Previous reports indicated that the New York Jets would use the transition tag to retain the rights to running back Breece Hall for the 2026 season ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to do so.
Thus, some were surprised to learn that the Jets placed the franchise tag on Hall after the two sides were unable to come to terms on a multiyear agreement.
For a piece published on Wednesday, NFL insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom spoke with multiple personnel executives about the Jets’ handling of Hall. Those individuals made it known they felt that tagging Hall was a “same old Jets” move for an organization responsible for the longest active postseason drought among the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and MLS (15 years).
Jets tagging Breece Hall a sign of dysfunction?
“This is what dysfunctional franchises do,” one executive said about the Jets’ decision to use the franchise tag on Hall. “They chase their tail.”
By using the franchise tag, the Jets could match an offer made to Hall by another team or receive two first-round draft picks in exchange for his services. Had they used the transition tag and then chosen not to match an offer for Hall, the Jets would have received no draft-pick compensation.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic noted that the transition tag for Hall would have been worth roughly $11.728M. To compare, Hall is set to earn around $14.293M on the one-year franchise tag.
“If you’re dying to tag him, use the transition tag. I don’t get it,” a second executive said about the move.
Jets overpaying to keep Breece Hall?
La Canfora suggested that the Jets are on track to give Hall a higher salary for 2026 than what the 24-year-old would have received had he been permitted to reach free agency. Per ESPN stats, Hall led the 2025 Jets with 243 carries, 1,065 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns (tied with quarterback Justin Fields). Hall also recorded 36 receptions for 350 yards and a score.
The first executive thinks that “no one is signing [Hall] to an offer sheet” before the July 15 deadline for teams to sign tagged players to long-term contracts arrives.
“They almost have to do something with him now,” the executive added about the Jets’ need to sign Hall to a multiyear agreement.
It’s possible that the Jets could trade Hall to a team willing to hand him a desired contract. However, NFL reporter Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports shared on Feb. 25 that the Jets plan to “do their utmost to sign the running back to a long-term extension and keep him.”