Breece Hall just raised the stakes for the Jets at the trade deadline

On the way to an emotional victory on Sunday in Cincinnati, the New York Jets saw several heroes step up. At the very top of the list was running back Breece Hall. It's been a difficult season for Hall, who's put up with both losing and trade rumors. It's been a mess both on and off the field for the fourth-year running back.

The Jets looked all but dead during the first quarter, having put up zero points and also zero fight. Even after a few scoring drives, it still felt bleak heading into the fourth quarter, down 38 to 16.

But the embattled star tailback had arguably the most memorable performance of his career in that fourth quarter, and he carried the Jets to an improbable win.

It was a memorable day for Jets fans, who were desperate for just one win, especially on the day of Nick Mangold’s untimely passing. But it may prove memorable for the rest of the league, too.

Opposing general managers saw the tear that Hall went on, and more than a few might be willing to part with serious draft capital to get their hands on him.

Perfect timing for the Jets.

Breece Hall just upped his price ahead of the trade deadline

Hall is going to demand a hefty price point upon his arrival at unrestricted free agency in 2026. He's likely to demand an average annual value of $10 to $14 million. It's a steep price to pay for a running back who's about to enter the latter half of his 20s, but Hall is good enough to entice such a market.

The question isn't if he is worth that money. He is. After a hot start in his rookie year, he missed the remainder of that season due to injury, but his sophomore and junior seasons backed up the initial excitement.

He averaged 4.5 and 4.2 yards per carry in those two seasons and recorded 46 explosive runs. In 2023, he caught 76 passes for 591 yards, followed by 57 catches for 483 yards in 2024. All he does is produce.

The question is whether he’s worth the money to the Jets. Hall is a win-now player — someone who can impact a Super Bowl run tomorrow. The Jets, unfortunately, are far from being in that position.

Even the most optimistic fan would admit the franchise is at least two years away from competing for a championship. Hall and the Jets are operating on two very different timelines.

With this being the case, the most logical assumption is that the Jets should trade him away to recoup some value. It doesn't seem to make much sense to dish out so much capital to sign him this offseason. Now we arrive at another question. What does a Hall trade return for New York?

The Jets’ goal will be to stockpile as many draft picks as possible or secure the highest return they can. Whatever that package ultimately looks like, Hall’s performance on Sunday undoubtedly increased his value. He wasn’t just good in the team’s first win of the year — he was great.

On 18 carries, Hall rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns. He added two receptions and, of course, the dramatic touchdown pass to Mason Taylor. Digging deeper, he averaged 3.94 yards after contact per attempt, with four runs of 10-plus yards and two of 15 or more.

He was outstanding and the kind of player any contender could use. His versatility as both a runner and receiver allows him to fit seamlessly into any offensive system.

The Jets now have a little more of an upper hand at the negotiating table than they did at 12:30 PM EST on Sunday. Now, they can ask for that much more from prospective buyers.

What will the number be? Will Hall actually get traded? I can't answer those questions. But I can say confidently that Hall helped the Jets in more ways than one this past Sunday.