Edge rusher Bryce Huff signed a three-year, $51.1 million free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024, but the team hasn’t seen much return on that investment.
Everything will be forgiven if Huff can recover from his injury and help the Eagles win the last two games of the regular season and, ideally, make it to the Super Bowl and NFC championship.
Since having surgery on his wrist in November, Huff has missed the Eagles’ last five games.
On December 28, Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk reported, “The Eagles also announced they have activated defensive end Bryce Huff from injured reserve to the active roster.” After a wrist procedure that left him on injured reserve for four weeks, Huff resumed practicing on December 18. Ten tackles, 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble are among his stats in ten games. Huff rejoins a lineup that also includes rookie Jalyx Hunt, Josh Sweat, and Nolan Smith.
With two home games remaining in the regular season—against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 and the New York Giants in Week 18—the Eagles, who are currently 12-3, will wrap up the campaign.
In recent weeks, the Eagles have been preparing for Huff’s comeback.
On December 18, Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk stated, “This week, the Eagles will have a key defensive player back on the field.” “Philadelphia declared on Wednesday that defensive end Bryce Huff’s 21-day practice window is now open. After working through a problem for a few weeks, Huff had surgery on his wrist in November.
The Eagles’ 15-year veteran Brandon Graham was sidelined for the remainder of the season after ripping his triceps during a Week 12 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, so Huff is not the first edge rusher to miss time due to injury this season.
Huff may have been held back early in the season by an injury.
Many people were taken aback when the Eagles started using youngster Hunt instead of Huff in the midst of the season. As it turned out, Huff was on the injured reserve at the time due to a serious wrist problem that would ultimately necessitate surgery.
After four seasons with the Jets, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Memphis product became one of the NFL’s top edge rushers, and in March 2024, the Eagles signed him to a three-year, $51.1 million contract.
On November 11, Beth Mishler-Elmore of Heavy.com stated, “Huff’s impressive pressure rates with the Jets were a major factor in the Eagles’ decision to invest heavily in him.” According to Next Gen Stats, he led the NFL in 2023 with a pressure rate of 21.8% (minimum 250 pass rushes). His effectiveness raised hopes for his influence in Philadelphia.
Eagles Have Depth at the Edge Already Rusher
Although Huff’s return will be appreciated, their defensive strategy won’t necessarily change as a result. Smith is in second place with 6.5 sacks, while Sweat leads the team with 8.0 sacks.
Huff will therefore need to demonstrate his ability to influence the quarterback if he hopes to play in crucial situations. Hunt, who only has 1.5 sacks this season, will most likely have to take snaps back as well.
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