Eagles Howie Roseman "Stubbornly" Still Believes In Struggling Free Agent

PHILADELPHIA – Bryce Huff isn’t going anywhere this offseason unless the Eagles can find a trade partner after June 1. And good luck with that, because Huff hasn’t done much of anything to make a team salivate for his services.

Plus, his contract would be an anchor weighing down whichever team would show the slightest interest.

Salary cap implications aside, Howie Roseman, the man who gave the edge rusher a three-year deal that can be worth up to $51 million and came with $34M guaranteed, the general manager didn’t seem to be in any rush to part ways with an edge rusher who hasn’t provided much of a rush.

“I think the story is yet to be written on Bryce,” said Roseman on Saturday morning, the day before the Eagles flew to New Orleans to prepare for a Super Bowl LIX date against the Kansas City Chiefs. “Now, I’m stubborn, I understand that. I’m stubborn on a lot of things.”

Roseman compared Huff’s first season to Javon Hargrave’s first year in Philly. Hargrave came over as a free agent from the Steelers in 2020 on a three-year, $39M deal.

Hargrave had 4.5 sacks, 38 tackles and eight quarterback hits in his first season. Those numbers grew to 7.5, 63, and 18 in his second season before going to 11 sacks, 60 tackles, and 16 QB hits in 2023.

“I remember Hargrave’s first year wasn’t as good as his great second and third year,” said Roseman. “Sometimes it takes longer. I think the guy’s (Huff) got unique ability in his body.”

The GM touched on the wrist surgery Huff had that cost him five games, and believed he was starting to come into his own before the surgery in early November. He played in just 27 percent of the defensive snaps this season.

“When he got hurt, he was starting to come on – and for him to use his hands and be able to throw that, obviously it was bothering him, that’s why he ended up having the surgery,” said Roseman. “But I’ve seen it. It’s a little different for me in free agency with those kind of signings than it is maybe with draft picks in terms of, you’ve seen them go against guys in the NFL and do things well. And I believe in the player.”

Vic Fangio doesn’t believe in him as much. Until the NFC Championship Game blowout of the Commanders, Huff had played only one snap in the postseason. He made it in for 12 snaps against Washington, but that was after the rout was in place.

Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

The Eagles are sort of pinned in on Huff’s contract. Details:

-To cut him before June 1, the Eagles would have a $29.6M dean money charge with a $22.1 cap charge. If the Eagles wait until after June 1, he is still would carry a $19.9M dead money hit and a $12.4 cap charge.

-To trade him prior to June 1, the Eagles would have a $12.9M dead money charge and $5.3M cap hit. After June 1, the dead money charge comes down to $3.2M but they would save $4.2M under the cap.

Again, though, nobody is likely trading for Huff, who had 2.5 sacks, 13 tackles, and four QB hits.

It’s not like he wouldn’t be able to help if he could. Fangio has played with a pared down rotation on the edge, going primarily with just Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith, and rookie Jalyx Hunt. Roseman prefers to have a rotation to keep guys fresh, but he is beginning to come around on the notion that maybe one isn’t as necessary.

“You gotta constantly reevaluate where you are on things,” he said. “And as the game evolves, one of the things – we’re not stubborn in team-building – it’s not like, ‘It’s gotta be like this, it’s gotta be like that.’

“It also depends on where guys are in their career. And those guys who are playing are really young – sometimes our defense has been fortunate to not play a ton of plays in certain games. I also think it depends on the circumstance in terms of rotation, but I’m probably a click lower on the importance of it than I was before.”

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