The San Francisco 49ers made sweeping changes to the defensive side of the ball this offseason. Not only did they bring back former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for the same role, but they also revamped the roster on that end of the field. And, it looks like they are not done adding, either.
Despite selecting Mykel Williams with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the 49ers targeted another pass rusher on the trade market. On Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the 49ers were sending a mid-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Bryce Huff.
ESPN sources: 49ers and Eagles are working to finalize a trade that will send edge rusher Bryce Huff to San Francisco for a mid-round pick. The trade cannot and would not be processed until after June 1. But both sides are working to make it happen, and Huff already has reworked… pic.twitter.com/FJeGc9Cfwx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 30, 2025
49ers Pull Off Trade to Reunite Robert Saleh With Bryce Huff
Schefter added that this deal can not be finalized until June 1, but it sure sounds like a done deal. The details of the draft compensation will help determine how Niners fans feel about this trade, but it certainly carries significant risks.
Huff was a very productive edge defender during his time in New York under Robert Saleh. This earned him a three-year, $51.1 million deal with the Eagles last offseason, but things didn't go according to plan in Philadelphia. Huff wasn't able to repeat the production he had earlier in his career, went out of favor, and was eventually benched for the playoffs. He made things even worse this offseason when he refused to show up for Eagles OTAs.
Saleh can certainly get the most out of Huff like he previously has. At the same time, it's hard to blame the Eagles entirely for Huff's decline in performance when they have been an excellent organization in developing players in recent years.
Plus, should the 49ers really be putting all their eggs in Saleh's basket? After Chazz Surratt and Thomas Morstead, this is the third player with Saleh connections that San Francisco took a chance on.
This is a high-risk, high-reward type of trade for the 49ers. Let's hope that Huff can go back to his old self under the leadership of his former head coach.