We’re officially one week into the NFL season, and nothing quite says ‘football is back’ like knee-jerk reactions. One of the most obvious from a mile away was always going to be the overreaction to the play of newly-signed EDGE Bryce Huff.
Bryce Huff’s road to the Eagles
The Eagles acquired the services of the young Jets pass-rusher to offset the loss of Haason Reddick (which as it turns out, was a hilarious decision). He was coming off of a huge 10-sack season in 2023 and subsequently rewarded with a contract that ranks him 9th overall at the EDGE position. Naturally, despite being a lower-profile player, expectations were raised. Not only is he replacing one of the most gifted pass-rushers in the league, but is being paid a premium to do so on the back of a stellar campaign.
However, much of his production came from a rotational role. Huff only played in 42% of defensive snaps during his breakout year, and if we compare that to Reddick, who mustered over 70% of snaps in both seasons with the Eagles, it’s clear to see a big step-up was needed.
The 26-year-old has an explosive skillset and is lethal against beaten down offensive fronts due to a terrifying first step and slippy nature when harassing tackles. Speed is the name of his game, and over extended periods in a drive, that obviously gets nullified, making him more effective as a ‘pinch-hitter’ to come in and wreak havoc with a full head of steam.
Bryce Huff’s Week 1 struggles
Naturally, the correlation between paying someone a Goliath contract after a 10-sack season and using them as a rotational rusher is a confusing one for those who aren’t familiar with his game, the Jets in general, or the upside he possesses. A casual fan will see the big-money contract, a disappointing week 1 performance where he looked invisible, playing just 45% of snaps, and question what on earth is going on.
The reality of the situation is a simple one. The Eagles have gambled on his long-term upside. If Bryce Huff can cause that much chaos in opposing backfields in a limited role, then he could well be a menace if he can build up the endurance to start 65%+ of snaps, but that’s going to take time.
Vic Fangio mentioned that for him to play more snaps, he’s going to have to separate himself from the pack, and that in itself is difficult. Brandon Graham is becoming an ageless wonder, Josh Sweat is about as consistent as you could find for a EDGE2/3, and Nolan Smith is a former first-round pick in need of exposure.
Back in July, Fangio told reporters the following about Bryce Huff:
“I do think he has the talent to do what we want him to do,” new Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Thursday, via team transcript, of Huff moving from a pass rush specialist to playing on base downs. “It’s just he’s got to get familiar with doing it. So, it will be a work in progress. Does he look like he can do it today? No. I do think he eventually will.”
What happens next?
The interesting caveat here is that if Bryce Huff plays well in limited exposure, that’s EXACTLY what he did in New York. If that’s rewarded with more snaps, where he might not ultimately be ready for, it hinders the pass-rush before eventually pushing him back down the depth chart, where he’ll shine brightly again – an endless carousel.
The Eagles need to be patient. It’s great that Vic Fangio is ensuring he earns the extra snaps and isn’t just being given then on merit – a flaw of many coordinators in this league. That should at least keep Huff in a role he’s most effective, but judging him after 1 week, or even 5 is difficult.
If Bryce Huff still in a rotational position this time next year, then it’s time to open the discussions. But until then, it’s time to exude patience with his development and allow Vic Fangio to field the best edge-rushers possible, while allowing Huff to fire his shots where he’s most efficient.
REUTERS/Carla Carniel
