The Patrick Mahomes-era offense has been a wild ride for the past eight seasons. When he burst onto the scene in 2018, Mahomes shattered countless records while slinging the ball all over the field in a pass-happy offense featuring superstar power at wide receiver and tight end. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill combined with Mahomes to form a nearly unstoppable trio, to the point that defensive coordinators across the league changed the way they played defense.
In 2022, shockwaves rippled across the league in a transaction that would change not only the Chiefs franchise but, in essence, the entire sport: the trade of Tyreek Hill. And although that point was a pivotal turning point in the story of the Mahomes/Andy Reid offense, the Chiefs' dependency on their star quarterback has never wavered. Whether it was bombs away with Hill and Sammy Watkins or chipping away with a relentless short-passing game against newly evolved defenses built to contain the former, the Chiefs have lived and died with their passing offense.
The one thing Mahomes has not had—at least not since the midseason release of Kareem Hunt in 2018—is a running game that required any attention from opposing defenses. Damien Williams, who was a remarkable playoff performer with the Chiefs, is the closest thing Kansas City has had to a feature back. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was never able to realize his potential as a threat in the receiving game and did not thrive in Reid's system. Isiah Pacheco has performed admirably for a seventh-round pick but also has shortcomings that have kept him from becoming a bona fide threat next to Mahomes.
This year's version of the Chiefs offense has shown flashes of excellence; however, the ground game has glaring weaknesses. Pacheco has speed but lacks agility and is a liability in pass protection. Hunt, now in his second stint with the Chiefs, gives the team dependable short-yardage ability but zero burst. Free-agent signee Elijah Mitchell can’t even get his helmet on. Rookie Brashard Smith has displayed potential in various ways, but it seems unwise to place your trust in a seventh-round rookie who transitioned from wide receiver to running back just a couple of years ago.
With the offense in its current state, nothing—not even the return of Rashee Rice in a week—can help Mahomes more than a running back who will command the attention of opposing defensive coordinators. That's where Breece Hall comes in.
Breece Hall would make the ideal pre-trade deadline addition for the Chiefs offense.
The New York Jets are 0-5 and mired in the cellar of the AFC East, perhaps the most boring division in all of pro sports. If not for one player in Buffalo, the entire division wouldn't even be worth discussing. And for all of the East's weaknesses, the Jets are the cream of the crap. New head coach Aaron Glenn has yet to win his first game, and his team may well be jockeying for a top pick in next year's draft. The Jets are the classic trade-deadline-seller candidate. If that is the case, the marriage between New York and Kansas City feels appropriate for a trade in which Kansas City acquires the 5'11", 215-pound Hall.
The former Iowa State star is still just 24 years old despite this being his fourth year in the league. Hall started just two games in his 2022 rookie campaign, but in his two full seasons as a starter, he has averaged over 900 rushing yards per season and tacked on an additional 500-plus receiving yards as well. Hall has experience in an RPO offense during his tenure in New York, has the size to be productive in the red zone, and the speed to take one to the house from anywhere on the field.
While other running backs across the league have garnered some chatter as potential trade targets for Kansas City, Hall offers the total package. He would most certainly be thrilled to resurrect his career from the wasteland of East Rutherford and return to a playoff contender in his home in the Midwest. Before his remarkable three-year career in which he finished in the top ten in Heisman voting twice, Hall played his high school ball in Wichita, Kansas. He has a higher ceiling and floor than other hotly discussed trade targets, such as Alvin Kamara or Jaylen Wright.
Unfortunately, some factors could throw a wrench into the Chiefs' ability to acquire Hall. Kansas City may have to enter into a bidding war with other playoff-contending teams, such as the Commanders and Chargers, both of whom are depleted at running back due to injuries to key players. Furthermore, Brett Veach would have to orchestrate this trade with Jets GM Darren Mougey, who spent his entire 13-year career working his way up the Denver Broncos front office before becoming the Jets' general manager this past January.
On top of that, the Jets themselves have problems at running back with the recent injury to Braelon Allen. If they dealt Hall away, that would leave them with third-stringer Isaiah Davis, who has six carries in 2025. One would almost wonder if the Chiefs would have to throw in someone like Smith or Mitchell in a trade. The team would certainly be less inclined to trade away Smith, as he has shown some pop in limited action as a runner and as a receiver. Smith also has three years remaining on his rookie contract after this season.
But when it comes to trade compensation, the Jets are almost certainly in a position to demand draft picks, not existing contracts. The Chiefs likely shouldn't have to deal more than a third-round pick in 2026 to gain Hall's services. With just the remainder of this season on his existing contract, a trade for Hall would likely be just a half-season rental. The Jets have to be in sell-now mode, and with the November 4 NFL trade deadline quickly approaching, it is time to move. The acquisition of Hall can put the Chiefs back into Super Bowl contention if he can show even a glimpse of what made him an elite prospect in 2022.