The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX with their most expensive free-agent acquisition as a healthy scratch. They signed edge rusher Bryce Huff to a three-year, $51.1 million deal before last season. He was not fitting in with Vic Fangio's defense and was scratched for the Super Bowl. After the Eagles traded Huff to the 49ers, Philly legend Brandon Graham explained why he struggled and how that may change in San Francisco.

I just think with the Jets, it was just that defense, man,” Graham told the Ross Tucker Podcast after the 49ers deal. “I know what it's like playing in that 4-3, wide-nine, go get it. Every play, it's always ‘stop the run on the way to the quarterback'. That's the slogan in that type of defense. I feel like it's all scheme. I mean, I've seen different guys flourish in different systems, and then you see him get in another system [and] it's different, and what they asked of [Huff] this year, it just wasn't a great marriage, I would say.”

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Huff had ten sacks in 17 games with the Jets in 2023. It was a huge contract year for the 25-year-old, and it got him a big deal from the Eagles. That move forced the Jets to trade for Hassan Reddick, which was also a disaster. Truly a lose-lose domino effect for both teams. In 14 total games with the Eagles, Huff had 2.5 sacks.

The 49ers picked up Huff in a trade because Robert Saleh is back as the defensive coordinator. Saleh was the Jets' head coach when Huff had his best seasons, and he can put him in a position to succeed with the 49ers.  With Nick Bosa already on the edge, Huff will get favorable matchups in his preferred defensive scheme for an entire season with San Francisco. Can he help the 49ers get back to the playoffs?