Jets GM Darren Mougey was true to his words after he said the organization is committed to holding onto its best players.
Exhibit No. 1 was the decision on March 3 to apply the non-exclusive franchise tag on elite running back Breece Hall. The decision means that Hall, a free agent, is still able to consider offers from other NFL teams with the Jets able to match. Should Hall, 24, agree to an offer that the Jets decide not to match, the team acquiring him would be required to send the Jets two-first round picks as compensation. As things now stand, the Jets have five first-round picks in the next two drafts (two this year and three in 2027).
While the Jets and Hall's representatives are engaged in "good" negotiations, Mougey said during the recent Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, any new long-term contract for the second-round pick (No. 36 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft needs to be completed by July 15.
"Things are in a good place and I'm hopeful with Breece," Mougey said. "Obviously, we'll get through this draft process and after the draft I'll shift my focus back there and hopefully get something done with Breece."
In this month's draft, April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, the Jets currently own the No. 2 and No. 16 selections in the first round, plus the first pick (No. 33) in the second round along with No. 44. In total, the Green & White currently has nine total picks over the draft's seven rounds.
"We talked about it beforehand," HC Aaron Glenn said in Phoenix. "And, listen, and you guys [reporters] know, man, I'm a huge fan of Breece. I think Breece is a top running back in this league. And I will say this, once we get through with the draft, I'm sure that's going to be revisited and I think Mougey already said that. We'll see exactly how that goes and Breece knows where I stand and he doesn't need a lecture from me on how this goes. Man, we talked before he got tagged and he knows exactly where he stands."
Over his four seasons with the Green & White, Hall has rushed for 3,398 yards over 755 carries (4.4 yards per). As a rookie in 2022, Hall burst on the scene and appeared to be headed for consideration as rookie of the year when he rushed for 463 yards (5.8 yards per) in his first 7 games before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in a game at Denver. He returned in 2023 and ran for 994 yards before he finally eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark (1,065) last season -- the first Jets since Chris Ivory in 2015 to surpass 1,000 rushing yards.
