Jets' Edge Rusher Rated as NFL's Most Effective

Former undrafted DE ranks higher than Maxx Crosby and Aidan Hutchinson

Bryce Huff has been as good as it gets when it comes to pass rush efficiency.

In fact, according to NFL NextGenStats, no one has been better than the New York Jets' rotational defensive end. Over the past two seasons, Huff has accounted for the league's highest pressure rate and has done so by a noteworthy margin.

In pass rush situations, Huff, who initially joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2020, has "generated a 25.7 percent pressure rate over the last two seasons." Putting his success in perspective, NFL NextGenStats noted that he is the only player (minimum 250 pass rushes) to exceed the 22.0 percent mark over that time span.

"When he first got here, he remade his body and became a pretty cool pass rush specialist," said Jets' head coach Robert Saleh last week.

Huff, who signed a second-round tender as a restricted free agent this past March, logged a season-high 35 defensive snaps while making his presence felt in the Week 6 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Part of an effort that forced quarterback Jalen Hurts into three interceptions, the Memphis product recorded 1.5 sacks and a career-high nine pressures over 28 pass rush plays.

After Eagles' All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson went out with an injury, Huff feasted on backup Jack Driscoll. Four of his pressures came on Driscoll's watch.

"Obviously, any time you lose a player like Lane, Lane’s one of the best players in the NFL, you’re going to obviously miss that," said Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni.

The pass rushing prowess of Huff and Co. caused the Eagles to alter their offensive protections.

"We did a couple more things where we were protecting the edge, which helps you get one less guy out in those cases," said Sirianni on compensating for the loss of Johnson. "I wouldn’t say we did it an abnormal amount of times, but we did sometimes, but that’s what you do. You have to adjust your game plan based off what’s going on in the game."

With the Eagles having difficulty containing Huff, the situational pass rusher stunted a potential fourth-quarter scoring drive. Looking to add to a 14-12 advantage, Philadelphia faced a 3rd-and-6 from the Jets' 15-yard line when Huff dropped Hurts for a four-yard loss. The Eagles came away empty handed, missing a 37-yard field goal on the ensuing play.

According to PFF's Steve Palazzolo, Huff ranks third amongst NFL leaders in pressures through the season's first six weeks. 

Only Maxx Crosby (38) and Aidan Hutchinson (36) have generated more pressures than Huff (33) and they've both needed a lot more opportunities to do so. While Huff has logged only 34 percent of defensive snaps for the Jets, Crosby has been on the field 97 percent of the time for the Raiders and Hutchinson has participated in 90 percent of Detroit's defensive plays.

Jets' DE Bryce Huff (47) hits Broncos' QB Russell Wilson (3) / © Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Huff, however, is trending toward becoming an "every down" player as opposed to the rotational piece he's been. He was in on a run stop that limited running back DeAndre Swift to a one-yard gain in the first quarter on Sunday.

"He’s really improved with regards to the run game," said Saleh. "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. We know what he is in the pass game and, if he can continue trending in the right direction with regards to the run game, he’s definitely got a place."

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