Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff (0) against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
This time last year, the idea of Bryce Huff not being on the Eagles wasn't on anyone's mind. Fast forward 12 months and Huff is looked at as one of the most disappointing free agent signings in recent memory by Howie Roseman. Huff never hit the ground running in Philadelphia. He started just six games, recorded 2 1/2 sacks and played just 27% of the Eagles' defensive snaps. The defensive end was even a healthy scratch for the Super Bowl.
For the public, that displayed the beginning of the end for Huff in Philadelphia and he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a fifth-round pick in May. Although Huff foresaw a trade away from the Eagles way sooner than anyone could've predicted.
"I mean I kind of knew where it was headed like fairly early on into the season, even in training camp if I'm being honest," Huff told the SFNiners Podcast. "So when everything kind of popped off it was just like alright let's get to work."
Does that mean Huff was checked out from the start? Who knows, but from Huff's comments, it's clear he didn't fit in Philly.
The Eagles signed him to a three-year, $51 million contract last offseason, hoping he could be a steady threat as a pass rusher after trading Haason Reddick. Huff was coming off a season with a career-high 10 sacks with the New York Jets, after producing 7 1/2 during his first three seasons in the league.
Huff's numbers declined from the jump. He failed to record a sack until Week 5 versus the Cleveland Browns and his snap count kept going down throughout the season. In November, Huff was ruled out indefinitely after undergoing wrist surgery. He returned in late December, but didn't have much of an impact on the Eagles' playoff run.
"There was a plethora of things that went down," Huff said. "I don't want to get into specifics, but of course like being in the league for five years, I kind of knew what it felt like for me to be in a good situation, you know? And that's when I was like, yeah I gotta look out for myself and do what I think is best."
Huff said he knew he wasn't going to be traded during the season because of the magnitude of his contract and the expectations weighing on the Eagles, but he knew quickly that he wasn't a great fit.
The deal between the 49ers and Eagles works for both sides. The Eagles clear Huff off their books and can focus on moving past what can only be looked at as a failed signing, while also getting a draft pick. Meanwhile, Huff is reunited with Robert Saleh, the 49ers defensive coordinator, who coached the Jets when Huff had his breakout season. Huff will have the chance to rejuvenate his career after a disastrous season with the Eagles.
Even though this is likely the last chapter in the Huff-Eagles saga, it's hard to look past him saying he knew he'd get traded so soon. The Eagles' success definitely made this less of a storyline during the offseason. The emergence of Nolan Smith on the edge certainly helped as well.
Even with Huff as a non-factor, the Eagles still ended up being the best team in the NFL. Now Huff gets another chance to prove himself with the 49ers. Or maybe his 10-sack season in 2023 was just a fluke.
