Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes posted the worst tackle and sack numbers of his Bills career in 2021. With only nine combined sacks the two years prior to this season, and the Bills front office investing in young pass rushers such as A.J. Epenesa and Greg Rousseau, there is growing confidence that he has played his last game in Buffalo as free agency approaches, with plenty of landing spots coming to the forefront.
The Bills traded for Hughes in 2010 after the former first-round pick only secured five sacks over the course of his first 40 games. The change of scenery worked, as Hughes would go on to record back-to-back 10-sack seasons where he would also record 99 tackles. Since then, Hughes has only managed to reach seven sacks in a single season once.
While his numbers are not overwhelming, there is a common belief that Hughes still has enough gas in the tank at 34-years-old to be a complimentary piece to a contending defense. He's been an iron man for the Bills, having not missed a game from 2015 to 2019. At an estimated market value of two years, $6.6 million, Hughes would be a bargain to any organization looking for a value-add pass rusher. Past comments from Hughes would indicate that he would be looking to go to a contender, so pass rush needy teams in the bottom half of the league would likely not be in the running for his services.
Should the Bills look to the future and let Jerry Hughes test free agency, there are three teams that are likely to be in the mix to bring the veteran on board.
Jerry Hughes Free Agency Landing Spots
While the Dallas Cowboys are not looking to rebuild their pass rusher fleet, this one makes sense from a contender and logistical standpoint. Jerry Hughes is a Texas native and played his collegiate ball at Texas Christian University, which would only add to the allure of playing in Jerry's World, potentially for a chance at a Super Bowl ring. Superstar rookie standout Micah Parsons and veterans Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory (if retained) fill most of the Cowboys' pass rushing needs, meaning that Hughes could be used sparingly to spell them.
Playing on that limited workload with some of the best facilities in the NFL located right in his home state, potentially for that hardware he so desperately wants, could be enough to lure in Jerry Hughes on a short-term deal. The pass rush of the Dallas Cowboys, while not bad by any stretch, did finish outside of the top ten in sacks. So there is room for improvement.
After only getting to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow once in the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs defensive line could be looking at a complete overhaul heading into 2022. Frank Clark has largely been a disappointment of late, and will likely not be brought back at his current cap number. Chris Jones has yet to record a postseason sack and 32-year-old Melvin Ingram cannot and will not be the cornerstone of the Chiefs pass rush. Jerry Hughes has a much different appreciation in Buffalo.
The Chiefs would be wise to look at Hughes which would be a bargain at $3.3 million per year. He may not be as talented as the top tier of free agent pass rushers like Chandler Jones, Von Miller, or Jadeveon Clowney, he will certainly be cheaper as the Kansas City Chiefs look to use what very little cap space they will have to bring back much more critical pieces like safety Tyrann Mathieu.
The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the best pass rushers in all of football in Joey Bosa. Unfortunately for LA, there isn't much to write home about below Bosa on the pass rusher depth chart. 2018 second-round pick Uchenna Nwosu hasn't panned out as planned, combining with Chris Rumph for only six sacks this season. If that is any indication, Bosa had 10.5 all by himself.
The Chargers have a promising young core on defense with safety Derwin James, cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., and the aforementioned Bosa. Windows close quickly in the NFL, and this defense, combined with a young superstar in the making at quarterback in Justin Herbert, will only be together for so long. The Los Angeles Chargers would benefit from the immediate attention opposing offenses would have to pay to Jerry Hughes, only further opening up Bosa on the opposite side and creating potential turnovers for the secondary in 2022.
Follow Us
Subscribe