The Philadelphia Eagles have a keen eye for talent. Their success in the NFL Draft is well-documented as general manager Howie Roseman has wheeled and dealed his way to multiple homegrown starters. The Eagles have also fared well in free agency, turning low-risk deals like Mekhi Becton into premiere free agents over the course of one season.
Looking at the defending champs, it’s easy to look at Roseman as the guy that counts cards at the blackjack table. But not all of his moves have been a success.
With this year’s draft approaching, there’s a free agent bust who is already standing on thin ice. And if the Eagles make a projected selection, the ground he’s standing on could break and have him swimming to find a new job.
Bryce Huff’s Ice Is Getting Even Thinner Ahead of Eagles’ Draft
The Eagles signed Bryce Huff to add to their pass-rush last offseason but the three-year, $51.1 million contract provided disappointing results. The 27-year-old was coming off a breakout season with the New York Jets in 2023, recording 10 sacks as a situational pass-rusher. But it turns out he was more of the player he was earlier in his career, recording 7.5 sacks over his first three seasons.
Things unraveled quickly as Huff posted five pressures in his first five games. While he rebounded for four pressures in a Week 7 win over the New York Giants, his snap count declined into the teens while missing a month due to a hand injury suffered in a Week 9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was more of an afterthought with just 13 total snaps in the playoffs and has been on the trade block through the opening month of the offseason.
It’s left Huff on thin ice from the moment he arrived in Philadelphia but the draft could be its breaking point. Philadelphia could be looking for an edge rusher after Josh Sweat’s departure in free agency. While they have Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr. projected as starters, the Eagles are always looking one step ahead and could be looking at a developmental prospect in the draft.
It happened with Smith when he was selected with a first-round pick in the 2023 draft and sat behind Hasson Reddick and Sweat in his rookie season. But the Georgia product responded within his sophomore campaign, logging 6.5 sacks with 42 total tackles and eight tackles for loss.
The Eagles have also welcomed five college prospects in their pre-draft visits, hosting Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku, SMU’s Elijah Roberts, Tyler Baron from Miami, UCLA’s Olwuafemi Oladejo and Nic Scourton of Texas A&M. While some of those prospects might not be premier picks, Huff can’t afford any more competition in a draft room that already feels crowded.
Philadelphia would need to find a trade partner to get rid of Huff as his contract calls for a $21.4 million cap penalty for a pre-June 1 release and a $12.3 million penalty after that date. But Huff’s days with the Eagles already seemed numbered and can become official with another pick in the draft.