Bhan-BLOCKBUSTER DEAL BACKFIRES: The Trade That Analysts Declared “Dead on Arrival” and Mocked as the 49ers’ Biggest Blunder Is Now Quietly Reshaping the NFC West — and Insiders Say Rivals Are in Panic Mode Trying to Keep Up With San Francisco’s Sudden Surge.
John Lynch suddenly looks like a genius.
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch has had his fair share of misses during his time with the team. His aggressive team-building style has come back to bite him more than a few times before.
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When he traded for Bryce Huff this offseason, many experts saw the move as his latest mistake. The former Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher had failed to make an impact in the previous season, making them eager to ship him off just one year into his contract.
But just a few months later, it looks like Lynch pulled off a genius move to keep his team in contention in the NFC.
49ers end up quietly winning Bryce Huff trade
More often than not, when an NFL pass-rusher has one productive season in the middle of an underwhelming career, they end up crashing back down to the baseline they had already established. But the importance of pressuring opposing quarterbacks still drives teams to pay up for those players, leading to massive overpays and questionable trades.
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All of the evidence around Huff pointed to another example of the same story. He had one season with double-digit sacks with the New York Jets and suddenly became a hot commodity in free agency. The Eagles bit, giving him a three-year deal in free agency worth over $50 million.
After a disappointing 2024 campaign in Philadelphia, the Eagles were quick to put Huff on the trade block. The 49ers bought the dip on the edge rusher, giving up a mid-round draft pick to add him to their defensive line rotation.
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After Nick Bosa’s season-ending injury, the trade might be what saves the 49ers’ playoff hopes. Without their superstar defensive end in the lineup, San Francisco lacks pass-rushing talent off the edge. Rookie Mykel Williams is a great run defender, but he hasn’t shown the ability to consistently get after the quarterback yet.
Huff could now step into a role as the team’s most lethal edge rusher and a key piece of the defense on late downs. He already has two sacks this season, nearly surpassing his total from his year in Philadelphia. He’s even quietly showing improvements against the run, earning a career-high PFF run defense grade of 69 through four games.
San Francisco is now relying on the edge rusher to step into a full-time starting role. As long as he can hold down that position while Bosa recovers, the 49ers will have definitively won this trade.
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