Bryce Huff and the San Francisco 49ers can prove the perfect marriage does exist in free agency
Reports ahead of the start of the NFL's negotiating period have confirmed what many suspected, that the San Francisco 49ers will aggressively target edge rushers in free agency. San Francisco needs help at the defensive end spot across from Nick Bosa, with Chase Young, Clelin Ferrell and Randy Gregory all on the open market with […]
Reports ahead of the start of the NFL's negotiating period have confirmed what many suspected, that the San Francisco 49ers will aggressively target edge rushers in free agency.
San Francisco needs help at the defensive end spot across from Nick Bosa, with Chase Young, Clelin Ferrell and Randy Gregory all on the open market with a chance to sign elsewhere.
I've already profiled Dorance Armstrong (who has since reportedly agreed to a deal with the Commanders), Josh Uche, Marcus Davenport and D.J. Wonnum as potential free agent targets.
Now, with the free agency frenzy in full swing, let's look at one more who could be pursued by the Niners.
Jets edge rusher Bryce Huff should be a free agent option for the 49ers
Huff has only started seven games in his NFL career and, before this season, the New York Jets edge rusher had never managed more than 3.5 sacks in a season.
Despite not starting a game in 2023, Huff enjoyed a huge breakout year, racking up 10 sacks, 21 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss.
Those numbers were not a fluke, but rather a reflection of his ability to generate consistent pressure. Among edge defenders, only Micah Parsons had a higher pressure rate (20.4%) than that of Huff (20.3%) last season, per Sports Info Solutions.
Huff (3.4%) had a higher sack rate than Parsons (3.3%), with his success a product of a pass-rushing skill set the 49ers would dearly love to add to their ranks.
Bringing a different element
Huff possesses the attributes the 49ers covet in that he can get off the ball extremely well and can win by converting his speed off the snap to power that enables him to drive defenders back to the quarterback.
But Huff also boasts a trait that has been lacking from the 49er defensive front for some time.
The Niners haven't had an edge rusher who can bend and dip his way around the edge like Huff since Dee Ford was on the roster. After helping the 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2019 season, Ford played only seven games over the course of the 2020 and 2021 campaigns.
Huff can turn the corner and flatten to the quarterback with hugely impressive lower-body flexibility, with his prowess in that regard complemented by two-hand swipe and club-rip moves.
He could certainly serve to add to his arsenal of moves but, in terms of the athletic gifts Huff has displayed on tape, he is as close to the ideal 49ers edge rusher as possible.
The problem is that landing him may come at a substantial cost.
An expensive bet
Despite only having one season of elite production, Huff's contract will likely be a very lucrative one.
A to Z Sports projected the 25-year-old to receive a four-year, $64 million contract with $17.5 million guaranteed. Not top end money, but still a substantial investment for a team with limited cap space.
Yet the age would be a factor in such a contract. Huff has already demonstrated substantial promise and clearly has a lot of time to get even reach more significant heights if he lands with the right team.
There would be no better place for him to land than with the Niners. Already very familiar with the defensive scheme from his time with the Jets, Huff would be set up to thrive playing across from Nick Bosa on the defensive line. As potential free agency matches go, this is one made in heaven.
