Continually High Pressure Rate Likely to Land Huge Payday for Jets' Edge Rusher

Halfway through 2023 season, Huff setting historic pace while playing on RFA deal

Author:
Ralph Ventre
Publish date:
Nov 10, 2023 11:01 PM EST

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Bryce Huff's agent is in an enviable position right about now.

If his client is, indeed, on a "prove it" deal, then Huff is setting himself up for a pretty payday come negotiating time.

After the Jets signed Huff to a one-year restricted free agent second-round tender this past March, the rotational edge rusher is performing at an historical level according to NextGenStats.

Midway through the NFL's 18-week regular season schedule, the former undrafted pass rusher leads the entire league in pressure rate by a wide margin. Huff is generating pressure on 27.1 percent of his pass rushing snaps. That number is 4.0 percentage points higher than the second-ranked leader.

The results are nothing new for Huff, who also led the NFL with a 21.6 percent pressure rate in 2022. The 25-year-old can become the first player to lead NFL pass rushers in consecutive seasons since the NextGenStats era kicked off in 2017.

'He is a guy that, for being one of the best pass rushers in this League, and I don’t think anyone can argue that anymore, you would never know," said Jets' defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich earlier this month. "Just his level of humility and the quiet nature that he walks around with."

Not only is he consistently affecting the quarterback on dropbacks, Huff is getting home. Despite coming off the bench, he leads the Jets in sacks (5.0) and quarterback hits (13) through eight games.

While his pressures percentage has increased this season, so has Huff's snap count. The quick-off-the-ball pass rusher has logged 203 defensive plays in eight games this season, already surpassing the 191 snaps he totaled in 14 games last year.

"He’s done a great job. He’s really improved with regards to the run game. When he first got here, he remade his body and became a pretty cool pass rush specialist," said head coach Robert Saleh last month. "Over the last year, he’s really done a nice job to kind of force his way to first and second down to get more reps in those opportunities."

Retired All-Pro J.J. Watt offered unsolicited praise for Huff during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show in October.

"I think Bryce Huff coming off the edge. He's got some great pass rush moves. He's got some incredible technical skills," said Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Huff's next mission is to get after Las Vegas Raiders' rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who is set for his third start this Sunday. O'Connell was sacked seven times by the Los Angeles Chargers in his first career start, but took no sacks in last week's win over the New York Giants.

Huff and his fellow edge rushers may encounter an more favorable matchup than initially expected. Raiders' starting left tackle Kolton Miller did not practice this week and is doubtful to suit up.