How Bryce Huff Can Contribute to 49ers Defense
As the month comes to a close, more news is coming out of San Francisco. The Philadelphia Eagles are finalizing a deal to send five-year edge rusher Bryce Huff to the 49ers in exchange for a mid-round pick. Huff is guaranteed $17 million this upcoming season, with the Eagles taking on nine million dollars while San Francisco takes on a little under eight million dollars. The 27-year-old signed a three-year, $51.1 million contract with Philadelphia last offseason.
After just one underwhelming season, the team decided to move in a different direction. Philadelphia was searching for a pass rusher to fill the void of Haason Reddick. They decided to sign Huff, who was coming off a breakout season where he registered 10 sacks for the New York Jets. However, the Eagles found out quickly that he wasn’t the right fit in their defense, as he played in 12 games in 2024, only recording two and a half sacks. He became a non-factor in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, being overshadowed by Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith.
As he heads to San Francisco, he reunites with his former Jets head coach, Robert Saleh. Saleh was the coach who developed and got the best out of Huff. If there were a team to help him earn the contract he was awarded, the 49ers would be the team. The team wants to bolster their depth at the position, and Huff previously thrived in the Jets’ deep rotation of pass rushers. In 2023, he was disruptive, becoming the first Jets edge rusher to have a double-digit sack season since John Abraham in 2005. Huff combines his great burst off the snap with ferocious hands when finding lanes to the quarterback, which is something the 49ers have lacked since Dee Ford departed.
With his speed off the edge, he can share snaps with first-round rookie Mykel Williams across from Nick Bosa. He should produce on third down as a designated pass rusher while Williams comes in on early downs to set the edge. In 2019, Saleh developed the 49ers’ defensive line into one of the deepest units in the NFL, and it looks like he is laying the same foundation again. It has been a busy offseason for San Francisco, as pressure will be on them to get into the playoff hunt in the NFC. With this trade, the 49ers hope Huff can return to form with Saleh coaching a new-look defense. He will be one of many in his first season for the 49ers, joining several rookies who are looking to make immediate impacts.
