SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers’ defensive line renovation continues as they are working to finalize a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for edge rusher Bryce Huff, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The trade, which is expected to be finalized next week after the calendar turns to June, includes a restructured contract for Huff, sources told Schefter. Huff was slated to make $16.75 million in fully guaranteed money in 2025 but the Eagles will take on $9.05 million in salary, leaving the Niners to handle the remaining $7.95 million this season once the deal is completed. San Francisco is expected to send a middle-round draft pick to the Eagles for Huff.
Upon landing in San Francisco, Huff will be reunited with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who was Huff’s head coach with the New York Jets for three seasons. There, Huff had his best NFL season in 2023, posting a career-high 10 sacks and 68 pressures on 312 pass-rush snaps. That 21.8% pressure rate was the best in the NFL, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
That breakout season resulted in Huff landing one of the biggest free agent deals of 2024 when he signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Eagles. But Huff never got his footing in Philadelphia, finishing last season with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 12 games with just six starts.
With the 49ers, Huff is joining a team that has undergone an extensive defensive makeover in the offseason, especially on the defensive line. Star defensive end Nick Bosa is the only surefire starter returning after the team released defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins as well as end Leonard Floyd.
San Francisco restocked the line largely through the draft, spending the 11th pick on end Mykel Williams, as well as second- and fourth-round choices on tackles Alfred Collins and CJ West, respectively.
Huff provides not only experience on the edge opposite Bosa but also could allow the team to move Williams around the line in sub packages after Williams played about 36% of his snaps inside during the 2024 college season.
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