Team sources predict that former Jets DE Bryce Huff will sign a contract with the Eagles. This three-year agreement is valued at $51.1 million. According to The Athletic, Huff ranked as the tenth best player available for free.
As a pass rush specialist, Huff is a role player, but he has produced a lot. He has a tremendous upfield burst as a pass rusher and gets off the ball and beneath blocks. In this class of free agents, he has the highest pressure rate. For him to be a full-time player, his play against the run needs to be improved. It is now a work in progress.
Bryce Huff won’t have anywhere to hide anymore, not after Haason Reddick was traded to the New York Jets at the beginning of Easter weekend.
Huff will suddenly be the target of the constant, intense spotlight Philadelphia sports fans shine on their athletes. Trae Turner understands. Last season, after a poor start and nothing but jeers from the crowd, Turner, a free agent signed by the Philadelphia Phillies, saw his play pick up steam.
Huff would prefer that it not come to this, but it’s undeniable that one of the biggest free agent acquisitions made by the Eagles has a lot to prove to both himself and his new team in order to earn their trust and be granted the opportunity to let Reddick walk in exchange for a conditional third-round draft pick in 2026 rather than this year or next.
In his fourth season in the NFL, Huff recorded double-digit sacks for the first time last season, proving he is more than just a one-year wonder. It doesn’t matter that Reddick left town having missed four of those seasons in a row, making double-digitsack seasons appear typical.
In order to become a three-down player like Reddick, he must also demonstrate that he can stop the run. Huff was only involved in 42% of the Jets’ plays. As a pass rusher, he was situational. Though he didn’t get much of an opportunity to play the run, perhaps he can pull it off.
The problem is that Huff has 21 quarterback hits in addition to 10 sacks in that brief period of time. Reddick recorded 23 quarterback hits and 11 sacks while playing 74% of the Eagles’ snaps.
Despite the difference in snap counts, Huff and Reddick were nearly equal in tackles (Reddick made 38, Huff 29), as well as tackles for loss (Reddick had 13 and Huff 10).Given that Huff will receive $17 million in salary over the course of his three-year contract, is he still up for the challenge? The Eagles better hope they’re correct.
