Throughout the 2023 season, the New York Jets turned down several trade proposals for defensive tackle Bryce Huff.
At the NFL Combine, Eric Allen, a writer covering the Jets, was informed of the news by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
Because Joe Douglas received calls about Bryce Huff returning to camp the year before he produced, there will be a significant market for him [Huff]. Then then, Bryce Huff was being pursued by others at the trade deadline. Pelissero acknowledged, “There was a moment, probably early in training camp, when I thought maybe Bryce Huff was getting traded just because there was so much interest.”
Jets fans are highly frustrated with the latest information on Huff.
On Wednesday, March 13, Huff, 25, is expected to become an unrestricted free agent. Before the deadline, Gang Green declined to franchise tag him, which would have kept him off the open market.
The Jets intend to allow Bryce Huff to explore his options as a free agent. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic stated, “I am adamant that he will be signing somewhere else.
Huff and the Jets might have signed a long-term contract agreement during the season or even in the offseason. But Rosenblatt informed me on “The Boy Green Show” that Douglas made the decision to not extend any contracts midway through the season.
It made sense to turn down trade offers for a great pass rusher during training camp. Aaron Rodgers was the quarterback for a squad that was hoping to win the title right now. The Jets, on the other hand, were a.500 team with little realistic chance of contending for a postseason run at the trade deadline.
Having given up on Huff in the middle of the season, the Jets had the option to trade him for a sure thing, even though he was only a rental. Rather, they decided to hold onto him.
It looks like New York will lose him for nothing now. The one bright spot is that there might be a compensatory pick in 2025. That isn’t a given, though, as the Jets’ free agency spending may exceed the amount Huff gets offered by another team.
The Huff Market Could Go Crazy
“I mean, that wouldn’t totally shock me if he’s [Huff] pushing $20 [million] per year,” Pelissero remarked.
The Jets are unlikely to spend the required $20 million annually on a long-term contract to retain Huff if they were unwilling to franchise tag him for about $21 million.
The issue is that Douglas was aware of Huff’s intentions at the trade deadline. Whether or not he intended to use the franchise tag, he most likely had a good concept.
In an ideal scenario, Huff would be a member of the team in 2024. That doesn’t seem realistic, though, so he should have moved Huff when he had the opportunity.
Additionally, why wouldn’t the organization look into a possible tag-and-trade if there was as much trade interest in Huff as Pelissero suggested? It would be preferable to receive any asset through trade than nothing at all.
