Jets Are About to Lose the Youngstar After Turning Down Several Trade Offers

The New York Jets steadfastly rebuffed numerous trade propositions involving defensive lineman Bryce Huff throughout the entirety of 2023, as disclosed by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero during a conversation with Jets team reporter Eric Allen at the NFL Combine.

Pelissero revealed, “There is going to be a great market for him [Huff] because Joe [Douglas] was getting calls on Bryce Huff going back to camp last year before he produced. Then again at the trade deadline, people were coming after Bryce Huff. At one point probably early in training camp I thought maybe Bryce Huff was getting traded just because there was such a level of interest.”

Huff, aged 25, is on track to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, March 13. The Jets opted against utilizing the franchise tag on him before the deadline, thus allowing him to explore opportunities in the open market.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic stated, “The Jets plan to let Bryce Huff hit free agency and test the market. I remain steadfast in my belief that he will be signing elsewhere.”

Despite the opportunity to secure a long-term contract with Huff either last offseason or during the season, Jets General Manager Joe Douglas opted against extending any contracts mid-season, as relayed by Rosenblatt during an appearance on “The Boy Green Show.”

Declining trade offers for a skilled pass rusher during training camp was logical, especially considering the presence of Aaron Rodgers as quarterback for a team with immediate championship aspirations. However, by the trade deadline, the Jets were a .500 team with slim playoff prospects.

With playoff hopes dashed mid-season, the Jets could have traded Huff to another team for guaranteed assets, acknowledging his status as a temporary acquisition. Nevertheless, they chose to retain him.

Consequently, the Jets are now poised to lose Huff without any compensation. The potential silver lining lies in a compensatory pick in 2025, although this outcome is uncertain due to the Jets’ spending in free agency potentially outweighing the contract Huff secures with a new team.

Pelissero speculated, “If he’s [Huff] pushing $20 [million per year], I mean that wouldn’t totally shock me.”

Considering the Jets’ reluctance to utilize the franchise tag, which would have cost around $21 million, it appears improbable that they would commit to a long-term deal worth $20 million annually to retain Huff.