Despite months of trade rumors linking Breece Hall to contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs, the 1–7 New York Jets ultimately kept their star running back at the deadline. With the team sitting at 1-7 and already offloading several players, it looked like a rebuild is underway. But now GM Darren Mougey has revealed the reasoning behind not tearing it all down just yet.

“I wouldn’t call it a teardown, and I understand the question,” the Jets’ GM said. “But like I said, through these processes, we talk about a lot of things, and we field a lot of calls, and we’ve got values. Breece is a talented player, and he’s going to help us compete and win games the rest of the season.”

Yes, the running back has been impressive this season, logging 117 carries for 581 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Yet, the trade rumors haven’t stopped. The reason behind it is that Hall is in the final year of his contract and has yet to secure an extension contract. And the Jets continue to insist they’re not looking to move him, but when pressed on whether Hall is part of the team’s long-term plans, the GM stayed noncommittal, even dodging the question.

“I’m excited to see Breece play against the Cleveland Browns Sunday,” the GM said when asked about the team’s plans for the Jets. “And I’m excited he’s on our team.”

According to multiple reports, including SNY, the Chiefs were among the teams that called the Jets about Hall ahead of the November 4 trade deadline. Kansas City was actively looking to strengthen its backfield and viewed Hall as an immediate upgrade over its current rotation of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. Despite serious discussions, the deal never materialized due to a clear valuation gap between the two franchises.

New York was holding firm on a third-round pick as the minimum asking price, while the Chiefs reportedly offered a fourth-rounder and declined to increase it. Given that most recent running back trades have fetched no more than a fifth- or sixth-round return, the Jets believed Hall’s market value wasn’t being fairly reflected in Kansas City’s proposal. FanSided’s Wynston Wilcox even projected that Hall might draw only a fifth-round pick based on league trends, referencing past deals involving players like Brian Robinson Jr., Jordan Mason, and Joe Mixon.

Statistically, Hall’s production backs the Jets’ stance. He’s averaging 5.0 yards per carry and has also contributed 21 receptions for 178 yards, giving him more catches than Pacheco and Hunt combined. For the Kansas City Chiefs, missing out on Hall meant sticking with a backfield that’s averaged just 4.1 yards per carry and has limited explosiveness in the passing game.

Ultimately, both sides stood their ground– the Jets unwilling to lower their price and the Chiefs unwilling to pay more. The deadline passed without a deal, keeping Hall in New York but leaving questions about his long-term future unresolved.

As for the trade, the Jets made headlines for trading defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Why did the Jets trade two of their most crucial players

While it might not be a complete rebuild, the Jets’ latest two trades were clearly made with the future in mind. In return for their two players, New York received a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 second-rounder, two 2027 first-round picks, wide receiver AD Mitchell, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith from the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts.

Mitchell and Smith can make an immediate impact on the roster, while the draft capital ensures long-term stability for the team. It’s important, especially as the team might look to address its most pressing need at quarterback. When asked about the deals, the Jets’ general manager admitted it wasn’t easy to part ways with key players but said the offers were too valuable to turn down.

“It’s never easy moving on from any player, let alone guys like Sauce and Quinnen,” he said. “You’re set on what these values are, what they’re really worth and these players and what you might be willing to do to part ways with them. We got to today and had these offers that we just felt were too good for the team, and we made that with Sauce and Quinnen.”

It’s clear the Jets are building for the future, even as they try to stay motivated through a difficult 1–7 season.