Sacks don’t paint a total picture of how a defense or a player is performing at rushing the passer. The New York Jets have tallied 11 sacks through the first five weeks of the season, which is tied for the eighth-fewest in the NFL.
While the defense hasn’t been an issue, and the pass rush has been solid, the defense could be even more lethal if Bryce Huff got more snaps.
Buy Jets TicketsHuff, an undrafted edge rusher out of Memphis who signed with the Jets in 2020, has emerged as a stellar rotational player in recent years. Ahead of this week’s matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, Huff has posted six combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack this season.
His one sack doesn’t tell the full story. Huff leads the Jets in total pressures (26) despite only receiving 87 pass-rushing snaps, according to PFF. Huff’s 87 pass-rushing snaps are the fifth-most on the Jets this season, which is inexcusable.
In comparison, second-year edge rusher Jermaine Johnson has only 10 total pressures on 136 pass-rushing snaps. The first-round pick from a season ago has yet to show consistency on the field in his young career, while Huff is proving he deserves more playing time.
Following the loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich even shared that he believes Huff can be an every-down player for the Jets.
Jeff Ulbrich on Bryce Huff's development: "This is a guy that has the potential to play every single down. He's a tremendous asset for us … we are so fortunate to have this guy because he is an elite rusher."
Said he's developed as a run stopper and has become someone they can…
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) October 5, 2023
Some would argue that Huff is exclusively a situational edge rusher who doesn’t excel against the run. In the limited snaps against the run this season, Huff has a 64.8 run-defense grade (higher than John Franklin-Myers) and a 75.1 tackling grade (fourth-best among Jets players who have been active in at least four games).
With Aaron Rodgers not operating the offense at quarterback, the identity of the Jets could become Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson shouldering the load on offense, and the defense making life difficult for opposing teams. Even though the defense has been a stout unit again thus far, an increase in snaps for Huff would be beneficial for the front seven.
