The New York Jets face tough financial decisions with key player contracts approaching in 2025-26, making it challenging to retain the squad’s top talents.
Experts suggest that trading star running back Breece Hall in 2025 could be a strategic move for the Jets to manage salary cap issues and avoid overpaying.
Key Takeaways:
- The New York Jets face tough financial decisions with key player contracts due in 2025-26, making it difficult to keep all their top players.
- Experts suggest that trading Breece Hall in 2025 could be a smart move to avoid overpaying him and manage salary cap issues.
- Hall’s potential, performance, and the current market for running backs make it tough to decide whether to trade or keep him.
The Financial Challenge for the New York Jets
When Joe Douglas became the general manager of the New York Jets, he made several smart trades to manage the team’s money and plan for the future.
He traded Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks for two first-round picks and a third-round pick and moved Leonard Williams to the Giants instead of giving him a big contract.
With the 2022 draft picks, the Jets will soon face even tougher decisions.
By 2025-26, four of their best players—Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson, and Breece Hall—will need new contracts. The Jets likely can’t afford to keep all four.
So, Should the Jets Trade Breece Hall?
Jason Fitzgerald from Over the Cap thinks that if the Jets don’t do well in 2024, they should consider trading Breece Hall in 2025.
The reason is that NFL running backs often start to slow down in their late 20s. Hall will be in the final year of his contract in 2025 and will want a new deal.
Fitzgerald believes trading Hall might be better than paying him a lot of money.
Hall’s Future with the Jets
Hall will be 24 years old in the 2025 offseason. The Jets could offer him a three-year contract to use his best playing years.
If he performs well in 2024, he could be one of the top running backs in the NFL (which doesn’t make the Jets’ decision any easier). Douglas valued Hall highly, trading up to draft him, which shows he thinks Hall is very talented.
However, Douglas has been careful about paying high salaries for certain positions. He let Marcus Maye go after Jamal Adams left, showing he might avoid paying Hall a big contract.
Alternative Strategies: The Draft and Franchise Tag
The Jets picking Braelon Allen could be a sign they are preparing for a future without Hall.
While they didn’t trade Bryce Huff when they had the chance, Hall’s situation might be different because running backs often get injured and have shorter careers.
Another option is to follow what teams did with Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs: let Hall finish his contract and then use the franchise tag.
The franchise tag is about $12 million for one year, which is easier to handle than a long-term deal. This would let the Jets use Hall’s best years and possibly get a compensatory draft pick later.
The Current Market for Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey recently signed a $38 million extension with the San Francisco 49ers, making him the highest-paid running back at $19 million per year.
Other top running backs make between $12 million and $15 million per year. This makes it hard for Hall to get a similar deal.
Hall, not happy about missing on the first-round pick, might benefit from being picked in the second round.
Second-round picks can negotiate new contracts after four years, while first-round picks must wait five years.
If you’re interested in more NFL rumors and news, check out this article where we outline the New York Giants’ top trade targets.
Hall’s Performance and Future Potential
Breece Hall has shown he can be one of the best running backs in the NFL. He hasn’t rushed for 1,000 yards yet or played for a winning team, but he did have 76 catches in 2023, the second most for a running back in Jets history.
Talking to the media, Hall said that he feels more confident in the offense and aims to achieve 2,000 yards of total offense in 2024. This shows his high potential and determination.
Deciding whether to trade Breece Hall will depend on many factors, including his performance in 2024, the Jets’ financial situation, and the plans of general manager Joe Douglas.
While Hall’s future with the Jets is uncertain, his talent and potential make him a valuable player for any team.