If the Denver Broncos can address their most urgent needs in free agency in about a month, the team is going to take off and reach new heights in 2026. Defensively, the team clearly needs some help at inside linebacker, for example. Adding a run-stuffer along the defensive line would be a wise idea, and some safety depth would not hurt at all.
Offensively, though, more aggressive change is needed. The Broncos clearly do not have a legitimate WR1 on the roster, and until the front office finds one, the passing attack will be limited, and Bo Nix will not reach his full potential with the team. Not only that, but a consistent, down-to-down running back is also an urgent, dire need, even.
Games in the NFL are won in the trenches and are generally won by teams that can run the ball at a high level. For the first 10 weeks of the 2025 season, Broncos' running back J.K. Dobbins was emerging as an elite performer in the backfield, but his lengthy injury history unfortunately followed him to the Broncos, as he only suited up for those 10 games.
It is reasonably expected that Denver dips into the free agency market to find some help at running back and they could put $41 million to use by making this slam-dunk signing.
Breece Hall's projected free agency contract would make the decision very easy for the Denver Broncos
Mason Cameron of PFF talked about the kind of free agency contract running back Breece Hall could land, and it would end up being a slam-dunk decision for the Broncos to make:
"Projected contract: Four years, $41.56 million
At just 25 years old, Breece Hall is projected to be the most sought-after backfield centerpiece in a free agent class that includes some strong options like Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne Jr. and Javonte Williams. As the youngest of the running back group, Hall also maintains the most decorated grading profile, as his 83.5 PFF grade this season ranked eighth among qualifying backs.
Unfortunately for the rest of the NFL, the Jets aren’t keen on letting the dynamic back hit free agency. Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, “the Jets could've moved Hall at the Nov. 4 trade deadline, but they retained him for a reason: They would like to work out a long-term deal.”, continuing on to suggest Hall could be a candidate for the franchise (~$14.5 million) or transition (~$11.7 million) tags, if an extension isn’t able to be reached."
A four-year deal worth $41.56 million comes out to $10.39 million per season. For reference, that contract would be the 9th-richest on a per year basis, so if the Broncos were able to sign Breece Hall for this amount, it would be a no-brainer steal for the team.
Breece Hall is set to hit the free agency market at the moment after a rather successful four-year stint with the New York Jets. The team wasn't successful, but Hall emerged as an above-average, borderline-elite running back during his time with the team.
In his four years, Hall ran for 3,398 yards and added another 1,642 yards as a receiver, totaling 5,040 yards across four years in the NFL. Hall has had at least 1,350 scrimmage yards over the past three seasons and is a true dual-threat back who would fit the Broncos' offense like a glove.
Not only is Hall an every-down back like the Broncos need, but he's also a few months younger than RJ Harvey, so the Broncos would be adding some youth into the backfield. In 2025, after Dobbins went down, we saw Harvey struggle down-to-down as a runner. He had an affinity for the big play and did score 12 total touchdowns, but he averaged just 3.7 yards per attempt and had 14 games with a yards per attempt below 4.0, which is simply inexcusable.
Signing Breece Hall for less than $42 million would not only give the Broncos a legitimate RB1 option, but a more efficient run game would also open things up a bit more for Bo Nix and the passing offense. Teams would have to respect the Broncos' rushing attack more, which could allow down field separation for the receivers.
All in all, there'd be no reason to not sign Breece Hall to a four-year, $41.56 million deal, if that's all it took. Denver has to get aggressive this offseason to maximize the remaining time they have with Bo Nix's rookie deal, and this is the type of aggression that could push the Broncos over the top in 2026 and beyond.