The Chicago Bears could still stand to add another experienced pass rusher to the edges of their defensive line for the upcoming 2023 season, and while a high-profile blockbuster trade is unlikely to be in their near future, there is one potential option in the AFC who seems to fit their rebuilding plans much better.
In June 28 article that identified highlighted “one piece of business each team should get done before the third week of July,” Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus looked past the signing and extension candidates for the Bears and instead urged the team to make a trade for New York Jets pass rusher Bryce Huff before training camp begins.
Huff — who just turned 25 in April — notched a career-high 3.5 sacks and created 34 pressures for the Jets during the 2022 season and has developed into a promising young pass rusher since winning a roster spot as an undrafted rookie in 2020. With Carl Lawson, Jon Franklin-Myers and a pair of recent first-round picks (Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald IV) projected to be ahead of him on the Jets’ depth chart, though, it could make more sense for New York to shop him before the season.
“The Chicago Bears made several free agent additions on the edge that should be solid against the run on early downs but don’t project to offer much juice to get after opposing quarterbacks,” Spielberger wrote. “Huff is an assassin on passing downs, where he’s been deployed in a limited role. His 25.6% pass-rush win rate in 2022 was the top mark in the NFL by more than 3 percentage points among edge rushers with at least 100 pass-rush snaps.”
Bryce Huff Could Be Best-Priced EDGE Trade Target
The Bears have seen their free agent options at edge rusher dwindle over the past month with Leonard Floyd (now with Buffalo Bills) and Frank Clark (Denver Broncos) each getting taken off the market. Signing Yannick Ngakoue could still be a possibility for them, but the 28-year-old has said he is looking to sign a multi-year deal with his next team and — according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune — is looking to make somewhere between $8 million and $10 million per year on his next contract, so it is unclear whether his contract desires fit into what the Bears are looking to invest.
Then, there’s the trade market. Washington’s Chase Young and Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter have been the two biggest pass-rushing names linked to offseason trade rumors, but it is expected that, if their respective teams do decide to trade them, it will cost the acquiring team one (maybe multiple) premium draft assets in future season. Even with an additional first-rounder in their pocket for 2024, that’s simply not something that fits the Bears’ current rebuilding approach under general manager Ryan Poles.
Huff, though? He might be the perfect blend of productive and affordable for the Bears.
Huff is currently scheduled to count $4.304 million against the cap for the 2023 season after signing his second-round restricted free agent tender with the Jets in April. While it is a quality pay bump for a former undrafted free agent, the number is small enough that an acquiring team such as the Bears wouldn’t have to work hard to fit him on their books for next season. The Jets would also incur no dead money if they traded Huff.
More important than the money the Bears would have to pay Huff in 2023, though, are the assets they would have to give up to acquire him from the Jets. Spielberger believes the trade compensation would likely fall “around a fourth-round pick, perhaps with conditions tied to his playtime or production that could elevate the value,” but it might still be too high for the Bears, even with two fourth-round picks in the 2024 draft.
Could Bears Wait Until 2024 Draft to Bolster EDGE?
GettyOhio State pass rusher J.T. Tuimoloau could be an early target on the Bears’ 2024 draft board.
The Bears said multiple times throughout their offseason program that they were still potentially considering adding another edge rusher to the roster, either through free agency or with a trade. It is possible, though, that if the price is not right for Poles that he might prefer to ride with Trevis Gipson, Demarcus Walker, Rasheem Green and Dominique Robinson for the 2023 season and address the issue further in 2024.
The Bears are scheduled to have multiple picks in the first round of next year’s draft thanks to their decision to trade back from the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 with the Carolina Panthers. Considering the Bears were the worst team in football in 2022 and the Panthers are expected to start rookie Bryce Young in 2023, there is a good chance that Chicago ends up with at least one selection inside the top 10.
If that happens, the Bears could have their choice of a few promising pass rushers on a list that includes Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau, Florida State’s Jared Verse and Penn State’s Chop Robinson. They will also have a clearer sense of whether their investments in the interior of their defensive line — with second-rounder Gervon Dexter Sr. and third-rounder Zacch Pickens — are paying off by next year’s draft, an important factor for a defense that hinges on a strong inside rush to yield production on the edges.
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Proposed Trade Lands Bears ‘Assassin’ Pass Rusher for Day 3 Pick