Breaking down 49ers EDGE group after Bryce Huff trade with Eagles
Breaking down 49ers EDGE group after Bryce Huff trade with Eagles
On Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter shocked the NFL world when he reported that the San Francisco 49ers were finalizing a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for edge rusher Bryce Huff.
Huff, 27, played collegiately at Memphis from 2016-19, earning All-AAC honors in both of his final two seasons with the Tigers before the New York Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent after the 2020 NFL draft.
In four seasons with New York, Huff appeared in 54 games and recorded 65 tackles (17 for a loss), 43 quarterback hits, 17.5 sacks, three passes defensed and a forced fumble.
Last year, he inked a three-year, $51.1 million deal with the Eagles, and while he missed time with a wrist injury, he finished his first season with the club with 13 tackles (three for a loss), four quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Now, he'll join a 49ers front that should wreak havoc for opposing quarterbacks. Let's take a look at the rest of the group.
Nick Bosa
Bosa has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the league since San Francisco took him in the first round (No. 2 overall) out of Ohio State in the 2019 NFL draft. In fact, he has the fourth-most sacks (62.5) since he entered the league, only behind Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson (75), Cleveland's Myles Garrett (82) and Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt.
In 2025, he'll be the team's top pass rusher as long as he remains healthy.
Mykel Williams
The 20-year-old from Georgia was the 49ers' top selection (No. 11 overall) in this year's draft after recording 67 tackles and 14 sacks in 40 career games with the Bulldogs over three years. He has the athleticism to be great, but he might need some time to develop and grow before he's truly successful. He'll probably start opposite Bosa in the team's season opener.
Yetur Gross-Matos
Gross-Matos was a second-round selection (No. 38 overall) of the Carolina Panthers in the 2020 NFL draft, and he signed a two-year contract with the 49ers last offseason. In 2024, he appeared in a career-low 11 games and finished with just 19 tackles (six for a loss), seven quarterback hits and four sacks. San Francisco was hoping for more.
The former Nittany Lion has a chance to play a rotational role in 2025, but the addition of Huff may make him expendable, especially if San Francisco can save $4.82 million by releasing him after June 1 (per Over the Cap).
Robert Beal Jr.
The 26-year-old spent four years at Georgia, including one with Williams before the 49ers took him in the fifth round (No. 173 overall) in the 2023 NFL draft. He only played in four games as a rookie and then played 13.9% of the team's defensive snaps in 14 games last year, recording 11 tackles.
Beal's deal is inexpensive, and he does provide some special-teams value, which should keep him around for another year.
Sam Okuayinonu
The Liberian Native went undrafted in 2022 following a collegiate career at Maryland that saw him earn All-Big Ten honors in his final season. After a brief stint with the Tennessee Titans in his rookie year, he signed with the 49ers for 2024. Last year, he appeared in 16 games, recording 35 tackles (six for a loss), seven quarterback hits, three sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defensed.
After playing 42.2% of San Francisco's defensive snaps last year, he could play a rotational role as well in 2025.
Jonathan Garvin
Garvin played three years at Miami (2017-19) before the Green Bay Packers selected him in the seventh round (no. 242 overall) of the 2020 NFL draft. He spent three years in Green Bay, appearing in 38 games and recording 32 tackles (one for a loss), seven quarterback hits, two passes defensed and 1.5 sacks. He also played with UFL's Birmingham Stallions in 2024 before moving on and off San Francisco's practice squad multiple times last year.
The 25-year-old will likely be fighting for a roster spot this offseason after not playing in an NFL game the last two years.
Tarron Jackson
Jackson, 26, was a sixth-round pick (No. 191 overall) of the Eagles in the 2021 NFL draft following a college career at Coastal Carolina that included an All-American final season. After three years in Philadelphia, he had a short tenure with the Carolina Panthers, another back with the Eagles before landing with the 49ers to end the year. However, he never played in a game for San Francisco.
Jackson will have a lot of work to do if he wants to work his way onto the roster in 2025.
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