Breece Hall will not see free agency after all.
New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that the team plans to place a franchise or transition tag on the standout running back if the two sides can't agree to terms on a long-term deal before the March 3 deadline.
"We'll find a way to keep Breece here if we can't get a deal done," Mougey told reporters. "The tags are an option. Ideally, we'd find a way to get a deal done and keep Breece around. I think I've said that for the last year since I've got here. Breece is a good player. We want to find a way to keep him around. We've been going through that process and are still doing so. We have a week to find out if we can't get to an agreement which way we'll go with that tag."
If no extension is reached, the Jets have the option of placing either the non-exclusive franchise, exclusive franchise or transition tag on Hall.
The non-exclusive franchise tag is the most commonly used and averages the top five salaries at the player's position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. The tagged player can negotiate with other teams, but the current club owns the right to match any offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if he signs with another team.
The transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position -- as opposed to the top five for the franchise tag. It guarantees the original club the right of first refusal to match any offer the player might receive from another club. The tagging team is not compensated if it chooses not to match a deal.
Once a tag is used, the sides have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract.
Hall, 24, has paced Gang Green's ground attack for the past four years since being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft. The ball-carrier went over 1,000 rushing yards in 2025 for the first time in his career and was a bright spot amid a dismal Jets campaign.
Earlier this week, Hall expressed resignation ahead of free agency, telling the New York Post, "Whatever happens, happens."
Despite that apathetic attitude, Mougey said Tuesday that he believes Hall wants to stay in New York for the long haul.
"I do get the sense that Breece wants to be here," Mougey told reporters. "We've had good conversations throughout the season and after the season. So, just finding a way to do that."
Hall was slated to be one of the top running backs available in free agency (No. 13 overall on NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal's list of the top 101 free agents). Now, it appears he'll be back in New York as the Jets look to revamp an offense around him, receiver Garrett Wilson and a quarterback to be named later.
On that front, Mougey said 2025 starter Justin Fields is on the roster and under contract, a part of the Jets for now. We'll see if his status changes as the QB carousel picks up steam this week in Indianapolis.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: NFL Network and NFL+ will have live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine beginning Feb. 26.
