Bryce Huff was thinking about the Patriots on Thursday afternoon when he was approached at his locker. The 25-year-old edge rusher has one more game to add something to his 2023 season and try to get the Jets a seventh win.
But he took a moment to talk about what is coming. The next few months figure to be the most exciting time in Huff’s young life. He is about to get life-changing money as an NFL free agent, whether the Jets pony up or another team does. Four years ago, Huff went undrafted, passed up by every team.
Now, he’s going to be paid.
Just how much is going to be one of the main storylines of the Jets offseason. Huff is a fascinating player to try to place a valuation on. It is tough to find a player comparison to him.
On one hand, Huff is second in the NFL in pass rush efficiency among those with 250 pass rush snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. The Cowboys’ Micah Parsons is the only one who is better. Pro Football Focus rates him the 14th-best pass rusher in the NFL. The analytics crowd loves Huff because of his lightning-quick first step.
On the other hand, Huff plays just 42 percent of the defensive snaps. He has just eight sacks this season, fewer than 33 other players. PFF rates him 103rd among edge rushers against the run.
All of this is going to lead to what could be a long, difficult negotiation between the Jets and Huff. For his part, Huff said he believes his case is an easy one to make for a long-term deal.
“I don’t think that will be an issue,” Huff said Thursday. “I feel like my film speaks for itself. I’ve done really well against great players in the league. I’ve put a lot of good stuff on film. I’m not really worried about the negotiations. I feel like I have a lot of bullets in the chamber, so to speak, when it comes to proving myself.”
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich called Huff the team’s “curveball” on Thursday, saying he gives the Jets speed off the edge to complement the bigger players they use on early downs. The Jets love to rotate their defensive linemen, and that reduced playing time could end up hurting Huff at the negotiating table.
“From a statistical standpoint, I feel like it has [hurt] because I’ve had less opportunities,” Huff said of the lower playing time. “I feel like when it comes to somebody trying to tell me I’m less of a player because I’ve played less snaps, I feel like that doesn’t really hold any weight. I don’t think that will impact me.”
The top of the edge rusher market is Nick Bosa, who makes an average of $34 million a year with the 49ers. Huff is not going to approach that, but just how far below he is will be a hot debate topic between Huff’s agents and the Jets.
Could he get $20 million a year? $15 million? $10 million? It depends how you view Huff’s contributions.
Interestingly, Patrick Collins, the agent for Huff, negotiated a deal for Saints edge rusher Carl Granderson in September for four years and $52 million with $35.3 million in guarantees. The Jets could use that contract as a jumping-off point.
Like Huff, Granderson was undrafted and blossomed as a pass rusher in New Orleans. Granderson is 27. Huff turns 26 in April Granderson has 8.5 sacks this season. Huff has eight. They have similar numbers, but Granderson plays 80 percent of the snaps for the Saints.
The Jets also need to consider whether paying Huff is wise after they used first-round picks on edge rushers in each of the past two years in Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald. McDonald barely played this rookie season because the edge-rusher rotation was so deep. Huff’s departure could clear playing time for McDonald.
But allowing a talented edge rusher to leave the building is a dangerous proposition and one that will be met with a lot of criticism from the fans. The Jets would lose the public relations battle if Huff, a fan favorite, leaves.
It would also be unpopular with the coaches.
“I would absolutely hate to lose him,” Ulbrich said. “But … he’s earned every penny he’s about to make.”
Huff said he would like to return to play with his teammates, but he knows this is can’t be a sentimental decision.
“I’m hopeful to get a bag regardless,” Huff said. “I really just want to go to the best possible situation for myself regardless if that is here or somewhere else.”
Sunday, Huff will be in a Jets uniform for the 54th time. Once the game is over, the question will become whether there will be a 55th.
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