Fixing the pass rush has to be a top priority for general manager Joe Schoen and the New York Giants.
While young Giants pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux made some major strides in 2023, this is going to be a revamped defense and one in desperate need of a dominant pass-rush presence.
Help could be on the way, courtesy of the New York Giants’ Garden State neighbor New York Jets, once free agency gets underway.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen suggests the New York Giants are the perfect fit for Jets pass-rusher Bryce Huff.
“With new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen,” Matt Bowen writes for ESPN. “The Giants would benefit from adding Huff to play opposite Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Giants had the fourth-lowest sack total (34) in 2023, and adding Huff could help improve that number.”
During a stellar 2023 campaign, that served as a breakout for Huff, the 25-year-old posted a career-high 10 sacks with a career-best 29 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
According to Pro Football Focus, Huff also posted 67 total quarterback pressures while garnering an elite 86.8 pass-rush grade.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz lists Huff as one of the free agents who is flying too far under the radar this offseason.
“OK, at this point,” Schatz writes. “Huff has been discussed as a sleeper free agent so often that he may no longer be sleeping. Still, you’re talking about an edge rusher who hasn’t started a game in two years but had a 21.4% pass rush win rate off the edge last season (ranked eighth) and a 30.7% pass rush win rate off the edge two years ago. He’s not great against the run, but he’s going to get to the quarterback for you.”
How Much Would Bryce Huff Cost New York Giants?
Huff might wind up being a perfect target for the New York Giants.
Projected by Spotrac to fetch a four-year contract worth $36.8 million, emerging as the NFL’s 29th-highest-paid outside linebacker.
If that’s the deal that Huff winds up signing, Schoen and the New York Giants could easily fit a $9.2 million AAV under the cap this season. As free agency looms, the New York Giants currently have upwards of $41 million in cap space.
The combination of his remaining upside with the New York Giants’ need and resources, make Huff an ideal target for the Giants to pursue in the early stages of free agency.
