By Brooks Kubena, Dianna Russini, Zack Rosenblatt and Larry Holder
The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with former New York Jets edge rusher Bryce Huff on Monday. Team sources confirmed to The Athletic it’s a three-year deal worth a maximum of $51.1 million.
Huff, 25, emerged as a potent pass rusher in a rotational role for the Jets last season. Despite never starting a game, he tallied 10 sacks in 2023 and played 42 percent of the defensive snaps.
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The undrafted free agent landed with the Jets after the 2020 NFL Draft. Huff tallied 17.5 sacks during his four seasons in New York.
The signing secures the Eagles a highly productive pass rusher in his prime while they continue trade discussions with other teams regarding veterans Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat. Huff was the second major edge rusher to agree to terms with a team on Monday. Jonathan Greenard agreed to a four-year, $76 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
Huff ranked No. 10 on The Athletic’s list of top free agents. He is the first major departure for the Jets, who will rely on 2023 first-round selection Will McDonald IV to replace him.
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How he fits
General manager Howie Roseman entered the offseason with a budget puzzle to solve along the defensive edge. He signed Sweat to a three-year, $40 million extension in 2021, then, the following offseason, acquired Reddick in free agency with a three-year, $45 million deal. Both deals are due to expire after 2024. Roseman is not afraid to spend major cash on edge rushers in their prime.
Reddick turns 30 in September. Sweat turns 27 this month. Huff helps the Eagles get younger. Nolan Smith, the No. 30 pick in 2023, is expected to have an increased role this upcoming season.
Roseman can reset the clock along the edge while attempting to gain value for either one (or both) of the team’s veteran pass rushers.
2024 impact
Huff had a breakout year with 10 sacks and 10 tackles for loss with the Jets last season. He showed potential for providing consistent backfield pressure while tying for 24th in the NFL with 21 quarterback hits. His development toward potential stardom will continue under newly hired defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
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History
The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Huff made a significant jump in his final season with the Jets. An undrafted free agent out of Memphis, Huff only logged 7.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in his first three seasons combined. But he flourished in his fourth season under Jets coach Robert Saleh.
Huff helped hand the Eagles their first loss of the season during a 20-14 win in which he logged 1.5 sacks and a tackle for loss.
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Cap update
It simply wouldn’t make sense for the Eagles to dedicate what could be $47 million of their cap space in 2024 between Huff, Reddick and Sweat. One of the latter two players will almost certainly depart, if not both.
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Outlook
There are signs Huff can offer the Eagles a higher upside under Fangio. Huff’s 33 defensive pressures last season ranked 19th behind Sweat (37) and Reddick (35), but his total defensive snaps (480) were almost half that of Sweat (828) and Reddick (862).
How Huff stacks up
Who was the league’s No. 2 player in pass pressure percentage last season? The answer is Huff. Might not be who you thought. Only the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons averaged more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Here’s how Huff has stacked up among notable free-agent or franchise-tagged defensive linemen and pass rushers last season (overall league rankings in parentheses, minimum 200 pass-rush snaps to qualify):
| player | Prsr% | Sacks | Prsrs | Ps rush snaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
21.3 (2) | 10.0 (22) | 67 (18) | 315 (100) | |
18.3 (5) | 17.5 (2) | 90 (5) | 493 (17) | |
17.5 (10) | 6.0 (61) | 53 (40) | 303 (107) | |
17.1 (14) | 3.0 (118) | 37 (87) | 217 (173) | |
16.5 (16) | 5.5 (69) | 60 (27) | 363 (78) | |
16.5 (17) | 10.5 (17) | 75 (12) | 454 (33) | |
15.7 (23) | 9.5 (25) | 71 (13) | 451 (36) | |
15.7 (24) | 2.5 (128) | 17 (156) | 108 (188) | |
15.3 (28) | 9.0 (28) | 48 (53) | 313 (101) | |
14.7 (34) | 7.5 (46) | 66 (20) | 448 (40) | |
13.9 (39) | 6.5 (56) | 29 (111) | 208 (182) | |
13.7 (42) | 3.0 (118) | 29 (111) | 211 (179) | |
13.4 (44) | 16.5 (5) | 80 (10) | 596 (2) | |
13.4 (45) | 13.0 (9) | 65 (21) | 486 (19) | |
13.0 (49) | 7.5 (46) | 34 (95) | 262 (131) | |
12.8 (53) | 12.5 (10) | 48 (53) | 375 (70) | |
11.5 (66) | 1.0 (156) | 34 (95) | 295 (112) | |
11.4 (71) | 5.5 (69) | 54 (39) | 474 (22) | |
11.3 (72) | 11.5 (12) | 53 (40) | 467 (28) | |
11.3 (74) | 10.5 (17) | 41 (77) | 364 (76) | |
11.1 (76) | 8.0 (37) | 40 (80) | 359 (83) | |
11.0 (78) | 6.0 (61) | 40 (80) | 362 (79) | |
11.0 (79) | 9.0 (28) | 58 (32) | 529 (8) | |
10.8 (82) | 6.5 (56) | 42 (72) | 388 (67) | |
9.7 (106) | 2.0 (135) | 7 (185) | 72 (190) | |
9.6 (110) | 5.0 (78) | 43 (69) | 450 (37) | |
9.4 (115) | 3.5 (108) | 23 (128) | 245 (147) | |
9.3 (117) | 6.5 (56) | 38 (85) | 410 (60) | |
8.5 (130) | 8.0 (37) | 38 (85) | 449 (39) | |
7.6 (145) | 4.5 (91) | 36 (89) | 471 (25) | |
5.6 (170) | 0.0 (179) | 6 (188) | 108 (188) | |
4.2 (182) | 1.0 (156) | 11 (179) | 261 (133) | |
3.7 (185) | 0.0 (179) | 9 (181) | 244 (148) |
I’ll be curious to see if Huff becomes more of an every-down defender, but sticking to pass-rush situations seems to be his sweet spot. — Larry Holder, NFL senior writer
Mueller’s scouting report on Huff
Huff is a role player, as a pass rush specialist, but he has been very productive. He gets off the ball and under blocks as a pass rusher with incredible upfield burst.
His pressure rate is the best in this free-agent class. His play against the run is a work in progress and will have to improve for him to become a full-time player.
Philadelphia struggled to rush the passer individually in 2023. It was clear they were looking to upgrade. Huff makes sense because his opportunities were the only thing limiting his production, and he still had 10 sacks and 21 QB hits last season. He will clearly be the best pass rush option for the Eagles now.
While he needs to improve as a run defender to become a full-time player, I think he has the ability, as he flashes hand usage to get him off blocks quickly. His fit, if asked to go forward and not drop in coverage, is a very good one. At 26 years old in April, he should be a solid investment for several years.
It’s no surprise his market took off once Brian Burns and Josh Allen got tagged. — Randy Mueller, NFL staff writer
Required reading
- NFL free agency rankings 2024: Top 10 players at each position
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Trades shake up Round 1; QBs, WRs dominate early
- NFL franchise tag winners and losers: Baker Mayfield, good news for RBs and more
- NFL GMs, execs mock 2024 NFL Draft’s top 10 picks: Jayden Daniels over Drake Maye?
(Photo: Dustin Bradford / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)