Bryce Huff, a promising young defensive end, was poached away to join the San Francisco 49ers. He was acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles on May 30. When the Eagles signed Huff to a lucrative deal earlier this year, it was a statement signing. They inked him to an equally remarkable three-year, $51 million deal. The 49ers took a flier themselves by acquiring his services for a conditional fifth round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This ruling changes the game entirely for how each side plans to move forward.
Huff signed a big free agent contract with the 49ers after a breakout campaign with the New York Jets in 2023. He finished with a career-high 10 sacks and registered those on 68 total pressures on just 312 pass-rush snaps. His 21.8% pressure rate was the best in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats, highlighting his effectiveness and potential impact on the field.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan provides the direction as well as captain of the ship Huff will serve as the primary edge rusher in a position that’s supposed to have an edge rusher first and foremost. Huff won’t figure to have an every-down role next to star pass rusher Nick Bosa. He does provide one incredible use of versatility by moving inside on obvious pass-rush down, which provides the 49ers’ defensive front a ton of strategic flexibility.
I would say that Huff’s understanding of the 49ers’ defensive scheme would be added value, but that’s not entirely true. He played for current Colts defensive coordinator Robert Saleh when he was with the Jets from 2021-2023. This relationship has already produced highly fruitful outcomes. Huff, after returning to Saleh’s suddenly-defensive pipeline, has made a terrific impact.
Saleh is optimistic of Huff’s upside long term in the scheme. As an example, he featured clips of edge rusher Dee Ford. He thinks these short clips are a model for what Huff is able to do, in terms of performance and impact.
“I think highly of him as a pass rusher,” – Robert Saleh
Huff’s career in the NFL started as an undrafted free agent from Memphis in 2020. This background has armed him with the grit to overcome obstacles and tenacity to go after what he wants despite challenges. He knew that his life lessons as a professional football player were some of the most important things that shaped his character. Yet, he was the first to acknowledge it usually didn’t work out that way.
“I learned a lot about myself throughout that experience, but it just didn’t work out at the end of the day,” – Bryce Huff
The defensive end certainly needed a change of scenery. He had recently listed the 49ers as one of his ideal trade destinations. His willingness to go to San Francisco really showed his ambition and his hunger to be successful in a system that he has reverence for and familiarity with.
“I had a few places in mind that I definitely was hoping to get traded,” – Bryce Huff
Kris Kocurek, the 49ers’ defensive line coach, recognized that transitioning from a hand-in-the-ground defense to a standup outside linebacker role requires an adjustment period. Still, Pederson said he’s bullish on Huff learning to maximize himself in his new surroundings.
“If you’re born into a hand-in-the-ground defense, it’s an adjustment period to turn yourself into a standup outside linebacker role and vice versa,” – Kris Kocurek
Kyle Shanahan is enthusiastic about Huff’s rapid start with the team and emphasized how much he appreciates Huff’s speed off the ball. Shanahan thinks his acceleration would allow him to become the fastest player off the line since Dee Ford. That brings some exciting possibilities for the new team.
“When you talk about just getting off the ball and how fast he does it, he will be our best get-off-the-ball guy we’ve had since Dee Ford,” – Kyle Shanahan
Huff, meanwhile, is already preparing for next season with the 49ers. He has plenty to prove and intends on making a big mark during this new phase of his career. His preposterous production last season with the Jets demonstrated just how high that potential looms. Now, he’s intent on making that success blossom into a more influential chief of the city by the bay.
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