Thumbs up or down: Eagles beat reporters weigh in on the Bryce Huff signing

Like the addition of Saquon Barkley, there is reason to be skeptical about the decision to agree to terms with Bryce Huff — albeit for different reasons — on a three-year deal worth up to $51.1 million ($34.4 million guaranteed), the terms according to Bleacher Report.

Huff, 25, served as a situational pass rusher for the New York Jets throughout his four-year career. He played 42% of the defensive snaps in 2023. He thrived in that role, posting 10 sacks and 21 quarterback hits in 17 games.

But Huff has never surpassed 51% of the defensive snaps in a single season (2020). Given that Huff is set to have an average annual value of roughly $17 million a year, which is roughly 15th in the league for edge rushers, according to Over The Cap, the Eagles are likely expecting him to play a bigger role as an every-down edge rusher under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. For the sake of comparison, starters Haason Reddick played 74.18% of the defensive snaps while Josh Sweat played 71.26% last season.

Whether his pass-rush efficiency can translate to an increased workload remains to be seen. It’s also concerning that in his first three seasons, Huff collected a total of 7.5 sacks and 22 quarterback hits (14 games in 2020, nine in 2021, and 14 in 2022).

» READ MORE: Who is Bryce Huff? Here’s everything you need to know about the Eagles’ new edge rusher.

If — or, really, when — the Eagles move Reddick this offseason, it’s imperative that Huff is capable of increasing his volume while maintaining the level of production he achieved last year. He’ll also have to hold up in the run game, which has not been a strength of his, nor has it been something he’s been asked to do often. According to Pro Football Focus, Huff played 134 snaps on run defense compared with 334 pass-rush snaps.

Was the 2023 season an anomaly or was his breakout performance a sign of things to come? The Eagles are betting on the latter as they build a young core on defense.

With the Eagles open to trading Reddick and/or Sweat, it was obvious they would be in the market for an edge rusher. They couldn’t afford Brian Burns in a trade/sign scenario with the Carolina Panthers, but Huff made fiscal sense at three years, $51.1 million. He’s young (26 next month), ascending (10 sacks last season after a total of 7½ in his first three seasons), and plays a premium position. Howie Roseman has long made a habit of acquiring those types in free agency.

There will be some projection, not only in Fangio’s scheme, but also if the Eagles want to increase Huff’s playing time. He played just 42% of the New York Jets’ defensive snaps last season, significantly less than Reddick and Sweat did in Philly. But Fangio may want more of a rotation on the defensive line. An argument could be made that Reddick and Sweat wore down last season. More will be asked of Huff, who went undrafted out of Memphis, considering the cost. He struggled as a run defender, but the majority of his snaps came on passing downs. And when he was rushing the passer, he was often effective, adding 21 quarterback hits to his 10 sacks in 2023. Reddick, by comparison, finished with 11 sacks and 23 hits despite having 253 more pass-rush attempts than Huff.

» READ MORE: Sources: Eagles receiving trade inquires for defensive end Josh Sweat, who could depart with Haason Reddick

The Eagles defense was a hot mess, though, particularly in the second half of last season. The Jets, meanwhile, had one of the stronger units in the NFL. It’s fair to wonder if GM Joe Douglas let Huff walk because he saw his production as more of a byproduct of having elite talent at other spots. Huff lined up on both sides almost evenly, so he should have some versatility with Sweat staying. He can drop into coverage if necessary, but he’s better suited for Sweat’s right defensive end spot than Reddick’s right outside linebacker spot.

Nolan Smith isn’t quite ready to be handed a starting spot, but he will see the field more in his second season. Brandon Graham rounds out the group for now as the likely backup to Huff. Roseman probably isn’t finished addressing the position. Burns, who signed a five-year, $141 million contract extension, escaped Carolina for the Giants, and will be of increased concern for the Eagles. Roseman didn’t have the cap space to compete with the NFC East rivals. But Huff was a solid start.

Ironically, Huff is somewhat reminiscent of Reddick when the Eagles signed him two offseasons ago.

Each player is considered more of a designated pass rusher than an every-down edge rusher, and each had question marks about his limited track record. Reddick, who had two seasons with double-digit sacks under his belt when he signed with the Eagles compared with Huff’s one, has become one of the most productive pass rushers in the NFL, outperforming the $15 million a year he made the last two seasons. In Huff, the Eagles are hoping to get similar production for a similar price.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ Howie Roseman steals Saquon Barkley, Bryce Huff from New York

Both Huff and fellow Day 1 Eagles acquisition Zack Baun profile more similarly to Reddick both stylistically and physically. Huff has the type of upside play that makes sense for an Eagles defense that sorely lacks young players worthy of building around.

There’s an obvious projection when assessing how he’ll fare with a more expanded role on a defense without All-Pro talent at all three levels, but his advanced numbers stayed consistent over the last few seasons. He was in the top 15 in PFF’s pass-rush win percentage each of the last three seasons, earning a bigger role on a talented Jets defensive front each season.

If Huff continues his upward trajectory, the Eagles will continue to have one of the league’s most efficiently productive pass rushers in the NFL for a price that halves the number that top edge rushers make. Even if he stays at his current level, that’s a bet worth taking.