The Kansas City Chiefs' biggest offensive need heading into the 2026 offseason is finding a capable backfield presence. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is coming off an ACL tear and no longer needs to be relied on as the primary rusher in any regular-season game, making the potential fit for someone like New York Jets running back Breece Hall obvious.
The pending free agent will hit the open market in March and is by far the most talented back available.
Unfortunately, a Chiefs-Hall union is now a dream that grew a bit more unlikely with the Tennessee Titans opting to hire former Jets head coach Robert Saleh as their new bench boss, per ESPN's Turron Davenport. According to Spotrac, the Jets have 20 pending unrestricted free agents, and it wouldn't be surprising if Saleh wanted to lure a good chunk of them to Tennessee.
Titans, Robert Saleh Could Be Chiefs' Biggest Hurdle in Breece Hall Pursuit
Although Hall's fate is far from sealed, the Titans are set to have one of the league's highest open cap totals, with Spotrac projecting over $100 million in open space. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are projected to be more than $55.4 million over the cap, meaning they may be more focused on freeing up cash rather than spending it.
This makes it clear that the Titans could be a player for Hall, apart from the obvious connection to Saleh. The former New York head coach is well aware of what the playmaker can accomplish and would be foolish not to attempt to add this skillset to his new landing spot. For the Chiefs, this paints a bleak picture with the franchise lacking the obvious connections or cap space to lure Hall.
For a deal to happen, it is going to need to be reliant on the Chiefs opening enough cap space to make a competitive offer, hoping Hall values the chance to win and play with Mahomes. The Titans still could arguably have the inside track as a younger team without an established history of winning. Hall being able to help change this would only improve his standing throughout the league after years of enduring losing with the Jets.
The Titans could easily put together one of the league's best ground attacks with Tony Pollard already under contract. Pollard has been productive, offering 1,082 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 242 carries this season. Combined with Hall, who posted a 243-1,065-4 line on the ground, despite being in the Jets' anemic offense, it's easy to see why the Titans might do whatever it takes to reunite Saleh with Hall.
No question, the Titans' adding Saleh is bad news for the Chiefs' pursuit of Hall. If adding the star RB is something general manager Brett Veach is set on, he will have to be creative with his offer and give Hall the best pitch available because simply relying on Kansas City's recent reputation might not be enough this time.