The majority of the offseason is perhaps over, however NFL groups nonetheless can mould their rosters between now and Week 1. One of the simplest ways to try this this time of 12 months? Trades.
There are nonetheless weaknesses to shore up, gamers groups need to transfer on from and looming contracts.
As all the time, I will be grading these trades from every group’s perspective. I will be trying on the offers from all angles — together with high quality, age and contracts of the gamers dealt, wage cap implications, draft compensation, and the short- and long-term outlooks of the groups concerned. I am going to additionally think about the impact of every deal and the way sure we might be that the transfer was constructive or adverse.
Let’s dive in to grading offseason transactions, beginning with the 49ers bringing in pass-rush assist.
49ers get: Edge Bryce Huff
Eagles get: 2026 midround draft decide
49ers’ grade: B+
Eagles’ grade: B+
The 49ers are betting that Huff’s 2024 season was an outlier — not an indication of what is to return.
A 12 months in the past, Huff was a high-end free agent who signed a three-year, $51.1 million take care of the Eagles after exhibiting severe pass-rushing chops with the Jets. Regardless of questions on his run protection, it appeared effectively value it on the time. From 2020 to 2022, Huff recorded a 26% go rush win price at edge — a top-10 quantity on the place had he certified — in a situational pass-rushing position. The sacks adopted when Huff acquired extra taking part in time in 2023, with 10 that season earlier than hitting free company.
However Huff’s numbers instantly dropped in Philadelphia. His win price fell to a career-low 19% (which continues to be increased than common), however the sacks weren’t there (2.5) and his taking part in time dipped earlier than he missed time within the second half of the season to have wrist surgical procedure. He was wholesome for the postseason however inactive for the Tremendous Bowl — a transparent signal of what Philadelphia thought of his play.
The 49ers have been in search of a high quality edge rusher reverse Nick Bosa. Their greatest funding in that space is first-round decide Mykel Williams, however Huff is one other swing in that division.
It is a fairly affordable play for San Francisco. As poorly as Huff performed final season, there’s nonetheless loads to love in his historical past and his go rush win price remained strong regardless of his struggles. His go rush get-off (time to cross the road of scrimmage) has bounced round, from 0.8 seconds in 2021 to an absurd 0.67 in 2022 to 0.75 in 2023 and 0.79 in 2024.
Whereas that reveals Huff slowing down, that is nonetheless a better-than-average get-off for an edge rusher. The 49ers might put Huff again right into a situational pass-rushing position — with Williams dealing with run downs — which might in all probability go well with his skillset higher. And if there’s anybody who can get extra out of Huff, maybe it’s 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who coached Huff with the Jets from 2021-23.
Critically, the 49ers should not paying full value. As Discipline Yates laid out, the 49ers can pay Huff just below $8 million this 12 months after he restructured his deal forward of this commerce. That, plus a Day 3 draft decide, looks like a worthwhile danger for a group with Tremendous Bowl aspirations and a pass-rush want.
Then again, the Eagles clearly don’t really feel the identical about Huff. They’ve a bevy of alternate options to play reverse Nolan Smith Jr., from veterans who’ve flashed previously (Azeez Ojulari and Joshua Uche) to a younger participant with promise (Jalyx Hunt). Philadelphia is not strolling away with an enormous haul, but when Huff was not a lock to be lively on Sundays, then saving a couple of million and getting a draft decide is a fairly good final result.