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Rich Cimini, ESPN writer
FLORHAM PARK, NJ — In late January, New York Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV cut short a vacation in Miami to return to New Jersey, where he began training at the team’s facility. Does the early bird get the quarterback?
The Jets surely hope so because their investment in McDonald, selected 15th overall in 2023, should pay off big now that sack leader Bryce Huff left for the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year deal worth reported $51.1 million. The Jets allowed Huff to hit the open market in part because of his faith in McDonald, who had an unremarkable rookie year after a prolific career at Iowa State.
So this is just a simple case of “Next Man Up,” right? Well not exactly.
The Jets are a win-now team with 40-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers running the show, so it naturally raises questions about their inability to retain their best running back. The identity of the team is the defense, the identity of the defense is the front four, and they just let 10 sacks go out the door.
Huff was their best sprinter since John Abraham (circa 2004), an undrafted free agent who worked his way through the process, bet on himself and cashed in. The Jets, with glaring needs on the offensive line, were not willing to walk away. up to $17 million per year, but they could have been proactive in re-signing him before the season.
They clearly recognized his talent; They gave him the second-round tender ($4 million) last March as a restricted free agent. They also rejected multiple trade proposals last year, a sure sign that teams would fall in line if he hit free agency. At the end of the season, the Jets were preparing for the likelihood of his departure. Initially, he was looking for $20 million a year, a source said.
“Bryce is an outstanding player,” general manager Joe Douglas said at the scouting combine. “He definitely deserves this opportunity to see where he stands on the open market.”
The Jets haven’t been to the playoffs since 2010, and giving up a player like Huff might not help change that fortune. Huff’s 21.8% pressure rate was the best among all pass rushers in 2023 (minimum: 200 pass rushers), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Surely they could have found a way to use Huff and McDonald.
So why didn’t Douglas step forward? Huff played just 42% of the defensive snaps and didn’t draw as much attention from opponents as defensive tackle Quinnen Williams or even his teammate Jermaine Johnson, who drew a higher percentage of double teams than Huff. So to some extent, they felt he was a situational player who was a product of a strong supporting cast.
But he was very effective in those situations, and everyone knows that the Jets’ defensive philosophy is based on rushing the passer with four men, not blitzing. Will McDonald’s be able to replace production? It’s a projection because he played only 184 snaps, the fewest among 2023 first-round picks.
The Jets could also sign a reinforcement, but they need to replace Huff’s sack production if they want to ease the momentum of being a win-now team.