Al Iannazzone: The Jets paid Breece Hall big-time money. Now they need to give him the ball more.

Breece Hall was talking to someone recently and shared part of that conversation Tuesday, acknowledging what everyone already knew about his first four seasons with the Jets.

It’s been rough.

“I feel like I'm the only running back that's consistently a top 10 back in the league that hasn’t in the past always been in the most ideal situation,” Hall said on a Zoom call.

That’s undeniable. Hall, a true dual-threat back, hasn’t always been used the right way. The losing only adds to Hall’s frustration. It was so evident last year that it was hard to imagine Hall would spend many more seasons in a Jets uniform.

Hall called the past four years “a roller coaster.” There’s probably a side of him that wanted to test free agency. He would have had takers. The Jets knew it and slapped the franchise tag on Hall. General manager Darren Mougey made sure Hall didn’t play this season on the tag, signing him to a three-year, $45.75 million extension this week.

“It definitely meant a lot for me because they showed me and told me that they wanted me to be a part of this thing,” Hall said. “I'm definitely happy to be here.”

Hall was a part of the Jets’ much-ballyhooed draft class of 2022, the one that was going to change things for the franchise. Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson were taken in the first round and Hall early in the second.

Two players at premium defensive positions and two playmakers to build around. Only Wilson and Hall remain. They are the duo left to achieve what the foursome set out to do: make the Jets relevant and lead them to the playoffs.

“Garrett and I talk about it,” Hall said. “We've been through a lot. Hasn't always been perfect. Have had a lot of ups and downs, but everybody knows that we're here for the long haul. And we're willing to deal with the good, the bad, the ugly, but also the positives too.

“Me and G, we want to show who we are and what we can do on a consistent basis so bad. We feel like we're finally getting to a position and our coaches are putting us in a position where we can really just take that stress cap off and just be ourselves.”

Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million extension last offseason. It was Hall’s turn this year. Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn, who said several times "I want Breece to be here," are banking on these two young, rising stars to be difference makers.

That’s all Hall has ever wanted and he believes his time is now.

“I feel like now AG and Mouge, I feel like they've really put me in position with all the guys we brought in and the team we're building around us to really flourish and for me to really be myself,” Hall said.

“God willing,” Hall added, “if we stay healthy and everything, and everything goes as planned, I feel like this could be my best season for sure.”

Hall’s average salary per year makes him the third-highest paid running back behind Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley. Hall has always believed he belongs in the same conversation as them. For that to happen, the ball needs to be in Hall’s hands more.

He rushed for 1,065 yards last season — the first time he reached 1,000. He finished 14th in the NFL with 279 touches for a three-win team that was without Wilson for 10 games and backup running back Braelon Allen for 13.

Hall should have gotten the ball more. The same can be said about the year before that, when the Jets underachieved with Aaron Rodgers as quarterback. Instability and losing have been constants in Hall’s career.

He has had four offensive coordinators; Frank Reich will be his fifth. Hall has played with 10 quarterbacks; Geno Smith will be his 11th.

Hall worked out with Smith in Florida and believes the former Pro Bowl QB wants to show he’s “still that dude.” Hall also likes the depth at all the skill positions and believes the Jets may finally ascend.

“They brought a proven veteran in like Geno and then we drafted some really good guys,” Hall said. "Just seeing that, let me know that, ‘OK, we're really trying to build something here.’ ”

Trying has never been the Jets’ problem. Succeeding has. Hall is still here and wants to be a reason that changes.