ESPN Believes Giants Should Pursue This Rising Defensive Player in Free Agency

The Giants need some additional firepower on defense, and this member of the Giants' cross-town rivals could bring it for them.

The New York Giants defense is looking at an uncertain time, thanks to the mutual parting between the team and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. But regardless of who the next defensive coordinator is, one thing the Giants could use more of is pass-rushing firepower.

According to Pro Football Focus, of the Giants pass rushers who were in on at least 200 pass-rush snaps, only interior defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence had a pass-rush win rate of over 10 percent, the big nose tackle finishing with an impressive 20.2 percent.

Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, the team sack leader and only member of the defense to record double-digit sacks (11.5), finished with a 6.4 percent pass-rush win rate. And the remaining four defenders who had at least 200 pass-rush snaps--outside linebackers Azeez Ojualri and Jihad Ward and defensive linemen A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches--combined for 3.5 sacks.

With additional pass rushing help a huge need, ESPN's Aaron Schatz predicts that the Giants will target pending unrestricted free agent Bryce Huff, an emerging pass rusher currently playing for the New York Jets: Bryce Huff.

The Giants will make a splash with a surprisingly big free agent contract for edge rusher Bryce Huff, currently of the crosstown Jets. Huff has started only seven games in his career but is a bit of a secret star with a 23.5% career pass-rush win rate.

Huff led the Jets defense in sacks (10) and quarterback hits (21). He finished third on the team in tackles for loss (10). In his first three seasons, Huff recorded 7.5 sacks combined. His 22.8 percent win rate in 2023 ranked third among all pass rushers with at least 200 pass-rushing attempts.

Huff is unlikely to come at a bargain price, however. ESPN's Rich Cimini doesn't believe that Huff will be franchised by the Jets as to do so would cost Gang Green a hefty $23.3 million, not ideal for a team that, as of this writing, is currently in the red as far as its cap space goes.

Spotrac projects an APY market value of $9.2 million for Huff, based on a four-year, $36,856,352 contract. That might be a little low for a player with a relatively clean injury history and whose stock is on the rise.

A more realistic option for the Giants could be--wait for it--Chase Young, the player many Giants fans were clamoring for in 2020 when the Giants instead went for their future franchise left tackle (Andrew Thomas).

Jan 7, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Chase Young (92) before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Young, who suffered a torn ACL in 2022, was traded by the Commanders to the 49ers for a third-round pick, is coming off his best season since his rookie campaign, having tied his career high of 7.5 sacks and setting a new career-high with 15 quarterback hits.

Spotrac projects Young's market value to be $13.6 million based on a two-year, $27,363,398 contract. Although that projection is more than Huff's for a team that has a lot of needs and currently not a lot of cap space in which to operate ($22.94 million total, $15,110,328 in effective space), the Giants might be better off with a short-term solution for now with an eye on addressing the position again down the line once some of the other roster holes are filled in.

The other side of the argument is to pour the financial resources into a player like Huff, who is younger and on the rise. But doing so would likely mean the Giants would be limited as far as making other splashes needed, including having any chance of re-signing running back Saquo Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney to long-term deals.

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