Bryce Huff's Retirement Creates a Big Need on the 49ers Defensive Line

The San Francisco 49ers were struck with a bit of surprising news when Bryce Huff announced his retirement from football. The 49ers may have been debating releasing him, but his contract was at a point where the team may have been fine with him staying. So, while Huff was not too productive in his role last season, his role is still needed. How does the retirement impact the 49ers?

The San Francisco 49ers need to add a pass rusher after Bryce Huff retirement

The 49ers currently have Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Sam Okuayinonu, and Keion White as their edge rushers who are likely to make the roster. That is not a bad group of four, but the issue is that they have a lot of solid run-defending edge rushers and no speed from the outside.

Bosa and Williams will start, while the other two specialize in run defense. White is essentially just a Williams backup, as he slides inside on passing downs as well.

When the 49ers are at their best, these four are defending the run on early downs. However, White, Williams, or even both slide inside on passing downs. Bosa can rush outside of those two, but Okuayinonu is too slow.

The team had pushed Huff into that role, and he thrived early in the season. When Williams went down, they asked Huff to play more run downs, and it wore him down. If Williams is healthy this season, he is at his best rushing inside, and he makes life easier for whichever speed rusher can step into that role.

The issue is that the 49ers do not have many options to choose from. The top free agents are all gone. Arnold Ebiketie likely represents the closest match to Huff in terms of role as a free agent. There are a few names in the draft that likely became stronger options as well.

Joshua Josephs, R. Mason Thomas, Cashius Howell, Gabe Jacas, Romello Height, and Jaishawn Barham can all fill the role of a speed rusher off of the edge, and all of them will be going in the second through fourth rounds, where the 49ers hold all of their picks.

Either way, they are going to want to address this need. They cannot go into next season lacking a speed rush presence from their edge rusher group. The question will be which route they take to fill the need.