FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets dusted off their franchise tag, placing it on running back Breece Hall ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Hall’s tag is the nonexclusive version ($14.293 million), meaning he can negotiate with other teams and sign an offer sheet. The Jets have the right of first refusal and would receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if they decline to match — a prohibitive price for a running back.
In short, this means Hall isn’t going anywhere unless he’s traded or the tag is rescinded, which is rare.
General manager Darren Mougey, speaking last week at the NFL scouting combine, gave no indication that a trade is under consideration. He said Hall “is a good player and we want to find a way to keep him around.”
Hall would’ve been one of the most coveted free agents available. The free agent negotiating period begins Monday.
After news of the Jets’ decision broke, Hall posted to X: “Always been the type to bet on myself. Been working…see yall soon, Love.”
Mougey was clear on the Jets’ plans, saying they’d use a franchise or transition tag if they couldn’t sign Hall before the tag deadline. The transition tag would’ve been less costly ($11.3 million), but it would’ve increased the chances of an offer sheet from another team.
The two sides were unable to reach a deal after at least two weeks of active negotiations, a source said. The Jets and Hall have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement. Failing that, he will play the 2026 season for $14.293 million, which counts immediately on their current salary cap.
This is the first time the Jets have exercised the tag since 2021, when it was used on safety Marcus Maye, who never signed a long-term contract. He wound up leaving as a free agent in 2022.
By declining the Jets’ contract offer, Hall might be able to capitalize on an anticipated spike in the running back market. Stars Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are eligible for extensions, and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is poised to become a free agent Monday.
Hall, who turns 25 on May 31, rushed for a career-high 1,065 yards in 2025 — no easy task on a 3-14 team. The coaches hyped him as a dual threat who would have a huge impact in the passing game, but that never materialized. He finished with only 36 receptions, his second-lowest total in four seasons. Things could be different under new offensive coordinator Frank Reich. In four seasons, Hall has compiled 5,040 scrimmage yards, which ranks 14th in the league.
He generated significant interest at the midseason trading deadline, later expressing disappointment that he wasn’t traded. Hall, a 2022 second-round pick, has expressed frustration about the Jets’ losing ways.
The Jets’ record with Hall is 22-46, under three different coaches, but he and wide receiver Garrett Wilson are the team’s only two proven playmakers.
“I do get the sense that Breece wants to be here,” Mougey said.
