New York Jets Utilize Franchise Tag on Breece Hall
In a strategic move to retain talent, the New York Jets have utilized the franchise tag on running back Breece Hall, just ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for teams to make similar decisions regarding potential free agents. According to a knowledgeable source who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, Hall will procure a one-year contract valued at approximately $14.3 million due to this designation. This development was first reported by SNY.
Franchise Tag Overview
Breece Hall marks the third player to receive the franchise tag this offseason, following the tagging of Dallas receiver George Pickens and Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts, both of whom were designated prior to the deadline. While players tagged can still entertain offer sheets from other teams at the start of free agency on March 11, their current teams are granted a five-day period to either match the offers or opt for compensation in the form of two first-round draft picks.
Potential Candidates and Trends
Other potential candidates for the franchise tag include Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones, wide receiver Alec Pierce, Cincinnati’s edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, Seattle’s Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, and Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh. So far this year, three franchise tags have been issued, surpassing last year’s total of merely two — the lowest since 1994 — and coming against a backdrop of an average of more than nine tags being allocated annually from 2020 to 2024.
Breece Hall’s Career Highlights
Hall, who is set to celebrate his 25th birthday in May, was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Iowa State. Despite his promising talent, he did not secure a contract extension last offseason unlike his first-round counterparts, Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson, leading to speculation about his standing with the Jets, including mentions in trade discussions.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has been vocal about the organization’s commitment to keeping Hall, aiming to center the running back as a pivotal component of their offense. New York had initially intended to employ a three-man running back rotation featuring Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis. However, Allen’s knee injury necessitated his placement on injured reserve, leaving Davis as the primary backup.
With a new offensive coordinator in Frank Reich, the Jets are actively seeking a quarterback this offseason, but tagging Hall provides them the opportunity to maintain his dynamic presence in the backfield while potentially arranging a long-term contract extension.
Impressive Performance and Future Projections
In the 2025 season, Hall impressively rushed for a career-high 1,065 yards, achieving the milestone as the first Jets player to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a single season since Chris Ivory in 2015. Hall has also recorded a remarkable 1,000 yards from scrimmage across three consecutive seasons, solidifying his place in Jets history as only the sixth player, and fifth running back, to accomplish this feat.
Next season, only one running back in the NFL is projected to earn more than $14 million in cash, with Saquon Barkley, the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, expecting a salary of $16.75 million from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Franchise Tag Details for Other Players
The franchise tag for Pickens amounts to about $27.3 million as Dallas attempts to secure him after bringing him in through a trade with Pittsburgh last offseason. At just 25 years old, Pickens achieved personal records in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429), and touchdowns (nine) during a season marked by one of the NFL’s top offenses, despite the Cowboys struggling with a 7-9-1 record and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Kyle Pitts’s franchise tag stands at roughly $15 million. The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft demonstrated his prowess by earning second-team All-Pro honors, logging a career-high 88 receptions and five touchdowns last season, while amassing 928 receiving yards — the second-highest among tight ends, following Arizona’s Trey McBride.
Franchise-tagged players can negotiate long-term contracts up until July 15; if no agreement is reached, they will play under one-year deals in 2026.
___Dennis Waszak Jr., Pro Football Writer for AP, contributed to this report___
___AP NFL Coverage___
