The Kansas City Chiefs will not be adding any more help for quarterback Patrick Mahomes this year, but next spring, the offense could begin to look considerably different around the two-time MVP.
Kansas City was in discussions with the New York Jets about a trade for running back Breece Hall, which ultimately fell through due to a disagreement over compensation. The Jets wanted a third-round pick, while the Chiefs were unwilling to offer higher than a fourth-rounder.
In retrospect, both teams likely lost out due to the lack of a deal. The Jets will now potentially watch Hall leave for nothing in free agency, while the Chiefs miss out on the opportunity to utilize his skill set to help make a playoff push.
### Long-Term Outlook for the Chiefs’ Running Back Situation
At 30 years old, Kareem Hunt hasn’t played poorly for the Chiefs, but he’s now a backup and is in the final season of his contract. Meanwhile, former seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco is also set to become a free agent this March.
While the Chiefs could bring back Hunt on another affordable deal—he is currently set to earn $1.5 million in 2025—they need to pair Mahomes with a serious, long-term running back. Breece Hall fits the bill perfectly.
ESPN recently ranked Hall as the No. 6 overall player in the 2026 free agent class, and the top running back available. “Hall was coveted at the trade deadline. That the Jets wanted a third-round pick in return for a running back reminds us that Hall has top-end talent,” Jeremy Fowler wrote on Wednesday. “And my sense is he will do just fine in free agency. Think Josh Jacobs’s four-year, $48 million deal signed in March 2024 as a possibility. A few personnel evaluators thought that was a fair contract comp.”
### Breece Hall Makes Sense for Chiefs as NFL Values Running Backs More
Hall, 24, was a second-round pick in 2022. Spotrac currently projects his market value at around $42 million over a new four-year contract. The value of the running back position has increased recently, thanks to players like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, who have had a major impact on Super Bowl-winning and contending teams.
Kansas City is both a Super Bowl contender and in need of a long-term solution at running back. This puts the franchise in a strong position to pursue Hall aggressively. This is why several analysts suggested the Chiefs should have dealt for Hall ahead of the trade deadline—and why Kansas City came close to doing just that in October.
“Hall is a pending free agent, and the Jets probably have bigger fish to fry this offseason, while the Chiefs are not getting as much as they’d probably like out of their offensive backfield,” wrote Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report on October 29. “Hall yields the Jets a late-round pick and becomes a cog in a backfield that also contains Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, who takes a sizable back seat.”
### Breece Hall Heading into Free Agency on Track for a Career Year
Hall was a breakout player during his rookie year before an ACL tear ended his campaign prematurely. However, since then, he has been healthy and reliable. He is currently on track to put up his first 1,000-yard rushing season after coming close in each of the past two years.
For the Chiefs, adding a player like Hall next offseason could be a game-changing move that elevates Mahomes and the entire offense as they aim for another deep playoff run.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/breece-hall-patrick-mahomes-free-agency-jets/
