Breece Hall has already made his case as one of the NFL’s most complete backs. The part the Jets haven’t fully leaned into is the one that could push him even higher: the passing game.
That’s not just opinion, either. As one high-ranking executive told ESPN, Hall’s value goes well beyond what he does as a runner. “True three-down back, creates as a runner and can play in the passing game with good hands,” a high-ranking executive with an NFL team said of Hall, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The production backs that up. Since entering the league in 2022, Hall has been one of the most efficient receiving backs in football.
He’s averaging 8.7 yards per catch in his career, which ranks sixth among the 47 running backs with at least 100 targets since 2022. He’s also sixth in receptions with 188.
Only Bijan Robinson and Christian McCaffrey have posted more yards per reception while catching more passes.
So it stands out that Hall’s target volume dipped to a career low in 2025. He drew only 48 targets, which ranked 16th among running backs, and his 3.0 targets per game was the lowest mark of his career.
That usage looked even more puzzling because Hall was arguably at his best as a receiver. He set career highs in yards per target at 7.3 and receiving success rate at 54.2%.
He also had just one drop, a career low according to Pro Football Focus. Hall had struggled with drops earlier in his career, posting a 10.1% drop rate over his first three seasons, but that number fell to 2.7% in 2025.
In other words, the Jets had a more efficient receiving version of Hall than ever before and still didn’t feature him more. That came despite a wide receiver room that offered very little production.
It was a major misstep for one-and-done offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, and it’s one Frank Reich can’t afford to repeat.
The number Hall needs to see in 2026 is simple: targets. Three per game is too light for a back with his receiving profile.
A more reasonable goal would be around five looks a game, which would get him to 85 targets. That total would have tied De’Von Achane and Kenneth Gainwell for fifth among running backs in 2025.
Reich has done this before. In his first year with the Colts in 2018, he helped turn rookie Nyheim Hines into a major part of the passing game.
Indianapolis threw 81 targets to Hines, a fourth-round pick, and that ranked third on the team and seventh among running backs. Hines finished fifth among running backs with 29 receiving first downs and was a key piece of an offense that ranked fifth in scoring.
If Reich is going to unlock more of Hall’s value, it should be about more than a few extra screens and checkdowns. Hall has shown enough on film to suggest there’s more there, including snaps where he was flexed out wide and created vertical separation without getting the ball.
That kind of usage fits the bigger picture, too. When the Jets signed Hall to a three-year, $43.5 million contract, it wasn’t only about his work between the tackles. It was a clear commitment to him as an all-around centerpiece.
The expectation now is that Hall’s role in the passing game should jump in 2026, with more of those opportunities coming downfield.
In Other News...
Jets Fans Won't Agree On This Latest Quarterback Trade Idea
The Jets quarterback search has a way of circling back to the same question: how much sense does it make to chase another young arm, especially when the answer might be more about patience than certainty? With the Browns carrying a crowded quarterback room and a former third-round pick still trying to carve out a clearer path, the idea of a trade has enough logic on paper to get attention in New York, where the position has been a source of frustration for years.
For the Jets, the appeal is obvious enough. A backup with some starting experience and room to grow can look like a worthwhile swing if the price is modest, and this is the kind of move that can divide fans between those craving upside and those who have seen too many false starts at quarterback. The real question is whether adding another developmental passer changes anything meaningful for a team still trying to find stability at the most important spot on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jets May Finally Have A Smarter Backup QB Option
The Jets still have plenty to sort out when it comes to the quarterback room, and the backup spot feels just as important as the long-term answer under center. With the team looking for a developmental option who can grow in the system and be ready if called upon, the idea of adding a young passer with real game experience has become a logical place to look.
One name that has come up in that conversation is a former starter who already has some NFL reps and a manageable contract, which makes the fit easier to imagine from a roster-building standpoint. The wrinkle is whether his current team is willing to keep him in place as insurance, especially with other quarterbacks in the mix, so this is still more of a possibility than a finished deal. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Just Got Another Unsettling Reminder About The Next QB
The Jets still have Geno Smith under center, but the conversation around what comes next keeps circling back to the same uneasy place: there is not much proven help waiting behind him. The Athletic recently took a look at the quarterback picture and pointed to a pair of possible fallback options, which is a reminder that even with a starter in place, the depth chart is still drawing scrutiny.
One of those names comes with only a small NFL sample, while the other has earned respect for his intelligence and presence in the room without yet convincing evaluators that his game is ready for the league. For a team that has spent years trying to stabilize the most important position in sports, that kind of uncertainty is exactly the sort of detail fans notice, especially when the discussion is less about a solution than about how thin the options remain. [Read more 🡒]