Eagles Are Likely Going To Need Rebooted Pass Rusher

The signing of Bryce Huff was one of the few things that didn't work out for Eagles GM Howie Roseman.

Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff takes part in drills as the Philadelphia Eagles work out in preparation for the Super Bowl. / William Bretzger/Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - About the only thing that didn’t work out for Howie Roseman en route to an Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX championship was the three-year, $51 million deal he offered Bryce Huff with the idea that the former New York Jets pressure machine would be the centerpiece of a post-Haason Reddick pass rush.

The idea that Huff could evolve from a one-trick pony in New York to a three-down player in a Vic Fangio scheme that demands setting the edge, playing as a flat defender in coverage, and chasing the quarterback was an ill-fated one.

And by the time, Huff tore a ligament in his wrist before a Week 9 win over Jacksonville, the Eagles had somehow turned the floor of just pass-rusher to non-contributor lapped by emerging second-year player Nolan Smith and eventually developmental rookie Jalyx Hunt.

The low point came in the Super Bowl when Huff was a “healthy scratch” in favor of the returning Brandon Graham, who made it back from a torn triceps on Nov. 24 to contribute to Philadelphia’s dominant 40-22 win over Kansas City.  

Before the Eagles even arrived in New Orleans for their franchise-defining win, Roseman was already setting the stage for a Huff reboot in 2025.

“Now, I’m stubborn, I understand that. I’m stubborn on a lot of things," Roseman admitted.

The GM compared Huff’s first season in Philadelphia to Javon Hargrave’s inaugural effort after signing as a free agent from Pittsburgh on a three-year, $39M deal.

“I remember Hargrave’s first year wasn’t as good as his great second and third year,” said Roseman. 

That part is true with Hargrave piling up 4 ½ sacks, 38 tackles, and eight quarterback hits in his first season before finishing with two solid seasons that produced a total of 18 ½ sacks and 34 QB hits, enough to earn him a massive payday from San Francisco.

“Sometimes it takes longer,” Roseman assessed. “I think the guy [Huff] has got unique ability in his body.”

Roseman believed Huff was starting to come on before the wrist injury that essentially turned Huff into a one-handed player even after surgery to address the problem. The healthy scratch notation in the Super Bowl was put in quotations because Huff was never really healthy after the wrist injury.

“When he got hurt, he was starting to come on,” said Roseman, “... Obviously [the wrist] was bothering him, that’s why he ended up having the surgery.”

Then came the optimism.

“I’ve seen it,” Roseman said when discussing Huff’s success at the NFL level. “It’s a little different for me in free agency with those kind of signings than it is maybe with draft picks in terms of, you’ve seen them go against guys in the NFL and do things well. 

“And I believe in the player.”

The same sentiment did not ring true for Fangio, really dating back to the summer when the veteran coach seemed lukewarm over Huff and his ability to transition into the type of player who could thrive in a more read-and-react fashion rather than consistently pinning his ears back. 

That said, Roseman is trying salvage the situation.

Cutting Huff would carry a significant financial penalty with it – a $22.1 million cap hit and $29.6M of dead money prior to June 1 and a still impactful $12.4 cap charge and $19.9 of dead money after June 1.

A trade would be at least palatable with the Eagles taking a $5.3 cap hit prior to June 1 and an actually saving of $4.2M post-June 1. However, it’s hard to envision anyone taking on the rest of Huff’s contract coming off of last season, never mind sending some kind of asset the Eagles’ way just to do that.

With Josh Sweat set to be an unrestricted free agent on March 12 and in line for a $15M to $20M average annual value deal, and Brandon Graham likely headed for retirement the Eagles are likely going to need multiple bodies at a very important position with their top draft asset at No. 32 overall and limited resources in free agency.

All signs point to the Eagles needing Huff next season and Roseman is savvy enough to realize that.

“I think the story is yet to be written on Bryce,” Roseman said.

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