It'd be easy to suggest the Philadelphia Eagles fleeced the San Francisco 49ers by trading away defensive end Bryce Huff. Plenty of Philly-centric outlets are doing just that.
Meanwhile, it's just as easy to suggest the Niners pulled off a trade heist, sending away a conditional fifth-round pick to Philadelphia while getting the Eagles to absorb a hefty amount of the defender's salary, leaving San Francisco to cover just below $8 million for 2025, a bargain for even B-level pass-rushers.
While everyone loves winners and scoffs at losers, the trade between Philly and the 49ers is shaping up to be a win-win for both sides.
And ESPN felt that way, too, giving both parties a B-plus grade for the transaction.
From the Niners' vantage point, ESPN's Seth Walder wrote the following:
"The 49ers could put Huff back into a situational pass-rushing role -- with [rookie Mykel] Williams handling run downs -- which would probably suit his skill set better. And if there is anyone who can get more out of Huff, perhaps it is 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who coached Huff with the Jets from 2021 to 2023.
Critically, the 49ers are not paying full price. As Field Yates laid out, the 49ers will pay Huff just under $8 million this year after he restructured his deal ahead of this trade. That, plus a Day 3 draft pick, seems like a worthwhile risk for a team with Super Bowl aspirations and a pass-rush need."
Additionally, San Francisco can get out from under Huff's contract in a year's time, should the reunion with Saleh not deliver desired expectations. Plus, there's the schematic fit, too, as rejoining Saleh puts the pass-rusher back into a base-down 4-3 wide-9 alignment, almost identical to the system in which Huff thrived under Saleh and the New York Jets in 2023 amid a 10-sack, 21-quarterback-hit campaign.
Sounds like the definition of a low-risk, high-reward move, right?
Yet it's also a win for the defending Super Bowl champions. Huff didn't quite cut it in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's 3-4 scheme, which often called upon the edge rusher to drop back into coverage and/or anchor the edge against the run.
Walder pointed that aspect out, too, which certainly soured Philadelphia's sentiments after inking Huff to a three-year, $51 million deal entering 2024:
"On the other hand, the Eagles clearly do not feel the same about Huff. They have a bevy of alternatives to play opposite Nolan Smith Jr., from veterans who have flashed in the past (Azeez Ojulari and Joshua Uche) to a young player with promise (Jalyx Hunt). Philadelphia isn't walking away with a huge haul, but if Huff was not a lock to be active on Sundays, then saving a few million and getting a draft pick is a pretty good outcome."
The Eagles (mostly) get out from under Huff's contract while netting a fifth-rounder that could turn into a Round 4 pick, should he thrive in the Bay Area.
That alone is a win for Philly general manager Howie Roseman, who has been able to quickly admit mistakes and resolve them as opposed to hanging onto failed projects for far too long.
So, yes. A win-win scenario for both sides, indeed.
