Breece Hall
Getty
New York Jets running back Breece Hall.
The Denver Broncos did a lot to revamp their running backs room in 2025, sending longtime starter Javonte Williams packing in exchange for free agent J.K. Dobbins and rookie 2nd round pick RJ Harvey.
That combination proved to be pretty potent, combining for 1,312 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns, and did so with Dobbins missing the final 7 games of the regular season due to injuries.
That’s quite a leap from the 1,009 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns the Broncos got out of Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin in 2024.
Even with that production, there’s still another level the Broncos could tap into at the position, and with Dobbins likely out the door in free agency.
Proposed Trade Brings Broncos Elite RB in Trade
Heavy’s Max Dible proposed a trade that would bring Denver a legitimate star in New York Jets running back Breece Hall in exchange for 2 draft picks — the Broncos’ 2nd round pick (No. 94) and 7th round pick (No. 245 overall) in the 2026 NFL draft.
“The Denver Broncos need a legit No. 1 running back and Breece Hall is precisely that,” Dible said. “The Jets franchised Hall with the likely intent of trading him, and while $14.3 million is an overpay in 2026, the Broncos can work out a more team-friendly long-term deal after getting Hall onto the roster. Pairing one of the NFL’s best RBs with one of its best defenses has made sense since football first became a professional sport. Beyond that, Hall is a good pass-catcher out of the backfield and uniquely skilled to help Denver QB Bo Nix, whose injury may have cost the Broncos a trip to the Super Bowl in February.”
Breece Hall: Toiling Away For Terrible Franchise
Hall has a projected market value of a 4-year, $41 million contract, according to Spotrac, which seems a bit high. The Broncos could very well pay Hall on a deal closer to a 3-year, $24 million contract at $8 million per year.
“Breece Hall is one of the handful of gems set to hit the open market when the 2026 NFL offseason gets underway,” Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay wrote on December 16. “He has the potential to carry an offense, potentially transforming any team that lands him into a top-tier unit.”
The Wichita, Kansas, native was a 2-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and 2-time All-American at Iowa State before the Jets selected him in the second round (No. 36 overall) of the 2022 NFL draft.
He’s spent the last 4 years toiling away as one of the NFL’s best running backs on arguably its worst team, year-in and year out. The Jets have the longest playoff drought out of the 4 major North American professional sports leagues at 16 years and haven’t made the postseason since 2010.
The Ringer’s Austin Gayle put Hall at No. 11 in his 2026 free agency rankings before the Jets put the franchise tag on him.
“Hall is a silky-smooth runner with nasty cutting ability who can create explosive plays as both a runner and pass catcher,” Gayle wrote. “His numbers don’t jump off the page, but the Jets are mostly to blame for that.”