The Eagles' defense remains loaded after a Super Bowl run in 2024, but edge rusher is a definite position of need. That doesn't mean the team is desperate, however, and they have proven that by shipping away a dud of a defender in a major trade to end May.
Bryce Huff, just one year into his failed stint with the Eagles, has been kicked to the curb. After skipping all voluntary offseason activities so far in 2025, bringing about reports that he wasn't in the team's plans for the season, the team is finalizing a trade to send Huff to the San Francisco 49ers. It's hard not to see this as a clear win for the Eagles.
Eagles Get Steal in Bryce Huff-49ers Trade
Terms of the deal aren't finalized, and it can't go through until June 1, but Adam Schefter is as reliable a source as there is, so it's safe to assume this deal is going through. He also reports that the return for Huff will be a "mid-round pick." That's huge for Philly.
Huff, in all likelihood, was going to serve as nothing more than a backup this season if he stuck around in Philly. The Eagles didn't play him for a single snap in the playoffs last year, and the only time he got significant run in the second half of the season was Week 18 (when the backups were starting in a meaningless game). He was carrying a cap hit of $7.4 million, which was set to jump to $11.6 million. And cutting him wasn't going to do anything to help the cap situation.
So instead, they pull off a trade which, per Spotrac, will create $1.2 million in cap space this year (albeit costing some next year). And in addition to finding a slightly more budget-friendly way to get rid of a player who wouldn't see the field anyway, they get a draft pick. Even a late-rounder would have felt like a win, but if we're talking a third or fourth? That's gold.
There's still a chance that one year from now, Eagles fans will look back on this move with some regret, though.
Can the Trade Backfire?
Huff will reunite with Robert Saleh on the 49ers. Saleh was the New York Jets' head coach when Huff had his breakout 2023 campaign, racking up 10.0 sacks and earning the significant contract he signed with Philly to replace Haason Reddick.
He's only 27 years old, too, so it's not as if he's likely past his prime and washed up.
But even if Huff revitalizes his career in San Francisco, the process is correct here. There have been plenty of one-hit wonders in the NFL over the years, and Huff's poor 2024 campaign suggests he could be one of them. The Eagles' coaching staff is one of the best in the NFL, and they got a ton out of a lot of young, unproven defenders last year. That Huff still couldn't thrive in that environment is a major red flag. If Nick Sirianni doesn't think he's worth having around, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt.
The Eagles' ability to develop players also makes a draft pick more valuable for them than it is for some other teams.
What Kind of a Return is a "Mid-Round" Pick Anyway?
Here's a quick rundown of players the Eagles have taken in the middle rounds (three, four and five) in the last four NFL Drafts to give some context:
Third-Round Picks:
- 2022: Nakobe Dean
- 2023: Tyler Steen
- 2023: Sydney Brown
- 2024: Jalyx Hunt
Fourth-Round Picks:
- 2023: Kelee Ringo
- 2024: Will Shipley
- 2025: Ty Robinson
Fifth-Round Picks:
- 2024: Ainias Smith
- 2024: Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
- 2024: Trevor Keegan
- 2025: Mac Williams
- 2025: Smael Mondon Jr.
- 2025: Drew Kendall