Eagles Players Named Culprits for Bryce Huff’s Sudden Exit as 49ers Bring Robert Saleh His Former Prodigy

When the Eagles brought Bryce Huff on a three-year, $51.1 million deal, expectations were sky-high. And why not? Speed off the edge? Check. Fresh from a 10-sack season with the Jets? Double check. But then came the Vic Fangio reality check. Because Fangio’s system demanded more than just quarterback pressures, it required stout run defense. But let’s just say that wasn’t exactly Huff’s highlight reel.

Initially, Huff (a pass-rush specialist) struggled to adapt. At the earliest of the 2024 season, he had a missed tackle rate of 66.7%. That’s way higher than the year before in New York (12.1%). The plot thickened. PFF wasn’t shy about rating Huff’s run defense, handing him a tough 48.0 grade. It was clear that Fangio wanted him to run defense, but Huff was certainly struggling. The result?

Well, right after the calendar flipped to June, the Eagles traded him to the 49ers. But was it just his performance that led the Eagles to trade him? Well, it could be, but the folks out there have a different take on this. On Monday, Mike Florio and Chris Simms talked about Huff’s trade to the Niners. And that’s when Simms pointed out one of the many reasons behind the Eagles’ trading of Huff.

“I think, they’re a little bit into maybe some bigger guys on the edge. A little bit,” Simms noted. Translation? Well, the Eagles had the likes of Nolan Smith and last year’s draft pick, Jalyx Hunt, on their roster. So Huff’s need in Fangio’s defensive unit? Yeah, it became bare minimum—at least that’s what Simms believes. “I think what they looked at—Nolan Smith took the right step in the right direction. Last year, Jalyx Hunt, right? That’s the other guy that made Bryce Huff expandable.”

See, Nolan Smith had a standout season with the Eagles in 2024. In seventeen games (ten starts), the guy had 42 combined tackles and 6.5 sacks. The guy stepped up at the right time. Why? Brandon Graham hung up his cleats after winning the Super Bowl, and the Eagles parted ways with Milton Williams and Josh Sweat.

Same with Hunt. The rookie had a notable season. That’s 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 16 games. But that’s not all, and Chris Simms isn’t done yet. He believes that the Eagles’ picking Jihaad Campbell in the first round adds depth to their defensive line. And yes, his addition to Fangio’s defense played a key role in Huff’s departure, in one way or another. “They got other depth there…Even the kid they drafted, at the end of the first round, Jihaad Campbell,” Simms added.

Long story short: while Bryce Huff’s struggles in the Eagles’ defense played a key role in his trade, no doubt. But so do the other players in their D-line, as per the NFL analysts. But one thing’s clear: Huff is now all set to reunite with his former head coach in San Francisco.

Robert Saleh’s desire to bring Bryce Huff comes true

We’ve seen a lot of times when a player signs a massive deal, wins a Lombardi, and moments after that finds himself around the trade negotiations. That’s the kind of year Bryce Huff had in 2025. But ever since his trade news hit the headlines, there hadn’t been any other team that was linked to him other than the 49ers, with Robert Saleh leading their defensive unit. Huff’s former head coach.

After remaining undrafted in the 2020 NFL draft, Huff signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jets. And get this, the guy thrived under former Jets’ head coach, Saleh. Take his 2023 season, for instance, you know, before he joined the Eagles. The guy had 10 sacks. A career high, no doubt. But he also became the team’s first double-digit sack producer since 2005. Add 21 QB hits to it, then there you: Huff recorded the best season of his career.

But he was shipped off to Philly, and the Jets fired Saleh in the 2024 season. Fast forward to now, and given that the 49ers hired Saleh as their defensive coordinator, it kind of felt that Huff would pack his bags to leave for San Francisco. And yes, on June 1, the Eagles traded Huff to the 49ers, incurring just $3 million against their cap rather than $12.1 million, following a post-June 1 trade.

All in all, after a gap of one year, Bryce Huff and Robert Saleh are finally reuniting. How will their season turn out? It’s really going to be worth a watch.

The post Eagles Players Named Culprits for Bryce Huff’s Sudden Exit as 49ers Bring Robert Saleh His Former Prodigy appeared first on EssentiallySports.