to get the deal done. With a weak 2026 running back class potentially increasing the value of veteran running backs, could the Jets be waiting to get a trade offer instead of extending him?

The argument to extend Breece Hall

Finding reasons to extend Hall is easy. Simply watch what he can do with a dump off.

Electric with the ball in his hands, Hall is able to score from anywhere. His 27 career touchdowns have come from an average distance of 22 yards.

This home run ability is a young quarterback’s best friend. It would feel like a wasted opportunity to let Hall go instead of supporting the quarterback the Jets will draft in 2027.

In the meantime, he may just save Glenn’s job. When the Jets win, Hall is usually a big reason why. The Jets are 18-6 when Hall scores at least once compared to 2-30 when he does not.

That includes two of the Jets’ three wins in 2025. In those two games, Hall racked up 272 yards and three touchdowns on 42 touches while also throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Bengals.

Hall’s value to the Jets offense is clear. But considering that the Jets have still had the worst offense in the NFL over the course of Hall’s career, how much is he really worth?

Will the Jets extend Hall before the 2026 season?

The Jets are likely hoping the answer will be yes. Rich Cimini reported the Jets thought they were close to a deal in March, but that was not the case.

SNY reported that Hall and Seattle’s Kenneth Walker would receive similar contracts in free agency. Walker vastly exceeded his projections, generally in the $10 million-per-year range, securing a three-year, $43.1 million deal ($14.4 million per year). Do the Jets value Hall the same?

As things stand, Hall has signed the franchise tag and will earn $14.3 million in 2026 before hitting free agency. Walker’s deal with Kansas City has an out after two years. He will have cap hits of $5.7 million in 2026 and $18.7 million in 2027, while the Chiefs would be on the hook for $4.3 million in 2028 if they release him.

If the Jets can sign Hall to a similarly structured deal, they would be wise to do so.

But if the Jets wait until 2027 to extend Hall, they will probably be tied to him through 2029, when Hall will be 28. By extending him now, they can guarantee Hall will be a Jet throughout the heart of his prime for the incoming rookie quarterback, while the team would be able to move on from him before his play declines.

Smart front offices are proactive; short-lived ones are reactive. It’s time for general manager Darren Mougey to prove he belongs with the former.