Ex-Jets Fan Favorite Predicted to Have Breakout Season in NFC
Most of the New York Jets offseason has been built around adding new pieces to the puzzle, not losing them.However, the biggest loss for the green and white this offseason was letting pass rusher Bryce Huff hit the open market. The former Memphis product found a new home with the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year deal for $51.1 million.That is the richest deal a former undrafted free agent has ever signed that didn’t play the quarterback position, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report predicted that Huff would more than live up to that historic contract.“If he can come anywhere near his per-snap productivity from a year ago in a larger role in his new home, 13-15 sacks are a real possibility,” Davenport said. “And if Huff wreaks that kind of havoc in 2024, the Eagles may well reclaim the NFC East.”Huff Leaving the Jets for Nothing Was a Brutal BlowHuff’s journey in the NFL was a Hollywood script with a player from humble beginnings transforming into a dominant player at a premium position. A player who was projected to go on day three of the NFL draft (somewhere between rounds four through seven) goes undrafted.He not only makes the Jets’ 53-man roster, but slowly and surely carves out a role on the team. Huff never truly became a full-time starter but he proved to be a critical piece on the defensive side of the ball.Huff only had four sacks through his first two professional seasons. However, over the last two years, he cranked up his production notching 13.5 quarterback takedowns.A rags-to-riches story and someone the Jets developed as a homegrown talent. New York is famous for overpaying for other team’s free agents as opposed to developing their own. Huff was the breaker of the wheel but he slipped through the team’s fingers.The Jets didn’t place the franchise tag on Huff, instead letting him hit the open market. It was the only significant player exit for the Jets this offseason.Who Will End up Being Right?The Jets turned an undrafted free agent into a double-digit sack pass rusher in 2023. Was it the player? Was it the scheme?The Jets are betting on the latter. Another thing the Jets are betting on is Huff reached his ceiling with the Jets. The coaching staff capped off his playing time at 51% of the defensive snaps back in 2021. To be candid, it is an even smaller percentage than that because that was a rare circumstance that Huff got a chance to start seven games.In the last two years, Huff appeared in 20% and 42% of the defensive snaps respectively. Why didn’t he play more? There have been criticisms of his ability to defend the run and whether or not his body could handle a normal pass-rushing workload.New York ultimately ended up doing an indirect one-for-one swap between Huff and veteran pass rusher Haason Reddick. Reddick is by far a better player right now at the age of 29, but there is a chance Huff could be a better player over the next three-year span at the age of 26.Who was right? Could both teams be right? The 2024 season will reveal the results.
Like Heavy.com's content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy.comThe post Ex-Jets Fan Favorite Predicted to Have Breakout Season in NFC appeared first on Heavy.com.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings