Will Jets Use Franchise Tag on Free Agent?

The New York Jets have put their back against the wall when it comes to re-signing edge rusher Bryce Huff.

The New York Jets made their bed when it comes to retaining edge rusher Bryce Huff, and now it’s time to sleep in it.

General manager Joe Douglas decided not to re-sign Huff after the 2022 season saw him emerge as one of the league’s best pass-rush specialists, boasting the best pass-rush win rate of anyone at his position.

A year later, Huff continued to strike fear in opposing tackles, and the sacks followed suit. In posting a 10-sack season, Huff has positioned himself for a lucrative payday ahead of free agency. Yesterday’s price is not today’s price.

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New York seems even less likely to extend Huff ahead of the start of free agency in March. Is signing him to the franchise tag the Jets’ best option?

According to ESPN, Huff is the team’s best tag candidate, although that route seems unlikely.

New York isn’t in desperate need of a pass rusher. Jermaine Johnson blossomed in his second season and John Franklin-Myers continued to play. Michael Clemons proved to be a good rotational piece and first-round rookie Will McDonald was fine in limited snaps. However, Huff is, by and large, the team’s best edge rusher, and losing his presence on passing downs means banking on development that is far from a guarantee.

“They will try to re-sign Huff before he hits the open market – a risky game to play,” Rich Cimini wrote. “Huff (10 sacks) was their best speed rusher, a key piece in their third-ranked defense. McDonald is unproven. They scouted and developed Huff, and it would be a shame to lose him for nothing more than a 2025 compensatory pick.”

Douglas’ hesitancy almost certainly stems from Huff’s limited playing time due to his struggles against the run. Huff ranked 102nd of 112 edge rushers with over 100 snaps against the run by Pro Football Focus’ run defense grade. He played just 134 snaps against the run, compared to top-market edge rushers like Maxx Crosby (423), T.J. Watt (323), and Myles Garrett (283).

Huff would have to provide a dominant season to make good on the $23 million tag, which would rank ninth in average annual value among current edge rusher contracts. With that said, in a passing league, few skills are more valuable than rushing the passer. For the past three seasons – two of which have been elite – Huff has proven to have that ability in spades.

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He’s not running unusually high sack numbers for his pressure, he’s stayed healthy, and he’s shown to be a good fit in what head coach Robert Saleh wants to do with this defense. The window to find a long-term deal may be fleeting, but keeping a proven veteran around for a potential Super Bowl run is more than an acceptable use of the franchise tag.

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