Who Should I Start? Breece Hall or Chase Brown

Tuesday, February 17, 6:00 AM

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that "the winds have been blowing in the direction" of the New York Jets using the franchise tag on impending free-agent running back Breece Hall since the trade deadline. At that time, general manager Darren Mougey resisted overtures from other teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, who offered a fourth-round pick for Hall. The feeling is that Hall "would like to test free agency," so by placing the franchise tag on him, the Jets would have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. If no deal is reached, Hall would be under contract in 2026 and then become a free agent in 2027. If Hall makes it to free agency, he's expected to be a "hot commodity" and would be considered the top free agent at his position. Hall reached 1,000 rushing yards in 2025, the first time a Jet has done so since 2015. He also ranked 10th in scrimmage yards, ninth in explosive plays, and had the best third-down conversion rate among all RBs with at least 100 carries. Hall and the Jets may not be on the best of terms, but Rosenblatt argues that the Jets simply cannot let talent like that just walk out the door. Tagging Hall and trading him could be a possibility.

Thursday, January 29, 3:17 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown said his representation is in talks with the team about a new long-term contract extension, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Brown, 25, is eligible for an extension after completing his third year in the NFL in 2025. "I would love to do something and be a part of this team," Brown said. "I don't want to go anywhere else." The 25-year-old finished 11th in the NFL last year with a team-high 1,456 scrimmage yards. He was also sixth among all RBs with 437 receiving yards, and he had his first 1,000-rushing campaign (1,019 yards). Given all of the other financial commitments to key players on the offensive side of the ball in Cincy, and the fact that the Bengals' defense needs a lot of help, it remains to be seen if the Bengals will extend Brown going into the final year of his deal. Regardless of his contract going into the 2026 season, Brown should at least be viewed as a low-end RB1 target as the team's No. 1 backfield option in a high-scoring offense.