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The NFL’s three highest-paid running backs at the moment? Saquon Barkley, who has a 2,000-yard season on his resume, Christian McCaffrey, who has eclipsed 2,000 yards from scrimmage three times in his career, and Breece Hall.
Hall doesn’t have the credentials the other two boast. He’s eclipsed 1,000 yards only once in four seasons. But the New York Jets obviously see the potential for him to reach greater heights because they just agreed to a three-year contract extension for Hall worth $45.75 million.
And that deal means Hall will be averaging $15.25 million per season — just behind Barkley’s $20.6 million per season and McCaffrey’s $19 million per season on average.
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Hall is getting $29 million of his money guaranteed the first two seasons.
So if things don’t work out, this is really going to be a two-year deal and Hall becomes a free agent again at age 26.
It’s enough to make a running back cry tears of joy.
And we bring that up because, well, it’s the Jets — a team with a recent history of not having things work out.
You’ll recall the Jets drafted Sauce Gardner with a No. 1 pick in 2022 and then they traded him last season. They drafted Quinnen Williams in the first round in 2019 and also traded him last season. Both those blockbuster trades came with big compensation returns but also some unmet expectations.
The club decided to keep Hall, a 2022 second-rounder, amid the trade deadline sell-off.
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That and the expensive new deal means Hall is a team cornerstone. A building block.
We’ll see.
The Jets with Hall last season averaged 17.6 points per game. That was 29th in the NFL.
So obviously the offense was unspectacular even with Hall rushing for 1,065 yards.
Coach Aaron Glenn and Jets fans expect much, much better this season and that could start with new offensive coordinator Frank Reich orchestrating an overall offensive upgrade with Geno Smith rather than Justin Fields at quarterback.
Maybe.
Smith led the NFL in interceptions last season while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.
The expectation is Hall, nearing his prime, and a veteran such as Smith can do great things together. Maybe they combine on a lot of checkdown yards to pair with Hall’s career 4.5 yards per carry rushing average.
If this doesn’t go according to plan, the Jets just spent a lot of money — as in the third-highest salary in the NFL at running back — on a fine player who nonetheless plays a non-premium position.
That means this move comes with a lot to like.
And a lot to doubt.
