In the most aggressive move yet, the Philadelphia Eagles traded defensive end Bryce Huff to the San Francisco 49ers. This trade represents an inspiring new chapter for both teams. After displaying elite edge-rushing talent with New York Jets, Huff definitely intrigued Eagles with this. On March 11, they hastily signed him to a three-year, $51.1 million contract. His tenure in Philadelphia was not an illustration of his past successes.
During the 2023 season, Huff recorded an impressive ten sacks, establishing it as his best season before entering free agency. His statistics took a major nosedive after he slipped on the Eagles’ jersey. In 2024, Huff’s stock went crashing. Even with that impressive pass rush win rate, his overall win rate tanked to a career-low 19%.
Huff’s drop in production was quite noticeable as he had just 2.5 sacks that season. His playing time dwindled, ending in him missing the rest of the season after wrist surgery. Prior to this drop off, Huff had among the highest pass rush win rates (26% from 2020-2022) in the league. Had he qualified, that performance would have solidified him as a top ten edge rusher.
Clearly, though, the 49ers believe Huff can blossom into a much more valuable asset. They consider his underwhelming 2024 campaign an aberration, not indicative of what he’s capable of. What’s more, they signed him for a steal. This provided them an opportunity to shore up their defensive front without breaking the bank. The 49ers’ decision is further influenced by their familiarity with Huff’s past success under Robert Saleh, who served as his coach during their time with the Jets from 2021 to 2023. Saleh is now the defensive coordinator for the 49ers.
Previously, the Eagles had sent Bryce Huff to the Dolphins, receiving a mid-round draft pick in 2026 in return. This selection has the chance to evolve into a huge asset in their future roster-building. Both sides got a B+ grade for the deal. This score is a testament to a truly collaborative give-and-take where each party fulfilled distinct requirements and both took measured leaps of faith.
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