Rumors are flying about which free agents the Washington Commanders could acquire when the legal tampering window opens. Unfortunately, for some fans, primary options are already being taken off the market.
Extensions are being agreed upon around the league. Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. was slapped with the franchise tag, giving the NFC South club more time to work out a long-term deal. Others are coming, so it's a waiting game for general manager Adam Peters before everything is rubber-stamped.
While strengthening the defense must be prioritized, the Commanders must also continue adding to the weapons around quarterback Jayden Daniels. New offensive coordinator David Blough wants reinforcements in the running back room. However, it seems the most dynamic pending free agent may not be available.
Commanders should cross Breece Hall off their free-agent running back shortlist
New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey wasted no time in putting his cards on the table during his media availability at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. If running back Breece Hall and the club don't work out an extension immediately, he'll get tagged. Whether that's franchise or transition wasn't disclosed, but it is coming.
"Ideally, we'd find a way to get a deal done and keep Breece [Hall] around. I've said that for the past year since I got here. Breece is a good player, and we want to find a way to keep him around. We've been going through that process and are still doing so. We have a week to find out, if we can't get to an agreement, which way we'll go with the tag."Darren Mougey via ESPN
Hall would have been a significant addition to the Commanders. Even though the Jets have traded away two elite-level performers in cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, the AFC East club is doing everything possible to retain the running back's services.
It's not hard to see why, either.
They are thin at quarterback. New offensive coordinator Frank Reich needs a bell-cow in the backfield to provide relief. The cons far outweigh the pros of letting Hall walk, and Mougey is taking the necessary measures to ensure they get a little extra breathing space to work something out.
As for the Commanders? They may not have had any interest in Hall. If they wanted him, attention must now turn to other targets in their quest to enhance dynamism in the backfield.
This is all part of the business. Peters won't leave anything to chance with so much at stake for the Commanders in 2026. But all signs point to Washington crossing Hall off its potential shortlist of running back options.