FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Every corner of an NFL organization roots for a guy like Bryce Huff -- the scouts who discovered him, the front office that signed him as an undrafted free agent and the coaches who groomed him into a formidable player.
"Bryce is a great player-development success story," New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas said of the pass rusher.
Now comes the tricky part: Pay him or lose him.
Without a doubt, Huff is the Jets' most important free agent to be. The most compelling, too. In four years, he went from an unknown to leading the league in quarterback pressure percentage (21.8%) for edge rushers, slightly ahead of Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons (20.8%). The natural inclination is to say, "Sign him at all costs!" But that isn't how the Jets view the situation, which ultimately could lead to them losing him on the open market.
Huff played only 42% of the defensive snaps last season -- no starts -- and his possible replacement already is on the roster, Will McDonald IV, their 2023 first-round pick. With one of the highest-paid defenses, and with owner Woody Johnson demanding major improvement from the offense, can the Jets afford to keep Huff? Or can they afford to let him go somewhere else?
"I would absolutely hate to lose him," defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said, "but he's a guy that has earned every penny that he's about to make."
His value is difficult to project because of his unique career trajectory and relatively small role, but one player comparison is Carl Granderson, who signed a four-year, $52 million extension ($22 million fully guaranteed) with the New Orleans Saints in September. Huff's first four seasons also compare favorably to Carl Lawson, who received a three-year, $45 million contract ($30 million fully guaranteed) from the Jets in 2021.
Jason Fitzgerald, a contract and salary-cap expert who owns the Over The Cap website, speculated that Huff could be asking for as much as $20 million per year -- but predicted he will ultimately land in the $17 to $18 million range. Fitzgerald's gut feeling is that Huff will sign an 11th-hour deal to remain in New York. The franchise tag, projected at $23 million for a defensive end, is seen as an unlikely outcome.
With only $5 million in projected cap room before cuts and restructures, the Jets might have to trim the budget at a position of need if they pay Huff. It's a global decision for a front office under intense scrutiny from ownership and fans.
"I think the public pressure is going to be so high, and it's going to be really bad if they lose him, so maybe they end up overpaying a little bit to keep him," Fitzgerald said.
Huff is popular among the fan base. What's not to like? Everybody loves an underdog story. He came up the hard way, improving each season and finally exploding with a team-high 10 sacks in 2023.
On passing downs, Huff's impact was undeniable. With him on the field, the Jets allowed a stingy passer rating of 69.8, compared to 83.1 when he was on the sideline -- the biggest differential among the Jets' defensive linemen.
Huff has one of the quickest get-off times in the league, which allows him to "burn the edges," as Ulbrich likes to say. That's an invaluable commodity for the Jets, whose 4-3 scheme is predicated on rushing the passer. Ulbrich views Huff and McDonald as "curve balls" because their skillsets are different from those of fellow ends Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers, who are bigger and sturdier than Huff and McDonald. A top-shelf defense -- the Jets ranked No. 3 in yards allowed -- needs power and speed.
Ultimately, the Jets' price point could be determined by their faith in McDonald, who played only 19% of the snaps and recorded three sacks as a rookie. If they believe he can move into a bigger role and replace Huff's 10 sacks, it probably means they won't break the bank for Huff. McDonald was drafted 15th overall for a reason, and team officials insist they remain high on his future. Coach Robert Saleh went so far as to say he has "superstar" potential.
Perhaps it was telling that the Jets made no serious effort during the season to extend Huff's contract. They could've tried last offseason when he was a restricted free agent, but they opted for the one-year tender ($4.3 million). If they lose him, they could receive a third-round compensatory pick in 2025, depending on how much they spend in free agency.
Talks figure to heat up at the scouting combine at the end of the month. Douglas said he wants to re-sign Huff, but if you're reading the tea leaves, it appears he will play hardball. Huff has made it clear he won't give the Jets a "hometown discount," saying he worked too hard to leave money on the table.
Huff also wants to be more than a situational player, and that might not be possible on the Jets, who are married to a rotational system.
"I definitely want to be able find a scheme that sees me as an every-down player," he told ESPN at the end of the season. "It gives me the opportunity to show that I can be a top-tier edge in this league in the run and in the pass."
Even though he saw more action on first and second down than previous years, Huff (listed at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds) still is fighting the perception that he struggles against the run. In fact, he has improved in that area, raising his run-stop rate to 5.2%, just a fraction below the league average (5.4%) for edge players.
Because of his size and speed, Huff has scheme versatility, which will attract interest from teams that employ 3-4 defenses as well as the 4-3 teams. If the Jets fail to lock him up before March 11, when the "legal tampering" period begins, his market will be robust. Pass rushers always are in high demand. Huff knows that, and he's ready to cash in.
"I feel like I owe it to myself to reach my full potential, whether it's here or somewhere else," Huff said.