The Cincinnati Bengals‘ pursuit of a running back at the trade deadline appears to be picking up. One name that is starting to get buzz for the Bengals is New York Jets running back Breece Hall. After Adam Schefter suggested the Bengals call the Jets for Hall, the Jets star runner was listed as a player who could shake up the Bengals playoff chances by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report.
Moton notes that the lack of a big-name runner could limit the offense, so adding Hall would be worth it.
“The Cincinnati Bengals are averaging 3.7 yards per carry, and lead running back Chase Brown is averaging 48.6 rushing yards per game,” wrote Moton. “Cincinnati could make a splashy move to balance its offense with a tailback who can pose a bigger threat on the ground.”
Hall signed a three-year, $43M extension this past offseason. He is signed through the 2028 season.
Cincinnati Bengals Could Trade For New York Jets Running Back Breece Hall
While Hall just signed an extension, the deal is not untradable. More than that, the Jets could have an incentive to trade Hall due to the emergence of Braelon Allen. Allen is young and has more potential down the road than Hall. So, the Jets could get a decent back for Hall and still have a strong option at running back.
After losing at home to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8, the team has fallen to 2-6. They are not going to compete this year and should be open to anything that can help the future of the franchise. Trading Hall at age 25 might be the move.
Bengals Have Need for Running Back
Hall is a former second-round pick, going 36th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He did not take off until his second NFL season, when he produced 994 yards on the ground and 591 yards in the passing game.
He went from 1,585 yards from scrimmage in year two down to 1,359 the next year, but he was still playing well. Then, in 2025, he had 1,415 yards from scrimmage, including a career-high 1,065 yards.
This year, Hall has struggled, but the offense has been inconsistent. The Bengals have Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. Hall is usually the focal point of the team’s game plan due to the struggles the Jets have at quarterback. Eyes will be on the passing game with Burrow at quarterback, which will make life easier for Hall.
More than that, the impact that Hall has in the passing game will shine more with the space that Chase and Higgins provide. Chase Brown is a fine running back, but is not taking a step this year. He is a free agent after the season as well. So, Hall and Brown can complement each other this season, but the Bengals can lean into Hall in the future, letting Brown walk after not earning a new contract this year.
It makes sense why the buzz towards Hall keeps getting louder.
Bengals Urged to Make Splash for $43M Star