Why Eagles, why?
The Eagles are working to finalize a deal that will send edge rusher Bryce Huff to the San Francisco 49ers for a mid-round draft pick, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.
In San Francisco, Huff will have a reunion with Robert Saleh, the defensive end’s former coach with the New York Jets, who returned to the 49ers as defensive coordinator this offseason.
The trade is expected to be finalized after June 1, and Huff has already agreed to restructure his contract to help make that outcome a reality.
Huff was scheduled to earn $16.75 million in guaranteed money in 2025 from the Eagles, who declined a $15.58M option bonus and turned that into a base salary according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
By going that route, the Eagles could be on the hook for $9.05 million in salary, leaving the 49ers responsible for the remaining $7.95 million due to Huff this season.
Under Saleh’s leadership in 2023, Huff got home to the quarterback and had a career-high 10 sacks and 68 pressures on just 312 pass-rushing opportunities, generating the best pressure rate in the NFL at 21.8%, according to Next Gen Stats.
That sparked a huge bidding war for Huff in free agency, and he ultimately agreed to a three-year, $51M deal with the Eagles.
Embed from Getty ImagesHuff ended up playing in just 12 games, half of them starts with six in his lone disappointing campaign in Philadelphia, accumulating 13 tackles and 2 ½ sacks, while being slowed considerably by a torn ligament in his wrist that limited him for much of the second half of the season.
Huff had not been a participant or even showed up at any of the Eagles’ voluntary work this offseason, according to several NFL sources, a glaring indication both the Eagles and Huff were looking at a separation due to irreconcilable differences.
With this move, the Eagles look thin on the edge after also losing Josh Sweat in free agency and Brandon Graham to retirement after 15 years in the league and after Super Bowl LIX, which they won against the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.
At Wednesday’s OTA practice with Nolan Smith limited to individual work due to the torn triceps he sustained in the Super Bowl, second-year prospect Jalyx Hunt and free-agent pickup Azeez Ojulari were working with the first team taking snaps, followed by the duo of Josh Uche and the returning Patrick Johnson.
Sixth-round rookie Antwaun Powell-Ryland is also on the depth chart as are 2024 practice-squad players K.J. Henry and Ochaun Mathis.
