ESPN analyst thinks the New York Giants should conduct a Big Apple robbery in free agency
Much of NFL free agency involves signing players who don't play on your own team. But sometimes, those players are very familiar with your own stadium. The New York Giants and New York Jets are two of four teams to share the same home field. There have been several instances in which a player from […]
Much of NFL free agency involves signing players who don't play on your own team. But sometimes, those players are very familiar with your own stadium.
The New York Giants and New York Jets are two of four teams to share the same home field. There have been several instances in which a player from one team joined the other at some point in his career, even in consecutive fashion.
Could the next one happen this year? One ESPN analyst has deemed the Giants a fit for a pending free agent on the other Big Apple club.
ESPN analyst Matt Bowen has edge defender Bryce Huff making sense to the Giants after spending the first four years of his career with the Jets' defense.
Huff has almost flown under the radar as one of the most productive pass rushers in the league. According to Bowen, his impact within a consistently good Jets defense would translate well in working alongside Kayvon Thibodeaux.
"With a new defensive coordinator in Shane Bowen, the Giants would benefit from adding Huff — a flamethrower off the edge — to play opposite Kayvon Thibodeaux. Last season with the Jets, Huff produced 10 sacks and logged a pass rush win rate of 21.8% (eighth in the league). The Giants, meanwhile, were tied for 28th in sacks with 34." – ESPN's Matt Bowen
A pass rush win rate greater than 20% was accomplished only by nose tackle Dexter Lawrence last year for the G-Men. Adding a true difference maker to join Azeez Ojulari and potentially replace Jihad Ward would be extremely useful. The question might just come down to price.
How much will it cost for the Giants to sign Jets DE Bryce Huff?
Huff is A to Z Sports' 21st-ranked pending free agent in this year's class, and he's projected to land a contract reflecting that.
Salary cap experts Josh Queipo and Kyle Dediminicantanio have Huff landing a four-year, $58 million deal with $17.5 million guaranteed.
"Huff will get a chance to become a full-time player with a deal that eclipses $50 million due to his 16.39 percent pressure rate in addition to his overall contributions to one of the best defenses in the NFL." – Queipo and Kyle Dediminicantanio
As far as immediate accounting goes, Huff's deal should only count for $5.5 million against the salary cap this year, which is ideal for the Giants, whom have $11.6 million in space according to Over The Cap.
Filling one of their biggest needs while also swiping a starter away from their in-stadium rival would be quite the finesse by the Giants. They'll get their chance in three weeks should the Jets allow Huff to enter free agency.
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