The National Football League's trade deadline was electric, but some of the shock felt by players had to do with staying put. At least that's the case for New York Jets running back Breece Hall.
After watching two of his most talented teammates sent packing within minutes of one another—cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys—Hall was next man up on the trade block. Or at least that's what everyone thought.
As it turns out, the Jets decided not to deal Hall despite the fact that the running back only a few months left on his contract before becoming a free agent. In the fourth year of his rookie deal, Hall can hit free agency next spring, and yet the Jets didn't want to accept anything less than their lofty demands for the talented RB.
Instead of waiting for one side or the other to cave, the Chiefs and Jets should have found a way forward to send Breece Hall to Kansas City.
Per Connor Hughes, the Jets were asking for a third-round choice all along as the deadline crept closer. Teams balked at the price, but the Kansas City Chiefs reportedly came close. If one side thought the other was bluffing, they were wrong. The talks ended there.
"With Breece Hall, there was an offer on the table for a fourth-round pick," said Hughes, a Jets insider, shortly after the deadline. "I was told it was from the Kansas City Chiefs who were willing to trade for Breece Hall. The Jets were steadfast in wanting a third. They wanted a third-round pick for Breece Hall. They were not able to get one. Only had a fourth-round offer."
The Jets also hung on to defensive end Jermaine Johnson and linebacker Quincy Williams for the same reasons. Johnson is still around in 2026 under team control, but the fact that the Jets hung onto the others was baffling to Hughes.
"Not trading Breece and Quincy, in my opinion, those two guys now need to be extended. You need to extend those two guys and bring them back. Otherwise, it makes zero sense on why you did not deal them here at the deadline."
Hall, the Jets' second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft at No. 36 overall, is averaging 5.0 yards/carry so far in 8 starts this season for New York. He has 117 carries for 581 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, with another 21 catches for 178 yards through the air.
The Chiefs were linked to Hall throughout the pre-deadline portion of the season, given the needs in the team's backfield. Dynamism has been a problem for a few years at running back, as the Chiefs made it work with spare parts and late-round flyers. General manager Brett Veach was looking to make his biggest splash at the position since using a first-round choice on Clyde Edwards-Helaire back in 2020.
Instead, the Chiefs now have an injured Isiah Pacheco (spraned MCL), an aging short-yardage weapon in Kareem Hunt, and this year's seventh-round pick, Brashard Smith. Somehow, Edwards-Helaire is also still around as well as the statue taking up an active roster spot who goes by Elijah Mitchell.
Veach has been especially aggressive in recent seasons as the Chiefs entered their dynasty phase. Last year brought two trades, one on each side of the ball. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was acquired from the Titans, while pass rusher Joshua Uche was brought in from the New England Patriots. Previous seasons brought Melvin Ingram, Kadarius Toney, and others in to solidify the roster down the stretch. Somehow, in 2025, that's not the case.
Veach decided to stand firm at this year's deadline. In doing so, he let an opportunity pass him up to bolster the backfield and take the offense to the next level. Whether the Jets or Chiefs should have folded can and will be argued, but this is a deal that should have been made—one way or another.