NFL Salary Cap Increase: Good News For Jets Bryce Huff Contract?
Free agency might be under a month away, but the common thought out of 1 Jets Drive was that the organization was not going to be able to re-sign all of their top targets hitting the open market.
The top name, of course, was 25-year-old Bryce Huff. In 2023, the undrafted free agent put forth an incredible 10-sack season and was one of the highest-graded defenders in the league.
Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK
Look at almost every pressure metric and Huff would be near the top of the list. That's what made his pending free agency such a difficult situation for a team like New York.
Now that the NFL has announced the salary cap will increase by a record $30.6 million, the thought of Huff leaving Florham Park might not be happening after all.
With the adjustment in cap room, the Jets are expected to have $15 million in cap space at the start of free agency. With restructures to players like CJ Mosley, Laken Tomlinson, and others, that number could increase to well over $50 million.
Plenty of room to bring back Huff on a contract closer to his expectations.
Huff has reportedly looked for an extension that would pay him over $20 million annually. While the Jets have been reluctant to pay that number due to needs at wide receiver and other positions, the restructured contracts on the roster could now give the team enough room to solve all their roster concerns.
The downside - if there is any - is that the salary cap increase isn't just positively affecting New York. 31 other teams will see their situations improve due to the NFL's latest news. That means if Huff hits the open market, other teams could look to pay the dynamic pass rusher more than New York could realistically give.
Now, before that even happens, the Jets could be in a situation where throwing the franchise tag on a homegrown talent is far more likely now. With the chance to increase the cap to over $50 million, moving $20 million in tag money to Huff won't hurt the team's long-term prospects.
It's still unlikely the Jets will give Huff the tag, but with the salary cap number increasing, the chances of bringing back a top player from last season is not entirely impossible.
