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The New York Jets‘ biggest mistake at the 2026 trade deadline was keeping Breece Hall. They had a rare chance to cash in at running back and instead protected a backfield that now works against its best young player, Braelon Allen. At 2-7, they were in a position to sell, and the one trade they made involved a backup safety.
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Quiet Deadline for a Losing Team
The Jets’ only trade was sending safety Andre Cisco to Detroit for a 2028 sixth-round pick. Ian Rapoport reported edge rusher Will McDonald IV had asked to be traded, and Jets players on expiring deals drew interest. The Jets were only interested in moving expiring contracts, preferring to keep their 2027 roster intact.
That approach is hard to defend for a team that is 5-21 in the Aaron Glenn era. A rebuilding club should be collecting assets, not protecting veterans who may not be part of the next good roster. The Jets did that last year when they traded Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. This year, they stood pat.
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Why Hall Was the Right Trade Chip
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Hall was the most obvious candidate. Allen filled in during Hall’s five-game absence with a quad injury, rushing for 504 yards and two touchdowns in five starts. He had three 100-yard games in that stretch, and that 504 yards is more than Hall has gained in any five-game stretch of his career.
The financial case was just as strong. Allen is on his rookie contract at roughly $1.2 million this season and $1.3 million in 2027. Hall signed a three-year extension in May worth $43.5 million. The Jets would have taken only a $5 million dead-cap hit in 2026 and $4 million in 2027 while gaining around $10 million in space.
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Hall was also due to return at a moment when contenders needed running backs. Trading him would have turned a surplus into picks and given Allen a clean path. Kansas City reportedly offered a third-round pick for Hall a year earlier, which shows the market exists.
Allen’s Role Now Looks Muddled
The Jets said they would not trade Hall, and they did not. Some outlets called that a smart way to keep depth. But the first game back suggests the split is hurting both players. In Week 9, Hall had 15 carries to Allen’s eight and out-targeted him 4-2. Allen still played more snaps, 36 to 27, and saw the only goal-line carry, which he did not convert.
Allen finished with 33 yards on eight carries and lost a fumble in the 35-12 loss to Kansas City. The week before, he rushed 21 times for 147 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders. One of the league’s best rushing performances has been replaced by a confusing committee. Glenn declined to explain how carries would be distributed.
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The Jets can say they kept depth. But depth only matters if it helps win games, and the Jets are 2-7. A team with no playoff hopes should be giving its most productive young back a bigger share of the work, not splitting touches with a player on a larger contract.
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Hall remains a talented runner, and he looked strong in his return with 61 rushing yards and 87 scrimmage yards. That is exactly why he had trade value. Instead, Jets fans will watch a committee while Allen’s best chance to establish himself as the lead back is delayed, and the draft pick Hall could have fetched stays on the roster.
Related: NFL rumors: Chiefs, 49ers made long-shot Garrett Wilson trade efforts with Jets that went nowhere
Related: Jets’ Aaron Glenn sends clear message to Will McDonald IV after trade request doesn’t work