For most of the offseason, it has looked like the New York Jets and edge rusher Carl Lawson might be headed for a breakup -- one that could benefit the pass-rush-starved Bears.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh made it clear at the annual league meeting that Lawson wouldn't be going anywhere, and the edge rusher agreed to a restructured contract on Thursday that guarantees him $8 million.
The restructured contract means Lawson will, as Saleh said, be playing football in New York this fall. While the agreement takes Lawson off the Bears' radar, it might have opened the door for the Bears to acquire another Jets pass rusher.
No, not defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Williams is frustrated with his current contract situation, but the chances of the Jets trading the star defensive tackle are ... slim to none.
However, the Jets have a deep roster of pass rushers, four of whom (Lawson, John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, and rookie Will McDonald) have guaranteed money in 2023.
Bryce Huff and Michael Clemons do not.
NFL
Huff, 25, is a name to watch as Bears general manager Ryan Poles tries to inject talent into the Bears' pass rush before training camp.
Huff signed a restricted tender this offseason, meaning he will make $4.3 million in 2023.
Last season, Huff was one of the best pure pass rushers in the NFL.
Among the 108 edge rushers with at least 170 pass-rush snaps, Huff ranked first in pass-rush win rate (28 percent), first in pressure rate (20.8 percent), and second in true pass set pressure rate (26.5 percent). He notched four sacks, eight hits, and 36 pressures in 14 games.
Huff is a pass-rush specialist in the truest sense.
He's a violent, downhill rusher who struggles against the run. There's a chance he can develop into a more well-rounded edge rusher with more opportunity. Due to the Jets' depth and Huff's issues against the run, he played only 191 total snaps in 14 games, per Pro Football Focus.
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As things stand right now, the Bears have DeMarcus Walker, Trevis Gipson, Dominique Robinson, and Rasheem Green on their two-deep at edge rusher.
Poles said the Bears are looking "at everything" to improve their edge-rushing depth before the start of training camp.
Free agents Yannick Ngakoue, Frank Clark, Leonard Floyd, Justin Houston, and Jason Pierre-Paul still are looking for jobs and would provide the Bears with an immediate boost on the edge.
Chase Young is the big name on the trade market, but there are several reasons that it's unlikely he'll be the answer to the Bears' problems.
Sending the Jets a mid-round pick for Huff is the type of low-risk, high-reward deal Poles has made in the past.
Huff has high upside and would, at the very least, give the Bears a true pass rusher they can unleash on the left side of the line on passing down.
Lawson is staying in New York. Williams isn't going anywhere. But Huff is sure to draw trade interest from several teams, and the Bears should be at the front of the line to add a young, high-upside pass rusher to a currently toothless unit.