Bill Belichick made an eyebrow-raising statement last week about Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and one of his most expensive free agent signings in 2024: pass rusher Bryce Huff.
During an appearance on the Tom Brady show Let’s go! PodcastBelichick was asked a general question about which NFL teams he respects, in terms of roster management. Among the teams Belichick mentioned were the Eagles, with the future Hall of Fame coach saying, “You look at a team like Philadelphia…they keep making big moves, like signing Bryce Huff and trading (Haason) Reddick and, you know , leave this problem to someone else.
During his legendary run with the New England Patriots, Belichick was never a fan of players putting their contract situation ahead of team success. But given Huff’s obvious struggles in his first three games with Philadelphia, it’s comical that Belichick would subtly praise Roseman while mentioning what could end up being one of the biggest free agency mistakes of the 2024 season .
To highlight how bad the situation looks for Roseman, let’s play a game. In the 2020 NFL Draft, Belichick drafted Michigan’s Josh Uche in the second round. Uche’s rookie contract expired this offseason and he decided to resign with his former team on a one-year deal.
Comparing Uche, a former No. 60 overall pick, and Huff, who signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent that same season, paints an ugly picture for Roseman and the Eagles.
Career bags, first four professional seasons:
| Josh Uche | 18.5 |
| Bryce Huff | 17.5 |
Free agent contract, signed in 2024:
| Josh Uche |
1 year, $3 million ($2.3 million guaranteed) |
| Bryce Huff |
3 years, $51 million ($34 million guaranteed) |
That’s not to say the Eagles should have signed Uche over Huff this offseason when contract negotiations with Reddick were at a standstill. This is simply a comparison of two career situational passers, with the same service time and production, who have a gap of $31.7 million in real money.
The Eagles thought they were paying for an EDGE defender who they could keep on the field on first downs. But the current reality is that they are vastly overpaid for a passer who limits himself to obvious passing situations and two-minute defense. Huff doesn’t even win in these situations. He played 18 snaps in Philly’s Week 3 win over the Saints, generating zero pressure. PFF gave him a grade of 46.1his lowest score of the season.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters last week that Huff would remain the starter. He started against the Saints, but was pulled early after failing to take the lead on an 8-yard run by Alvin Karama on third-and-short:
Fangio admits that Bryce Huff failed to be in the right place on Alvin Kamara’s 3rd and 1 point that resulted in a first down.
(Image via @Reddit_Eagles) pic.twitter.com/g1FmO4lWYK
– Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) September 24, 2024
The Eagles’ plan for Huff moving forward? “It’s pretty much the same,” Fangio said. “He’ll be mixed in there with the rest of the guys.”
Give Fangio and Philly credit for playing against the best guys – not the highest paid. Nolan Smith and 36-year-old Brandon Graham got extra reps against the Saints, and the Eagles responded with their best overall defensive game of the season.
But you don’t pay an EDGE defender more than $17 million per season to play 18 snaps. Unless Huff can turn things around quickly, this is a complicated offseason decision for Roseman to make.
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